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Background:

Under the guidance of the Chief of Advocacy & Communication (A&C), the Communication Consultant will be responsible for coordinating, networking, implementing and monitoring UNICEF Pakistan's public advocacy and communication priority related to early childhood development (ECD) and the first years of life, including neonatal survival; nutrition (exclusive breastfeeding; micronutrient deficiencies, especially iron and folic acid; immunization and polio; early stimulation; early childhood education (ECE), and related campaigns such as ˜Every Child Alive or Early Moments Matter.

To make a difference, you will be accountable for the following tasks and deliverables

Activities include:

Communication strategy implementation:

A work plan is developed, contextualized and implemented in support of UNICEF's advocacy for early childhood development (ECD) in Pakistan.

• Under the guidance of the Chief of Advocacy & Communication (A&C), implement and contextualize the priority of the office's public advocacy strategy related to ECD, including issues related to neonatal survival; nutrition; immunization and polio; early stimulation; early childhood education (ECE) – in relation to the 2018-2022 country programme and national priorities.
• Provide support to programme colleagues and government partners working to implement the public advocacy and communication strategy in support of the Every Child Is Alive & Thrives campaign in Pakistan.
• Â Provide support to the offices ECD Technical Working Group (TWG), ensuring adequate information sharing. Maintain and update a work plan of events and activities in close cooperation with the TWG-ECD and programme colleagues.
• Using available evidence, identify and build on opportunities to further public advocacy for ECD in Pakistan.
• Plan, organize and monitor activities such as advocacy events (briefings, exhibitions, launches¦) or campaigns (mass media and digital media), developing communication strategies and checklists, conceptualizing, implementing and monitoring evaluation and impact, preparing information materials and following up on logistic arrangements.
• Work with contractors on the production of content, monitoring quality and timeliness, and ensuring appropriate use of financial resources.

Digital and Mass Media outreach: 

Compelling, creative public advocacy products are developed to communicate the story of early childhood in Pakistan in mass media and on social media, including the challenges which the country still faces, the achievements and the way forward, e.g. in terms of programming.

• Under the guidance of the Chief of Communication and with support from the Communication Specialist and the Communication Officer (Digital Media), develop a digital strategy to increase engagement and social mobilization around issues related to early childhood development and education on social media in Pakistan. Generate ideas for the production of compelling public advocacy products and campaigns; plan and implement their development for different channels, including videos, mini-stories, photos and other social media content; include the voices of children, parents and communities as possible.
• Identify, enroll and maintain a close collaboration with appropriate key digital influencers who can be mobilized to actively support advocacy for ECD in Pakistan on digital media.
• Provide support in the creation of a public discourse around early childhood in Pakistan on social media and other digital platforms, engaging in the discussion families, communities and health workers; stakeholders, governmental authorities; key influencers and media; using innovative interactive digital media platforms and tools.
• Develop compelling communication products (e.g. fact sheets, booklets, press statements, op-eds, inspiring stories, visibility materials, content for campaigns¦) in line with UNICEF standards, and support their dissemination on appropriate channels.
• Maintain regular contact and close collaboration with media outlets and influencers print, TV, radio, web, photo etc. to communicate the story of early childhood development. Engage key media and raise their interest in ECD, providing them with compelling material, proactively pitching stories, briefings and interviews, and organizing field visits to ensure increased quality coverage

Networking and partnerships:

Strategic partnerships with governmental partners, development organizations, civil society, academia, private sector, media, nationally-known personalities, celebrities and community champions is created, maintained, resulting in increased mobilization and engagement around ECD in Pakistan.

• Under the guidance of the Chief of Communication and with support from the Communication Specialist and the Communication Officer (Digital Media), develop a contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and forum among media, governmental partners, development organizations, civil society, private sector, nationally-known personalities whose support can help achieve the advocacy and communication objectives on ECD, and who can be engaged and mobilized to actively participate in special events and activities.
• Identify, enroll and maintain a close collaboration with appropriate national personalities and celebrities, including digital influencers, who can be mobilized to actively support and participate in advocacy for early childhood in Pakistan.
• Working with programme, field and communication for development (C4D) colleagues, Identify, enroll and maintain a close collaboration with appropriate champions, e.g. inspiring community workers, who can be mobilized to actively support and participate in advocacy.

Monitoring and evaluation:

The consultant regularly monitors and evaluates the impact of various campaigns and activities related to ECD.

• Communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated in a monitoring and evaluation track sheet.
• Based on the monitoring and evaluation track sheet, results are analyzed with the objective to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities.
• Results, reports and key findings are prepared and shared, with colleagues and partners.

Scope of Work/ Work Assignments:

The Communication Consultant will:

• Perform tasks assigned from among the prescribed tasks above or additional tasks as the scope of the activities related to public advocacy for ECD and ECE necessitate;
• Ensure that delegated tasks are performed within deadlines, alerting the Chief of A&C to possible sensitivities, challenges and setbacks.

Work Schedule:

• The consultant is expected to commence this assignment as soon as possible for a duration of eleven and half months (11.5).
• Payments will be made upon successful completion, review and quality assurance of deliverables specified below.

Consultant's Work Place and work conditions:

The consultant will be expected to work from the UNICEF Pakistan Country Office during on all working days that fall within the duration of the contract, unless any other terms are agreed upon by the supervisor which do not affect the deliverables.

Task to be Performed:

• Produce a briefing package on Early Childhood Development (ECD)- Early Childhood Education (ECE).
• Produce a digital media strategy in support of ECD and ECE and support implementation.
• Mobilize celebrities, personalities, key digital influencers and champions.
• Organize and support the organization of UNICEF advocacy events and campaigns including Early Moments Matter ; the launch of the National Nutritional Survey ; the launch of the 2019 State of the World's Children report on Nutrition (October 2019).
• Produce social media packages in support of advocacy and campaigns on ECD-ECE as per the office's Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilization strategy.
• Organize and support the organization of advocacy events and campaigns linked to UN global days, including ; Breastfeeding Week (August); Global Handwashing Day (October); World Pneumonia Day, World Prematurity Day and World Toilet Day (November); World Water Day (March); International Day for Maternal health and rights (April); World Immunization Week (April); etc.
• Attend the monthly meetings of the ECD Technical Working Group, provide advice on communication and public advocacy work and support through the preparation of communication products and initiatives as needed.

DELIVERABLE:

• A briefing package on ECD-ECE is prepared, cleared by UNICEF Pakistan, designed, printed out and disseminated.
• The digital media strategy in support of advocacy for ECD is developed and approved by the chief of communication, and products are developed.
• A list of appropriate celebrities, personalities, key digital influencers and champions who can be engaged and mobilized on public advocacy for ECD is created and maintained, and they have participated in online actions, events and campaigns focused on ECD-ECE and Every Child Alive (& Thrives).
• The events and campaigns are successfully organized and carried out, all briefing and media packages are completed and disseminated once approved, support is provided to preparatory work resulting in completion of video, stories, digital media package¦ and advocacy products are completed and for the follow-up phase.
• At least one social media series is developed and approved by the chief of communication every month and content is posted online, with analysis of the impact.
• The events and campaigns are successfully organized and carried out, all briefing and media packages are completed and disseminated once approved, support is provided to preparatory work resulting in completion of video, stories, digital media package.

The monthly meetings are attended; a regular flow of information is shared with a group to update them on public advocacy work; requests from the group are followed up and supported, as demonstrable by attendance sheet & emails; communication products and initiatives are prepared as a follow up to decisions taken in the Working Group

Qualifications of Successful candidate: Advanced degree in Communication, Journalism, International Development or any related field, including Marketing and Advertisement, Media Sciences etc. An additional two years of experience will also be considered in lieu of an advanced degree in the abovementioned (or related) fields.

Experience: Six to eight years of progressive work experience in marketing or development communications, or desirably international development organizations, especially UNICEF or the United Nations, with a focus on managing on-ground activities such as advocacy events, online and / or on-ground campaigns. Previous work related to advocacy for ECD or ECE is an asset.

Languages: Fluency in written English is required, including ability to write stories and provide written support content e.g. scripts for visual productions etc. Fluency in Urdu and another regional language an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate¦

UNICEF's core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Competencies Required:

Foundational and Technical Competencies: Drive for results, commitment, understanding and appreciation of diversity, inclusion and integrity.

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts
• Relating and Networking
• Entrepreneurial Thinking
• Persuading and Influencing
• Working with People
• Comfort and flexibility working in challenging contexts
• Applying Technical Expertise (Communication) including:
• Advanced research, analysis and synthesis skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, accessible and engaging language, free of technical or typographic errors, appropriate for a general, non-technical audience.
• Exceptional interpersonal communication, advocacy and negotiation skills.

Computer knowledge, skills and practical experience, including internet navigation, the MSOffice Suite, telecommunications and various office applications.

Source:https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=522650