Consultancy: Writer and Editor, Gender and Development - Gender Section, PD - NYHQ, Requisition# 508227

The Gender Section at UNICEF HQ seeks a Gender and Communications Writer (Consultant) to consoli-date, write, package, and edit content related to UNICEF’s gender work in the form of engaging, easy-to-read material that succinctly conveys insights and information from gender-related research, UNICEF field results and other programmatic and institutional developments. Written products will include ICON sto-ries, Gender Tip of the Week messages, brochures, proposals, and key messages documents that convey essential concepts and information about gender equality to UNICEF staff and partners.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Background & Rationale 

UNICEF is completing the implementation of its Gender Action Plan 2014-2017 and planning the implementation of its Gender Action Plan 2018-2021, which is an ambitious effort at catalysing field level programming and institutional results that advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in key areas of UNICEF's work. The GAP programmatic framework defines a twin-track approach: 1) integration of gender equality outcomes across all programme areas, and 2) specification of five “targeted gender priorities” focused on empowering adolescent girls. Together, these approaches strengthen UNICEF’s gender programming results which are prominent in all five goals of the Strategic Plan. A key programming effort in the 2018-2021 period is to also advance concrete programming efforts to empower adolescent girls along the five targeted priorities by maximizing the coherence, overlap, and efficiency in related interventions and resources. To achieve all programming efforts at scale, innovative solutions- including new ways of thinking, new technologies, new financial models – that challenges shortcomings and expands reach on how things have been done in the past must be pursued. 

Purpose 

The Gender Section at UNICEF HQ seeks a Gender and Communications Writer (Consultant) to consolidate, write, package, and edit content related to UNICEF’s gender work in the form of engaging, easy-to-read material that succinctly conveys insights and information from gender-related research, UNICEF field results and other programmatic and institutional developments. Written products will include ICON stories, Gender Tip of the Week messages, brochures, proposals, and key messages documents that convey essential concepts and information about gender equality to UNICEF staff and partners. 

The Consultant will work directly with the Senior Advisor for Gender and Evaluation, the Principal Advisor, and the Communications and Knowledge Specialist in the Gender Section at HQ to define the parameters for products and content. 

Expected results 

Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor for Gender and Evaluation and in consultation with the Gender Communications and Knowledge Specialist, the Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: 

1. Develop messages for a Gender research and insights ‘Tip of the Week’ by packaging research information into brief, concise messages on a weekly basis for non-academic UNICEF audiences
2. Develop brochures and other public facing documents on the Gender Action Plan and related programmatic content for external audiences
3. Develop Team Site headlines, stories, and modular resource materials to share gender programming updates to UNCIEF audiences
4. Edit, package, and finalize a range of guidance, tools, proposals and other technical documents to make them more succinct, reader friendly, and jargon free.
5. Develop key messages documents that support non-specialist understanding of key gender concepts and programming issues 

Duty Station 

Home based in NY with ability to spend 3-4 days per month in the office 

Timeframe 

Start date:   1 December 2017                            

End date:  15 November 2018  

Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline 

The successful candidate will possess: 

• Advanced university degree in journalism, communications, social sciences, international development or related field.
• Excellent writing skills, especially for swiftly and compellingly communicating gender and development issues with accuracy and clarity
• At least 8 years of professional experience
• At least 4 years of experience in writing, editing, and packaging technical content for fluency, simplification, and jargon-free accessibility by international development professionals, preferably on social, development and/or gender equality issues.
• Solid understanding of issues in international development and gender, especially as relates to the programming priorities outlined in UNICEF’s GAP 2018-2021
• Fluency in English (written & verbal) is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) an asset

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

Remarks

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.   

At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.