Global Social Media Officer (New York)

Before submitting an application, UNHCR staff members intending to apply to this Job Opening are requested to consult the Recruitment and Assignments Policy (RAP, UNHCR/HCP/2017/2 and the Recruitment and Assignments Administrative Instruction (RAAI), UNHCR/AI/2017/7 OF 15 August 2017.

Global Social Media Officer (New York)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The Global Social Media Officer (New York) is the Americas focal point for UNHCR's Global Social Media Unit. The incumbent plays a vital role in producing social media content and executing UNHCR's content strategy with an eye to strengthening engagement with key audiences in support of UNHCR's media relations, advocacy, awareness-raising and fundraising objectives. As part of an "integrated" communications desk, she/he will work closely with experts in digital engagement, private sector partnerships, goodwill ambassador programmes, multimedia content production and media relations. The role entails helping to develop and implement sophisticated plans to leverage web and social media content, platforms, networks and partners in line with the key priorities and audiences for the Division of External Relations (DER). In making these judgments, the incumbent will report directly to the Senior Social Media Officer and work closely with the Head of Global Desk (New York), the Chief of Content Production, and the Head of News and Media under the overall leadership of the Head, Communications and Public Information Service/ Spokesperson for the High Commissioner.

This role chiefly includes creating content for, publishing to and managing UNHCR's global English-language social media accounts, chiefly after business hours in Geneva have drawn to a close and when people in the Americas are online; working closely with the rest of the Global Desk (New York), the Content Production Section, the News and Media Section and other teams across DER; and coordinating with all other relevant actors across the organization, including field-based PI and social media managers within country offices, including the Regional Office Washington, the Canada Office, and UNHCR offices and communications entities in Latin America. The incumbent will also build and leverage relationships with social media editors at leading news and media organizations in the region, helping to secure external placement of UNHCR content and enhance coverage of UNHCR's work and the plight of refugees on social media platforms.

The incumbent will also work to develop and refine UNHCR's global social media presence, strengthening editorial coordination, monitoring public conversations on social media and engaging target audiences while addressing and averting potentially damaging conversations about UNHCR. This includes strengthening coordination and editorial planning among UNHCR social media managers around the globe to support media relations, advocacy, awareness-raising and fundraising objectives as well as strengthening analytics to inform the social media strategy and work-plans.

Because of the very public and fast-moving nature of social media, the incumbent must exercise outstanding editorial skills and political judgement in order to ensure that UNHCR's reputation is not damaged.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability
- UNHCR social media content is created, developed and published in line with DER's strategic objectives and targeting clearly defined audiences (i.e. news media, influencers, general public, governments, private donors, persons of concern, etc.)
- UNHCR content reaches key online communities through close alignment of web publishing, social media engagement and partnering with news/media organizations.
- UNHCR's core social media accounts are operated in a manner that advances the organization's broader communications goals and maximizes engagement with priority audiences.

Responsibility
- Contribute to the development and execution of a social media strategy for UNHCR that focuses on DER's primary audiences (news media, general public, donors) and leverages opportunities for greater community engagement, notably by extending coverage of UNHCR¿s global English social media accounts throughout working hours in the New York time zone.
- Advise Regional Office Washington (ROW) on social media strategy and work plans focusing on US audience engagement, train Washington-based colleagues in social media, and support coordination between ROW and the global social media team.
- Facilitate coordination between ROW and the Global Desk (New York), and between the global social media team and the Global Desk (New York).
- In accordance with DER's communications objectives, drive production of high-impact social media content that effectively informs and engages external audiences and supports media and advocacy campaigns.
- Strengthen use of UNHCR's core social media accounts (notably the global English accounts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) while enabling the Digital Engagement Section and Private Sector Partnerships to lead on social media marketing.
- Manage, according to clear principles, access to UNHCR's core social media accounts, ensuring their security and accountability.
- Establish and nurture relationships within global media partners (including news organizations, social media companies and relevant technology leaders) to strengthen UNHCR's social media content and help it reach a wide audience. In particular, serve as focal point for relationships with SocialFlow, Snapchat, NowThis, and UN Secretariat social media meetings.
- Help develop, in collaboration with the News and Media Section and other key stakeholders in UNHCR, guidance on the use of social media in the context of new emergencies to help UNHCR provide credible, real-time information that supports media and fundraising objectives.
- Participate in relevant professional meetings and events to build active relationships across the industry; represent the organization externally when required.
- Help implement plans for strategic consolidation of UNHCR social media accounts.
- In cooperation with the Strategic Communications Section, ensure high-level message and branding consistency in social media content and platforms.
- Help establish and adhere to clear performance and measurement metrics for all social media accounts and campaigns to effectively inform results-based decision making and to monitor and drive the effective use of resources.
- Support and help shape clear social media guidelines, advice and training programmes to support the production and sharing of high-impact social media content by staff performing various external relations functions.

Authority
- Decide on social media content for UNHCR's core social media accounts and platforms reaching different target communities.
- Post to UNHCR social media accounts.
- Manage user roles on UNHCR social media accounts.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Journalism, Communications, International Relations or related field. Master's degree desirable.
- Minimum 6 years of relevant work experience (5 years with Graduate degree (equivalent of a Master's)) in progressively responsible functions producing, editing and disseminating multimedia content for global online audiences.
- Minimum 18 months experience developing and managing a large online community (over 1 million followers) and engaging global audiences with news-oriented content.
- Demonstrated ability to write and edit social media posts in English to a standard high enough for immediate publication without an editor.
- Sophisticated understanding of the social media landscape, including trends in new tools and platforms, and particularly those gaining traction among news organizations.
- Experience using advanced tools for social media publishing, monitoring and marketing, such as SocialFlow, Hootsuite Enterprise, TweetDeck, etc.
- Substantial experience of working in sensitive and fast-moving news, communications, advocacy and/or fundraising contexts.
- Experience producing and interpreting social media analytics to inform strategy and workplans.
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities within specified timeframes.
- Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, negotiation, and ability to relate to different audiences.
- Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as transfer knowledge and skills.
- Strong diplomatic skills, highly developed political skills and judgment, understanding of UNHCR's external relationships, solid grasp of the news business, and ability to discern when the organization's credibility is at stake.
- Excellent knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Established relationships with social media editors at leading news and media organizations who can be called on to help share UNHCR content and with staff at leading social media platforms.
- Experience developing and conducting training workshops on social media and speaking about social media in relevant public fora.
- Experience producing or editing videos, particularly for social media platforms.
- Experience working in an international non-profit context, ideally including time in the field, or ability to demonstrate experience of an equivalent working context with awareness, advocacy and fundraising objectives.
- Working knowledge of another relevant UN language, preferably Spanish, French or Arabic. C001L3 - Accountability Level 3
C002L3 - Teamwork & Collaboration Level 3
C003L3 - Communication Level 3
C004L3 - Commitment to Continuous Learning Level 3
C005L3 - Client & Result Orientation Level 3
C006L3 - Organizational Awareness Level 3
M001L3 - Empowering and Building Trust Level 3
M003L3 - Judgement and Decision Making Level 3
M006L3 - Managing Resources Level 3
X002L3 - Innovation and Creativity Level 3
X003L3 - Technological Awareness Level 3
X007L3 - Political Awareness Level 3

Before applying to this position, we strongly encourage colleagues to read the country specific FAQs information leaflets which can be found  on the Intranet under Staff Resources > Duty of Care. The information leaflets are specifically designed to answer some of the key questions potential applicants might have before deciding to apply. 

¿ Extensive experience developing and managing a large online community (over 1 million followers) and engaging global audiences with news-oriented content.
¿ Demonstrated ability to write and edit social media posts to a standard high enough for immediate publication.
¿ Sophisticated understanding of the social media landscape, including tools, platforms and content formats gaining traction among news organizations, advocacy groups and charities.
¿ Established relationships with social media editors at leading news and media companies in New York for potential sharing or co-producing of content.
¿ Experience using advanced tools for social media publishing, monitoring and marketing, such as SocialFlow, Hootsuite Enterprise, TweetDeck, etc.
¿ Substantial experience of working in sensitive and fast-moving news, communications, advocacy and/or fundraising contexts.
¿ Experience producing and interpreting social media analytics to inform strategy and workplans.
¿ Experience managing social media video production.
¿ Proven ability to manage multiple priorities within specified timeframes.
¿ Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy, negotiation, and ability to relate to different audiences.
¿ Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as transfer knowledge and skills.
¿ Strong diplomatic skills, highly developed political skills and judgment, understanding of UNHCR¿s external relationships, solid grasp of the news business, and ability to discern when the organization¿s credibility is at stake.
¿ English mother tongue or equivalent level of fluency required. Spanish, French or Arabic desirable. ¿ Social media is a central and essential component of UNHCR's efforts to engage key audiences, both in our everyday communications work and around major media and advocacy campaigns.
¿ UNHCR needs highly skilled community management for its core social media accounts as well as longer-term vision, planning and outreach to help shape, execute and refine our social media strategy.
¿ UNHCR¿s Global Desk in New York serves as an extension of the communications team at headquarters. Its social media role includes community management of the organization¿s global English social media accounts after business hours in Geneva; coordination with other country, regional and language accounts, particularly in the Americas; and outreach to New York-based partners, including news organizations, tech companies and UN and NGO partners.
¿ UNHCR seeks closer coordination of the production, posting and evaluation of social media content on its own channels as well as on partner channels with an eye to supporting media, advocacy, fundraising and donor relations objectives.
¿ UNHCR's access to humanitarian emergencies in many parts of the world gives us a valuable opportunity to use social media to provide content to media partners, helping to keep these issues on the news agenda and raising UNHCR's public profile. Duty station is New York, New York, with some travel -- as required -- to meet with colleagues, social media editors and influencers, and to the field to train key UNHCR communicators who are using social media. Not applicable. Not applicable.

Please note that the closing date for all vacancies in the September 2017 Compendium is Monday 6 November 2017 (midnight Geneva time).