Communications Analyst

The UNDP-GEF project, ¨Support to Reducing Deforestation from Commodity Production¨, is a new project under the UNDP-GEF 6 Integrated Approach Pilot (IAP) program now known as Good Growth Partnership (GGP) intended to take Deforestation out of Commodity Supply Chains. The GGP is advancing an integrated supply chain approach with a focus on tackling the underlying root causes of deforestation from agriculture commodities, specifically palm oil that accounts for and contributes to deforestation in Liberia. This approach consists of linked projects covering production, demand, transactions and knowledge management and learning.

As part of an integrated, supply chain approach, the Production project will create linkages and synergies to overcome barriers that pose systemic challenges to reduced deforestation commodity production across regions and commodity markets. The selected approach seeks to catalyze the development or transformation of national and sub-national systems based on some key levers:

1) dialogue, action planning, policies and enforcement,

2) farmer support systems, and

3) land use mapping and planning.

In Liberia, the project focuses on palm oil production in Western Liberia (Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbarpolu and Bong).

Critical to enhancing the impact of both the project’s systemic and pilot work will be a substantial focus on knowledge building and dissemination as well as distribution of lessons learned, this is the key to the project’s ultimate effectiveness.

The UNDP in Liberia, together with other international organizations – specifically Conservation International – is taking an important role in leading the implementation of the GGP Production project and coordinating related efforts and is therefore seeking the services of a qualified National Communications and Events Analyst to support the development of a Communications Strategy and perform key communications functions under the Production Project in Liberia.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the GGP Platform Manager, the Communications and Events Analyst will support the implementation of the communication strategy and plans to ensure effective and efficient communication of GGP Programme with its partners, the media and targeted audience. The Communication Analyst will work in close collaboration with UNDP Energy and Environment Unensure aspects of the project related to PR, such as communication plans, events and activities and products are coordinated in a timely manner and complement overall communication effortsit, the Ministry of Agriculture and Conservation International Project Manager and ensure aspects of the project related to PR, such as communication plan, events and activities and products are coordinated in a timely manner and complement overall communication efforts.

Summary of Key Functions:

The overall purpose of the assignment is to coordinate and deliver communications and events that support the delivery of the Liberia Sustainable Palm Oil Strategy and other activities associated with it in line with Liberia’s commitment to the Africa Palm Oil Initiative, The High Carbon Stock Approach, the Round Table on Sustainable Palm oil and other major divers of sustainability within the palm oil industry.  

The Communication and Events Analyst shall implement all communications and events activities of the project including lessons learned and best practices.

Specifically, the Communication and Events Analyst will support the work of the Platform Manager and the national Platforms as well as the Landscape forum and will work in close coordination with UNDP, MoA and CI, and will produce the following documents/ outputs:

• Communications strategy
• Platform website live and updated weekly
• Monthly newsletters distributed
• Steering Group meeting reports
• Task group meeting reports
• Plenary Meeting reportage
• Press releases
• Drafting of Official documentation
• Information sharing and collaboration tools established and used
• Documenting lessons learned that can be replicated in other parts of Liberia and other countries

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Under the overall guidance of the Platform Manager, the Communications and Events Analyst will be required:

• To manage the delivery of events for multiple stakeholders in Monrovia and in the fie
• To write comprehensive reports on discussions held by multiple stakeholders.
• To manage the platform website.
• To manage the stakeholder database and the distribution of information to them.
• To deliver accurate, regular and inspiring communication to all stakeholders. 
• To manage all information records and reports in an accessible and transparent way.
• To use all forms of push and pull communications to promote the work of the stakeholders involved.
• To design inspiring materials, videos, publications.
• To participate in the community of practice and training offered by the Green Commodities Programme

The following products are to be delivered by the Communications and Events Analyst:

A.    Communication strategy

The Production Project has a clear communication strategy and asociated work plan in line with the needs of the Project, ensuring that awareness of the National Strategy for Oil Palm as well as actions taken by the project and the platform to advance the sector are well articulated and come to light.

B.    Platform website live and updated weekly

        The Production project has an effective process in place for developing and disseminating information and knowledge products. Communications content tailored for online communications is developed and uploaded.

C.    Monthly newsletters distributed

The Production project prepares media advisories and press releases and organizes press conferences; Communications products are disseminated to appropriate recipients;

Success stories (human interest stories) and other communications products for distribution are prepared.

D.    Platform Steering Group meeting reports

The Production project ensures that Platform Steering Group meeting reports are captured and presented, circulated and stored.

E.    Task group meeting reports

The Production project ensures that Reports for the various platform task groups are prepared in a timely fashion and ciruculated and stored.

F.    Plenary Meeting reportage

The Production project ensures that Platform Plenary meeting reports are prepared, presented, circulated and stored.

G.    Press releases

The Production project has a well maintatined and continually developed contact list of journalists, groups, organizations and fora whose support is essential to and can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives. Effective working relationships with other communication counterparts are developed, maintained and enhanced to ensure dissemination of press releases. ,

H.    Drafting of official documentation

Information sharing and collaboration tools established and used for transmitting official documentation regarding the project.

i. Documenting lessons learned, preparing reports working with UNDP, CI, the Oil Palm Sector Working Group and other private and public sector actors

The objective of the GGP Production project for Liberia is to support the sustainable production of palm oil while conserving forests and safeguarding the rights of forest-dependent communities.

It includes four components which will be achieved through the present project. The project operates at two different levels the national and landscape levels. The landscape refers to ~310,170ha. located in Western Liberia covering Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbparpalou and Bong. At the Landscape level CI-Liberia will proved technical support and leadership enabling dialogue among local communities, government.

The integrated supply chain approach that the Production project is based on seeks to catalyze the development of palm oil based on the four (4) components identified below. In order to build sustainability into the systems the project is strengthening, it will require embedding within both national and landscape focus.

Component 1- Dialogue, Action Planning, Policies and Enforcement

This component will ensure responsible Governmental authorities, along with private sector & civil society organizations, build consensus and reduce conflict related to target commodity production and growth at the national platform and landscape forum levels in Liberia, through structured dialogue in the national platform and landscape palm oil forum.

For Liberia, a national policy that encourages the identification and conservation of High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) forests through the use of REDD+ outputs, land use planning maps, cost-benefit analysis, and other spatial and technical analytical techniques would be developed.

The project will support the establishment and operations of a national platform on Palm Oil as well as a landscape forum on Palm Oil as the means to ensure structured dialogue on sustainable production within Liberia. This would facilitate action planning, policy reform and improved enforcement capabilities. This component will also support change processes related to policies and enforcement, which will be enabled by the opportunities for dialogue created by the national platform and landscape forum.

Component 2- Farmer Support Systems

This component will ensure enhanced understanding of commodity farmer needs and effectively demonstrated approaches to meeting these needs through training and other support. For Liberia, a landscape level palm oil smallholder training needs assessment with potential linkages to REDD+ strategy options for the development of policy, regulation and incentive measures will be prepared.

Component 3- Land Use Plans and Maps in targeted landscape

This component will ensure improved land use planning/zoning to help to shift targeting and conversion to commodity production from high biodiversity value, high carbon stock, ecosystem service-rich forested areas to degraded or otherwise more suitable lands

For Liberia, land use plans will be developed to include zoning with go and no-go areas defined (latter covering approximately 75,000 hectares of HCV, HCS and other priority areas) in Western Liberia. Once the maps of HCV, HCS and other priority areas, along with the scenario analysis for Western Liberia, are completed, spatial plans and land use regulations will be developed. These plans and regulations will be based on accurate data and information, which will also be useful for developing systematic landscape-level forest-safeguarding plans and/or conservation needs assessments to guide land use planning. They will include a transparent process of identifying go and no-go areas in the target landscape. This will link closely with ongoing work under the Liberia Forest Sector programme. Additionally, two conservation agreements would be implemented with communities located within palm oil concession areas.

In Sime Darby- the target landscape, the project will contribute to the development of spatial plans aimed at ensuring oil palm production and expansion within appropriate areas, as well as the reduction and eventual elimination of deforestation associated with oil palm expansion, beginning with HCV and HCS areas.

Component 4- Knowledge Management and M&E

This component will ensure that the project gathers and shares lessons systematically and effectively—with a special emphasis on developing and disseminating knowledge.

Specifically, this component for Liberia will capture lessons learned at landscape and country level from systemic support and other target activities; and will also prepare and produce thematic studies and other knowledge, awareness and communications materials and make them available for dissemination

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the Vision, Mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Education: 

Masters degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Events Management, or related fields or a combination of Bachelor’s degree with minimum 10 years experience.

Experiecne: 

• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in public relations, communications with media, technology and in person; and or advocacy with a multilateral or international organization, the private sector or governmental bodies.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience organizing and managing events
• Has proven ability to write, including comprehensive reports from complex meetings and events,
• Experience in producing communication materials (print and online) for a variety of media;
• Basic understanding of web development (HTML, PHP, etc) technologies
•  Has proven ability to develop and maintain a website

Skills: 

• Excellent design skills, including typography, layout, colour, user interface and navigation;
• Good understanding of new and evolving technologies and digital platforms;/Experience working with editing software for websites, video, and photos.
• Has proven excellent communication skills, both in presenting, speaking, pitching and listening.
• Skilled at using the Internet and electronic communication and management tools.
• Highly skilled with MSOffice, Deign software and social media

Language Requirement: 

Excellent command of English (oral and written)

Important applicant information

All posts in the SC categories are subject to local recruitment.

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