Announcement for English speaking feature writers/editors - 2017

UNICEF Georgia seeks to select a freelance native English-speaking feature writers/editors

 

 

UNICEF Georgia seeks to select a freelance native English-speaking feature writers/editors to provide the following services:

 

Feature writers

 

The consultants will support UNICEF Georgia in writing feature stories, newsletters and other public documents.  The writers should be familiar with the UNICEF style book and follow its guidelines.  

 

Responsibilities [tasks may vary, depending on the nature of the assignment]:

 

• Carry out research, meet relevant people to obtain inputs for a publication.
• Write the publication including all components for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the publication’s audience. The text, depending on the format, should be readable with good logical sequence and emotional touch, highlight human stories and avoid jargons.
• Ensure that the text is lively, clearly written and phrased in ways that engage the intended audience.
• Ensure that arguments are presented in a balanced manner and that citations are included for statements and passages where required.
• Review fact-checking and copy-editing comments and incorporate them in the text.
• UNICEF feature stories the requirements are the following: the story should be 500-1,000 words. One and a half pages (single space) word article that answers ‘five Ws and H’ of journalism, tells human side of a development issue, has quotes from the people involved, includes people’s names and ages, describes the situation without bogging the story down in statistics, and has UNICEF link (Detailed guidelines will be provided by UNICEF).

 

Delivery: Assignments delivered on time and of good quality.  The text to be delivered to UNICEF in Microsoft Word; charts and tables, if any, in Excel accompanied by printed copy. 

 

Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required:

• University degree in social sciences, or a related technical field;
• Superior editing and writing skills, acquired over at least 5 years of experience;
• Native English speaking;
• Sensitivity to nuances and the ability to think and write analytically;
• Portfolio that includes feature stories and advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences;
• Demonstrated understanding of international development issues and/or issues concerning children; familiarity with the subject of the publication desirable;
• Ability to effectively grasp and incorporate comments from multiple authors to fit a defined publication style and format;
• Be based in Georgia in case of feature stories.

 

Payment Schedule: Payments will be based on deliverables and satisfactory evaluation.

 

Editors

 

The consultants will support UNICEF Georgia in reviewing and editing/proofreading various documents like publications, country office annual reports, bulletins etc.  The editors should be familiar with the UNICEF style book and follow its guidelines.  

 

Responsibilities [tasks may vary, depending on the nature of the assignment]:

 

• Edit the publication including all components for clarity, readability and consistency of message, keeping in mind the publication’s audience. Editing may require rewriting, abridging and restructuring text for greater readability, better logical sequence, and elimination of repetitions and jargon.
• Carry out research to clarify ambiguities and to rectify substantive errors in the text.
• Ensure that the text is lively, clearly written and phrased in ways that engage the intended audience.
• Review fact-checking and copy-editing comments and incorporate them in the text.
• Correct grammar, syntax and punctuation.
• Accuracy and consistency in spelling, capitalization and abbreviations/acronyms.

 

Delivery: Assignments delivered on time and of good quality.

 

Edited text to be delivered to the supervisor in Microsoft Word with tracked changes; charts and tables in Excel accompanied by printed copy.  

 

 

Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required:

 

• University degree in social sciences, or a related technical field;
• Superior editing and writing skills, acquired over at least 5 years of experience;
• Native English speaking;
• Sensitivity to nuances and the ability to think and write analytically;
• Portfolio that includes editing advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences, or technical publications on specialized topics;

• Demonstrated understanding of international development issues and/or issues concerning children; familiarity with the subject of the publication desirable;

   

  Payment Schedule: Payments will be based on deliverables (upon delivery of edited text of the full publication and upon review of the first page proofs) and satisfactory evaluation. 

 

Interested candidates are requested to provide the most recent CV and a motivation letter outlining the following:

• Availability to perform the assignment;

•  Time required for writing and for editing;

•  Price rates for writing/editing [for the latter provide price/page (1,800 symbols/characters without spaces); rates should be indicated in GEL or USD. Payments on the territory of Georgia can be made only in local currency – GEL);

  The submission should include the portfolio with feature stories and advocacy publications written for non-specialized audiences.

   

UNICEF pays by bank transfer in GEL upon receipt of the final and acceptable product.