CFND/LATS - NELGA Communication Specialist

The ultimate result of service is capacity enhanced to implement the AU agenda on land through universities especially, including the Network of Excellence on Land Policy in Africa (NELGA)

Outside of Duty States

12 months

Background A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been entered between the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (ECA) and University of Westen Cape (UWC) to enhance a long standing partnership between the two entities in November 2025. The following are the main areas of cooperation: 1. Collaboration on strategic foresight to support member States in advancing a just and sustainable economic transition in Africa, including through joint planning, sharing of knowledge products, peer review, and dissemination of research findings and recommendations to key decision-makers; 2. Joint development and delivery of executive education and leadership programmes targeting public and private sector actors, including policymakers, regulators, and development partners, to build institutional capacity and sustainability leadership across the continent; 3. Convening of multi-stakeholder dialogues and corporate leadership forums to strengthen engagement with both public and private actors and promote the uptake of evidence-based recommendations and sustainability-aligned strategies; and 4. Joint advocacy, communication, and public engagement initiatives—such as webinars, podcasts, and other thought leadership platforms—to raise awareness and build political and cultural support for inclusive and sustainable development in Africa. The ECA and the UWC has a long-standing collaboration that focuses on land governance, through the African Land Policy Centre and the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) through a project the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA), an initiative of the African Union, the United Nations Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank. NELGA is a partnership of leading African universities and research institutions, to strengthen the training and curriculum development on land governance in Africa. NELGA comprises over 70 partner institutions in over 40 countries and is organized in six regional and one technical nodes. The Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) based at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Cape Town, is the Technical Node of NELGA to support the network on the continent. As part of our institutional partnership, PLAAS at UWC has been selected to manage communications outputs for NELGA. The NELGA website is currently hosted and managed by UNECA, while PLAAS, as the NELGA Technical Node, will manage NELGA communications. The communications task for NELGA is to promote the work by NELGA nodes and partner universities, demonstrating the value the network brings to the continent: to government and intergovernmental institutions; to industry; to civil society; and to academia. NELGA’s objectives include: • Enhancing training opportunities and curricula on land governance in Africa. • Promoting demand driven research on land policy issues. • Connecting scholars and researchers across Africa through academic networks. • Creating data and information for monitoring and evaluation of land policy reforms. PLAAS’s position as NELGA Technical Node positions it to be a suitable host for NELGA communications. PLAAS’s strategic goals are aligned with NELGA’s objectives and outputs. PLAAS is therefore well placed to take on NEGLA’s objectives with sufficient personnel and budgetary support. TIn view of the above mentioned, ECA working closely with PLAAS, requires a part-time communications consultant expert. The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the Chief of Communications, ECA in close consultation with the Director, PLAAS and under the direct supervision and guidance of the PLAAS Communications Manager. Duties and Responsibilities The consultant's tasks include but are not limited to: • Briefing, creating and designing briefs from the NELGA nodes • Briefing, creating, collating and managing website content • Media management, including writing and editing • Social media content creation and account management • Video content creation • Photography • Managing communications about NELGA events and creating relevant content • Copy editing • Commissioning and managing translations between English and French • Preparing an Annual report.

Advanced university degree (at least a Master's Degree or equivalent) in Communication, Journalism or related discipline. A first level university degree in a combination of additional two years of qualifying experience in the above fields may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree. • At least five years of experience in communications, journalism or equivalent expertise • Experience working in research, development, or NGO environments

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the other language is an advantage.

Not available.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.