The incumbent supports the planning and implementation of Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) communication initiatives for polio eradication in endemic and outbreak contexts, contributing to community trust, informed decision-making, and vaccine acceptance in line with UNICEF’s SBC objectives. Within this scope, the Digital Communication Specialist supports Digital Community Engagement (DCE) interventions by working closely with UNICEF Polio outbreak teams, GPEI partners, and government counterparts to strengthen social media engagement, apply digital insights and social listening, and support misinformation management efforts. This contributes to the effective use of digital channels and tools to complement broader SBC strategies and advance the goals of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Health

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF plays a critical role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), working with governments and partners to interrupt poliovirus transmission and sustain community demand for vaccination. As the global lead for communications within GPEI, UNICEF supports efforts to build trust, address concerns, and ensure that families and communities have access to timely, accurate, and relevant information about polio vaccination. In an increasingly interconnected and digital world, achieving these objectives requires a strong understanding of how information circulates, how perceptions are shaped, and how misinformation can influence health behaviours, underscoring the importance of integrated communication and engagement approaches that combine in-person and digital channels.

This position operates within the Digital Communication Team, part of the broader HQ Polio Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Work Stream. The Polio SBC Team plays a central role in UNICEF’s global efforts to ensure sustained demand for and acceptance of the polio vaccine in endemic (Pakistan and Afghanistan) and outbreak contexts by addressing behavioural drivers, strengthening community trust, and supporting informed decision-making through integrated SBC approaches. Within this framework, the role focuses on advancing Digital Community Engagement (DCE) as a critical component of SBC, recognizing the growing influence of digital spaces on how communities access information, form perceptions, and respond to health interventions. The incumbent will also support the use of digital platforms, social listening, and online engagement to complement in-person SBC efforts, proactively manage misinformation, promote positive vaccination narratives, and strengthen countries’ long-term capacity to manage health information in an increasingly digital environment.

Under the direct supervision of the Digital Communication Manager, and in the close coordination of SBC Manager Polio outbreak this role supports the planning and implementation of Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) communication initiatives for polio eradication in endemic and outbreak contexts, contributing to community trust, informed decision-making, and vaccine acceptance in line with UNICEF’s SBC objectives. Within this scope, the Digital Communication Specialist supports Digital Community Engagement (DCE) interventions by working closely with UNICEF Polio outbreak teams, GPEI partners, and government counterparts to strengthen social media engagement, apply digital insights and social listening, and support misinformation management efforts. This contributes to the effective use of digital channels and tools to complement broader SBC strategies and advance the goals of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks include the following:

  • Support Digital Community Engagement strategy
  • Strengthen digital ecosystem, platforms, and country-level implementation
  • Contribute to misinformation management capacity building and technical deployment
  • Coordinate and advance Digital Community Engagement Practice

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File UNICEF_Polio_DCE_Specialist_P3_HQ_Nairobi.pdf

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

Minimum requirements

  • Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Marketing, Communications, Digital Marketing, Digital Media, Digital Advertising, Digital Communication and any other related fields.
  • Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in Digital communication, Digital marketing or digital innovation, Data-informed communication, Misinformation management, Digital community engagement including experience at regional and/or international level is required
  • Additional Skills and requirements:
  • Experience in data management, integration, and visualization, including the use of APIs, automated data pipelines, and analytical dashboards.
  • Strong experience in the end-to-end design, delivery and managing digital infrastructures and data-driven communication systems, including AI-enabled and data-driven tools required.
  • Experience using social listening tools, social media management tools, and digital analytics platforms.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines with programme teams, ICT specialists, data scientists, researchers, creative partners, and country offices.
  • Strong written communication skills with the ability to translate complex data insights into clear strategic guidance
  • Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. 

Desirables

  • Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)
  • Experience developing and executing digital communication campaigns, focused on audience engagement and multi-platform content creation.
  • Experience implementing and strengthening misinformation monitoring systems and response mechanisms in online and offline contexts.
  • Knowledge and experience in mobilizing social media, technological platforms, applications, and digital influencers to achieve strategic results highly desirable.
  • Knowledge of social and behavioural drivers of vaccination and health-seeking behaviour.
  • Experience applying UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) frameworks in immunization, public health, or emergency contexts.
  • Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

Eligible UNICEF Staff Members (IP/NO/GS) on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to this TA may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from ECAR, MENAR or ESAR are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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 does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.