Temporary Appointment, Communication Specialist (364 Days), (P-4), Maiduguri, Nigeria

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, a champion

UNICEF Nigeria recently scaled up its integrated humanitarian response plan, and is leading humanitarian response in the education, WASH and nutrition sectors in the country, as well as the child protection sub-sector. We are tackling the resurgence of wild poliovirus, and are promoting health care access overall. We are also working on bringing 100 percent access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. We are working with partners on early childhood education initiatives and are supporting the national HIV program. In addition, UNICEF Nigeria is providing support for three critical child protection initiatives.

Join our team and help us make sure every child has a champion.

How can you make a difference? 

Accountable for developing, managing, co-ordinating, networking, implementing and monitoring an advocacy and communication strategy and associated products and activities on on-going basis with public audiences, with the objective of promoting awareness, understanding, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights, and support for UNICEF's mission, priorities and programmes in the country office/regional office/media hub, and at a global level and those of the UN Country Team.

• Communication strategy

  Ensure that the Regional/Country Office/Media Hub has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to support the country programme objectives and get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.

• Media relations

  Ensure that the Regional/Country Office/Media Hub has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web etc. – and a successful process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the media to communicate the story of UNICEF's cooperation to a wider audience.

• Networking and partnerships

  Ensure that the Regional/Country Office/Media Hub has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts), whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives of the communication strategy.

• Celebrities and special events

  Ensure that the Regional/Country Office/Media Hub has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, nationally-known personalities who have been identified, engaged and support UNICEF’s effort and who actively participate in special events and activities that support country programme goals.

• Global priorities and campaigns

  In addition to local/national campaigns, ensure that the Regional/Country Office/Media Hub has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on UNICEF’s global communications priorities and campaigns, both disseminating these elements in a locally-appropriate way, as well as providing/enabling coverage of the work in the country for global use.

• Resource mobilization support

  Ensure that global and country level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.

• Management

  Ensure that human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.

• Monitoring and evaluation

  Ensure that communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated; analysis is undertaken to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy, approach and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.

• Capacity building and support

  Ensure that the Representative/Senior or Regional Communication Officer and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required; opportunities are identified and addressed for building communication capacity among country communication team, media and other relevant partners.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Education: An advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations. *A first level university degree with two additional years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications may be accepted in lieu of advanced degree.
• Work Experience: Eight years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media. International and national work experience (for IP). Field work experience (for NO). Background/familiarity in Emergency context.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language of the duty station is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Functional Competencies: Leading and Supervising, Formulating Strategies and Concepts, Relating and Networking, Persuading and Influencing, Applying Technical Expertise, Entrepreneurial Thinking           

***

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

***

Remarks

* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receiving an offer.

* Please note that this is a non-family duty station.

* Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offers of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.