Advocacy & Communications Specialist (P-3), FT, Programme Group - Education (UNGEI) (outpost in Nairobi - Kenya)

Under the overall direction of the UNGEI Communications and Advocacy Manager, the Advocacy and Communications Specialist will provide technical expertise and management support to deliver UNGEI’s Advocacy strategy and support UNGEI’s cross-issue Communications to push forward UNGEI’s mandate to advance gender equality in and through education

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.

And we never give up.

UNGEI is a global partnership for gender equality in and through education. Our mandate is to catalyze and galvanize action locally, nationally, regionally and global for girls’ education and gender equality in education. We bring together diverse partners to develop and implement bold commitments to gender equality in education. We convene global, regional and local conversations and action for girls’ education and gender equality in education, including through the leadership of young feminist activists around the world. UNGEI partners include multilaterals, regional umbrella and intergovernmental organizations, national and global civil society organizations and young feminist leaders.

The UNGEI Secretariat is governed by UNICEF policies of employment. We strive to uphold feminist and anti-racist principles in how we work and offer flexible work arrangements.

For every child… .. equal education

Under the overall direction of the UNGEI Communications and Advocacy Manager, the Advocacy and Communications Specialist will provide technical expertise and management support to deliver UNGEI’s Advocacy strategy and support UNGEI’s cross-issue Communications to push forward UNGEI’s mandate to advance gender equality in and through education.

How can you make a difference?

Deliver UNGEI’s Advocacy Strategy

• Input into and review UNGEI’s Advocacy strategy / calendar, advising on potential targets and opportunities (for example key influencers and moments) to raise UNGEI’s visibility and push forward UNGEI’s Agenda, in particular in relation to the broader post-2030 Agenda
• Lead on or support the delivery of high-quality advocacy outputs linked to the UNGEI’s programmes, including policy briefs, donor notes, reports and other products, in particular related to gender equality in and through education, gender-responsive education sector planning, school-related gender-based violence, feminist and youth leadership and other relevant programmatic and issue-based priorities.
• Lead and participate in strategic discussions, working groups, reference groups, advisory bodies, etc. to support policy and agenda setting for girls’ education and gender equality in education related to UNGEI’s programmes and priorities.
• Work closely with the UNGEI Youth Engagement Lead to ensure meaningful participation of young feminists in Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) programming and advocacy, including through the convening of National Youth Coalitions for Gender-Transformative Education in GCI countries
• Lead the follow-up of the high-level political commitment of the Freetown Manifesto, developing a monitoring mechanism, liaising with UNICEF country offices in the 14 signatory countries to monitor implementation of the commitments, linking with the Global Platform for Gender-Transformative Education, inviting new countries to sign on to the manifesto.
• Liaise with UNGEI members, donors and partners and their respective communications focal points, including GCI Alliance members and key partners and develop joint advocacy actions.
• Support the development of research / knowledge management innovations and tools as needed to support our Advocacy aims, for example for the Ending Gender Stereotypes Programme, SRGBV Programme, Feminist School Gender-Transformative Leadership, community-based research on harmful gender norms, for example by reviewing and co-drafting reports, advising on dissemination and amplification
• Identify and cultivate key influencers within and external to the UNGEI partnership to strengthen UNGEI’s outreach and visibility.
• Keep abreast of best practice in the area of gender equality in education, and related topics and share knowledge with colleagues and stakeholders.

Support UNGEI’s Communications

• Support consultants / other members of the UNGEI team / partners in the development of compelling communications products, which may include supporting to draft, review or proofread documents or assets
• Input into the development of UNGEI’s annual communications strategy, sharing innovative ideas for engaging new and strategic audiences
• Support the UNGEI team in the development of key communications assets, for example the Gender at the Centre Initiative Newsletter, UNGEI Annual Reportcard or global public goods 
• Coordinate with IIEP-UNESCO on a joint GCI communications strategy, including co-development of GCI newsletters and annual reports.
• Contribute to the development of Social Behaviour Change Communication activities at country level to transform harmful gender norms, including through the GCI program in West and Central Africa. 
• Writing blog articles on UNGEI achievements and events, co-developing articles with GCI partners.
• In collaboration with UNGEI program managers, contribute to the monitoring of UNGEI activities by compiling data on numbers of people reached, number of webinars, etc. to use in reports and other communications outputs. 
• Represent UNGEI in meetings, events, workshops and trainings as required
• Deputise for the Communications & Advocacy Manager as required

Support the implementation of UNGEI’s events

• Support the planning and implementation of UNGEI digital and online events and meetings, including Feminist Network for GTE, Gender at the Centre Initiative Board meetings, workshops and trainings, other symposia and events, including but not limited to CSW, CIES, AWID, Women Deliver
• Coordinate learning and knowledge management for the GCI initiative, organizing learning webinars for CSOs, collecting lessons learnt and good practices.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in education, gender or women’s studies, international relations, international development, political science, sociology, psychology, social sciences or other social science field is required.
• A minimum of 5 (eight) years of relevant professional experience in advocacy and/or communications in international development / social impact is required. Within this experience, the following are also required:
• At least three years of experience related to education and gender equality.
• Professional work experience in at least one global majority country.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English and functional proficiency in French (oral and written). Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability (CRITA), and sustainability

Please click Here to view UNICEF's core values and Here to view our competency framework.

UNICEF competencies required for this post are.

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to including everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. 

Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF.

UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/”

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• This post is subject to approval by PBR