The Communication Specialist serves as UNICEF’s lead communications focal point for the humanitarian crisis. He/she advises on creative communication strategies and plans that increase the exposure of UNICEF to mobilize public, political, and financial support for the refugee crisis. The incumber supports the delivery of coordinated, impactful messages and news packages to key audiences, including through international media - under direct leadership of the Emergency Coordinator and in close liaison with the Country Office communication team. He/she provides expert communications advice to senior staff (Representative, Deputy Representative, EC). The Specialist acts as a country spokesperson for UNICEF in the absence of the Representative and handles interview requests, providing responses to requests from media relating to UNICEF and its humanitarian work.
The incumbent is accountable for developing, managing, co-ordinating, networking, implementing and monitoring an advocacy and communication strategy and associated products and activities on on-going basis with public audiences, with the objective of promoting awareness, understanding, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights, and support for UNICEF's mission, priorities and programmes in the country office.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
Communication strategy:
Develop, maintain and update the country advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan for the humanitarian crisis. Strategy and work plan include: an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences; messages and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact; success and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy.
UNICEF’s rights- and results-based programming approach is appropriately reflected in the communication strategy, work plan and products.
Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.
Media relations:
Promote a better understanding of, respect and support for children's and women's rights and humanitarian crisis issues by carrying out media, information and education activities in support of UNICEF-assisted development programmes or humanitarian efforts in the country.
Develop, maintain and update media relations contact list/database.
Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials etc.
Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media, National Committees, NGOs, the field and other appropriate audiences.
Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats. Ensure or enhance the quality, appropriateness of country specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public.
Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials and share results and findings.
Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.
Networking and partnerships:
Develop, maintain and update partners contact list/database.
Establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing.
Monitor, evaluate and share results and findings with partners.
Celebrities and special events:
Develop, maintain and update celebrities contact list/database.
Establish, document, review and refine process of working with celebrities, including special events, media opportunities, field trips etc.
Participate in global advocacy activities by planning visits of Goodwill Ambassadors, National Committee representatives, Executive Board members etc. including preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits), and necessary logistic arrangements. Highlight the achievements of the country programme. Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.
Global priorities and campaigns:
Support the UNICEF global communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary country specific and local community materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns.
Develop and deploy country office communication capacity to gather/facilitate the content and coverage of relevant country efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results.
Ensure regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters divisions.
Resource mobilization support:
Mobilize country office communication capacity to support and gather/facilitate the gathering of content and coverage of relevant country efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results in support of fund-raising.
Mobilize resources for fund-raising support by regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters divisions.
Monitoring and evaluation:
Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Annual Management Plan, Annual Work Plan, etc.
Conduct timely and accurate monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the communications objectives are met and the strategy is effective.
Undertake lessons learned review of successful and unsuccessful communication experiences and share observations/findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit UNICEF’s communication work.
Capacity building and support:
Advise UNICEF management, colleagues and staff on media strategy and implications for action and policies proposed.
Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the country communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or another related field is required.
A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
International and national work experience is required
Background/familiarity with Emergency situations is desirable
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
