UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.
How can you make a difference?
The Communication (Social & Behaviour Change) Officer reports to the Chief of Field Office with a second reporting line to the Chief of SBC & Chief of Communication, Suva for technical supervision and guidance.
There are two key areas of the role:
• Provide technical and operational support on Social Behaviour Change activities in Vanuatu by administering, executing and implementing a variety of tasks to promote community engagement and participation, and measurable behavioural and social change/mobilization.
• Assist in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating an advocacy and communication strategy to get children’s and women’s issues into the public domain in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives in Vanuatu, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
Support to UNICEF Pacific communication, advocacy and communication for development strategies at the country level
Provide technical, administrative and logistical support and background materials to carry out SBC activities and recommend operational strategies, approaches, plans, methods and procedures.
Support the identification and maintenance (stock take) of resources, channels, tools, contacts, and networks to support maximum impact and outreach of communication and community engagement initiatives;
Follow up on the production of SBC and advocacy materials to ensure the technical quality, consistency and relevancy of communications materials that are developed, produced and disseminated to the target audience (e.g. individuals, communities, government officials, partners, media etc.).
The production of communication products and materials to support the UNICEF Pacific communication strategies ensuring country context;
Develop content and coverage of relevant country efforts to identify effective relevant country programme activities and results;
Develop complementary, country-specific and local community materials and activities (e.g. briefing notes, images, videos, web pages etc.) that meet the country and global standards as set out in the Communication Toolkit;
Assist in drafting and editing articles, press releases, human interest stories and other advocacy/information materials for both web-based and traditional media, as appropriate. Recommend appropriate information and communication materials for use in media, and other advocacy and communication activities.
Advocacy, media management and partnership building
Build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with national and international civil society organizations, community groups, leaders and other critical partners in the community and civil society to reinforce cooperation through engagement, empowerment and self-determination and to pursue opportunities for greater advocacy to promote UNICEF mission and goals for child rights, social equity and inclusiveness;
Effective and timely professional assistance and support are provided in developing, drafting and maintaining contact information, materials and relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media in the country to communicate the story of UNICEF's cooperation to a wider audience;
Ensure that the field office’s contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts), are maintained and further developed, whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives and who support and are able to actively participate in special events and activities that further the country programme goals;
Collaborate with internal global/regional communication partners to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging to enhance Communication for Development outreach and contribution to programmatic outcomes;
Support the organization of public events and mobilization activities to ensure maximum outreach and intended impact of communication strategies (SBC, Advocacy).
Capacity building and systems strengthening initiatives
Collaborate and/or consult with internal and external partners to provide operational and technical support on social mobilization and community engagement activities;
Provide technical, administrative and logistical support and background materials to carry out SBC strategies and activities and recommend operational strategies, approaches, plans, methods and procedures to ensure community engagement and participation, and optimum outreach and impact.
Assess and recommend potential contacts, networks, resources and tools to support maximum impact and outreach of SBC initiatives at national and sub-national level;
Support UNICEF Pacific partners in Vanuatu in media engagement and capacity-building initiatives for appropriate reporting of children's rights and wellbeing issues;
Support the organization, administration and implementation of capacity-building initiatives to enhance the communication competencies of clients/stakeholders/partners/media across programme sectors in support of programme goals in development and humanitarian agenda.
Innovation, monitoring & evaluation and knowledge management
Facilitate research and/or participate in conducting comprehensive SBC situation analysis of social, cultural, economic, communication and political issues in the country/region;
In close collaboration with the innovations lead in the office develop creative approaches to strengthen social and behaviour change communication outreach and community engagement, with a specific focus on youth and other marginalized stakeholder groups;
Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge learned/products with partners and stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners/users and disseminate products to key audiences including partners and donors;
Monitor/track the implementation and progress of communication/advocacy and communication for development activities implemented;
Support the evaluation of results of communication strategies implemented in support of programme goals, assessing contribution, impact and lessons learned.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
A university degree in one of the following fields or relevant experience is required: social and behavioural science, sociology, communication, journalism, public relations or another relevant technical field.
Experience:
A minimum of two years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: communication for development, communication, print and broadcast media, social development programme planning, advocacy or another related area.
Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
Language:
Fluency in English is required and knowledge of a local language is an asset.
