Writer Consultant

The Writer Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under these Terms of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams.

Home Based

Seven (7) months

Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. In this context, “Inclusive and Sustainable Rio” is a project between UN-Habitat and the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Governo do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - GERJ), through the Undersecretariat of Water Resources and Environmental Sustainability (Subsecretaria de Recursos Hídricos e Sustentabilidade Ambiental), which aims to strengthen urban resilience in the State of Rio de Janeiro, based on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the principles of the New Urban Agenda. The project helps the State to achieve urban prosperity, while implementing global sustainable urban development agendas. Specifically, the proposal focuses on: expanding the commitment of the State's direct and indirect administration to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), complementing the Fluminense Government's global call to action - Rio2030, and establishing a culture of sustainability in the State of Rio de Janeiro that contributes to increasing urban resilience through the development of disaster prevention and mitigation policies and the engagement of local youth. To properly implement Inclusive and Sustainable Rio, a Writer Consultant is required to produce institutional and journalistic content for the SDG Observatory, an online platform that constitutes one of the project’s deliverables. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Writer Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Writer Consultant will support the implementation of the project, and its activities, with the following responsibilities: a) Develop, review and edit institutional and journalistic content for the SDG Observatory platform, ensuring clarity, textual cohesion and accessible language for diverse audiences. b) Review and standardize texts presenting initiatives, projects and public policies related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring coherence, clarity, and alignment with the Observatory’s editorial standards and communication guidelines. c) Research and write content on sustainable development, urban resilience and the SDGs, incorporating relevant sources, external references and complementary materials to strengthen the Observatory’s informational value. d) Maintain an orderly and accessible information file system on the produced data. The Writer Consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The Writer Consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should be familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Writer Consultant shall assist the implementation of the project, according to the stated responsibilities and the delivery of the following products: Product 1 – Review and production of initiative and thematic texts Description: Review and production of initiative and thematic texts must contain: - Review and standardization of 56 initiative profiles (1,000 to 2,000 characters each) submitted to the SDG Challenge, ensuring textual cohesion and accessible language. The work also includes sourcing photos to illustrate the initiatives and, when necessary, contacting the responsible institutions to verify and complement information. - Development of five thematic articles on key topics pre-selected by the project team, including the identification of relevant external links to strengthen content connections. The work also includes sourcing photos and, when necessary, contacting the responsible institutions to verify and complement the information. - Production of a set of 30 short articles on priority actions identified in the Disaster Risk and Vulnerability Assessment of 30 municipalities in Rio de Janeiro, ensuring clarity, consistency and alignment with the overall communication strategy. Expected delivery date: 60 days after signing the contract. Product 2 – Editorial content production on SDG Challenge and Disaster Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Description: Development of editorial content with an emphasis on documenting and communicating ongoing initiatives must contain: - Production of two editorial packages, each comprising five editorial articles, focusing on sustainable initiatives and thematic issues related to the SDG Challenge and the Disaster Risk and Vulnerability Assessment of 30 municipalities in Rio de Janeiro. - Development of the articles based on topics previously defined by the project team, ensuring clarity, narrative cohesion, and accessible language for diverse audiences. - Identification and inclusion of relevant references and external links to strengthen the connection between the editorials and related initiatives, knowledge resources and public policies. - Production of a set of 30 web stories on ongoing actions by the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro related to climate change, ensuring alignment with institutional messaging, accuracy of information and consistency in reporting public policies and initiatives. Expected delivery date: 120 days after signing the contract. Product 3 – Editorial and institutional presentation content for publications Description: Development of editorial and institutional content aimed at supporting publications and knowledge dissemination outputs must contain: - Production of two editorial packages, each comprising five feature articles, focusing on sustainable initiatives and thematic issues related to climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and urban development. - Development of the articles based on themes previously defined by the project team, ensuring clarity, narrative cohesion, and accessible language for diverse audiences. - Identification and inclusion of relevant references and external links to strengthen the connection between the editorials and related initiatives, knowledge resources and public policies. - Development of four institutional presentation texts for publications, including two introductory texts for thematic notebooks, and two introductory texts for Voluntary Local Reviews, ensuring coherence with the overall narrative of the project. Expected delivery date: 180 days after signing the contract.

Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Social Communication, International Relations, Public Relations, or related fields is required, or additional three (3) years of relevant professional experience beyond the requirement. Desirable: Postgraduate degree in Journalism, Communications, Development Communication, or related fields is desirable. Work experience: - Minimum four (4) years of professional experience in journalism, institutional communication, editorial production, or content development in Brazil is required. - Proven experience in writing, editing, and reviewing institutional or journalistic texts for digital platforms and publications is required. - Experience in communication for international organizations, NGOs, development projects, or sustainability-related initiatives is desirable. - Experience in producing content related to sustainable development, public policy, urban development, climate action, or the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is desirable. - Previous experience within the UN System is desirable. Skills: - Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills in English is required. - The ability to translate complex or technical information into clear and accessible language for diverse audiences is required. - Strong research and information verification skills, including identifying reliable sources and complementary content, is desirable. - Knowledge of digital communication, storytelling, and content production for institutional platforms is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required. Working knowledge of English and Spanish is desirable.

Travel details: The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration LICA 2 (part-time 90%) - BRL: 48.0000 (Total net amount) The consultant will receive a total amount of BRL: 48.000, according to the following schedule: Payment 1 [50%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 1 (BRL: 24.000) Payment 2 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 2 (BRL:12.000) Payment 3 [25%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 3 (BRL: 12.000) Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply. The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic. It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Educational Background (incl. dates) • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)* * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered. All applications should be submitted to: Inspira UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org.

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.