Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator

The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) was established by the UN Secretary General in October 2006, following a request from the General Assembly and the Security Council. With the primary aim of preventing a relapse into violent conflict, the PBF is currently providing fast, flexible and relevant funding to over 20 countries.

UNV along with UNFPA and UN Women developed a project titled “Participation of Youth and Women in the Peacebuilding Process,” which will leverage volunteer networks for community engagement in various peace building activities to support strengthening the role of civil society and volunteerism to foster social cohesion and trust.

Young people are valuable innovators and agents of change, and their contributions should be actively supported, solicited and regarded as essential to building peaceful communities and supporting democratic governance and transition. Moreover, young people’s participation promotes civic engagement and active citizenship.

UNV will work to promote inter-ethnic relations through advocacy and capacity development of selected youth-led/focused organizations. This will include developing the leadership potential of youth to support young men and women’s potential as positive agents of change in their respective communities. Moreover, the project will aim at strengthening of Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs) and university volunteer schemes working on peacebuilding to enhance programming and volunteer mobilization, as well as the mobilization of university students to strengthen social cohesion.

An awareness raising national advocacy campaign on the role of youth in peacebuilding demonstrating youth as positive agents of change: young champions for peace will be identified through the project’s outreach activities, and promoted through a variety of media channels. A key initiative will be the 2017 national Volunteer Awards (V-Awards), which will focus around the theme of peacebuilding.

In 2011, UNV Sri Lanka took a stance to recognize Sri Lanka’s volunteers nation-wide and to host ‘V-Awards’.  V-Awards was initiated in cooperation with the National Steering Committee on Volunteering and one of Sri Lanka’s leading media. The event is organized every two years and aims at recognizing individuals who make extraordinary and selfless contributions to society at large and reward the most outstanding volunteer at national level. This year, V-Awards 2017 will have a Special Award on “Volunteering for Peace” to recognize the acts of volunteerism in peace building in the country.

The Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the overall guidance of the UNV Programme Officer to ensure the effective implementation of V-Awards and advocacy and outreach initiatives and its alignment to the UNV Project.

The Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator will work in a team and the roles and responsibilities will be shared ensuring that one person will focus on event coordination and the other on the partnership and outreach. The tasks will include:

• Provide technical and creative inputs and lead the implementation and monitoring of the V-Awards 2017.
• Liaise with UN agencies and relevant stakeholders to set up the thematic Award on peacebuilding and mainstream the topic in the overall V-Awards event
• Work on a daily basis with colleagues in the UNV Field Unit, UNV project team, the National Steering Committee on Volunteerism, Government counterparts, the Maharaja Network, news 1st MTV media and regularly with UNV/HQ Bonn, as well as other partners and the general public to ensure effective and timely implementation of activities.
• Liaise with UN communications unit for press releases and other media features.
• Ensure preparation of outreach material for social media, print and online media, as well as direct distribution (book stories to inspire).
• Support/organize meetings with the V Awards judges; preparations of briefing kits and organize evaluation process for V Awards and special trophies.
• Act as focal point for all activities and communications related to V-Awards (responding to public and other stakeholders’ queries, manage invitations for the finale, etc.) and advocacy and outreach campaigns.
• Lead and manage the organization of the V Awards Finale.
• Support financial management and procurement.
• Ensure proper documentation and reporting of all activities and processes with regard to V Awards.
• Ensure and coordinate the involvement of V-force volunteers into planning, organization, and implementation and follow up of V Awards.
• Support fundraising activities.
• Ensure the integration of youth, gender and vulnerable groups throughout the implementation of the project.
• Any other related tasks as requested by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteer
•  Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/Expected Outputs:

• V Awards 2017 successfully organized, implemented and documented in cooperation with partners in a timely and effective manner.
• Nation-wide awareness is generated and strengthened on the role and value of volunteerism in peacebuilding.
• Value and importance of volunteering in Sri Lanka promoted.
• Professional promotion of V Awards ensured.
• Short listing and selection of candidates ensured through thorough screening and independent judging panel.
• Clear and upfront communication with selected candidates ensured.
• Follow up activities with partners established and planned.
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Excellent skills in interpersonal relations, networking, and communication;
• Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions. 

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Social sciences, international development, project management, humanities, public/business administration and/or any relevant field.
• At least 2 years of work experience preferably in event management, project development, coordination and/or resource mobilization.
• Experience working with UN organizations, volunteer-involving organizations, civil society organizations, especially in the area of disaster risk reduction is an added advantage.
• Exposure to or demonstrated interest in youth volunteerism, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development would be a definite advantage.
• Willingness to travel around the country including remote areas as required.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is essential, and Sinhala or Tamil considered an advantage.
• Proven competency and proficient knowledge and experience in social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube). As well, full ability to use standard computer applications (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Internet). 

Living Conditions:

Colombo is situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka and is the commercial capital of the country. Colombo is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the administrative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. The climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year but humidity is usually high. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit). The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January when heavy rainfalls occur. Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations on 14 December 1955.

Conditions of Service:

A 12 month contract; with subsequent contract extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.

Travel to duty station (if applicable) and a Settling-In-Grant will be provided in the event duty station is not within commuting distance from the place of recruitment. A Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of LKR 59,650 is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life, health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as final repatriation (if applicable) and a resettlement allowance for satisfactory service. 

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

United Nations Volunteers reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this opening for other openings with United Nations Volunteers with similar assignment description, experience and educational requirements.