Team Leader - Communication and Advocacy

Yemen is facing an unprecedented political, humanitarian, and development crisis. Yemen’s transition that started in 2011 with the support of the international community tragically unraveled after the conclusion of the National Dialogue Conference in January 2014 and spiraled into a full blow conflict by March 2015 with little prospect of an immediate peaceful political solution.

Yemen has long been a Least Developed Country and the poorest in the Arab region. Before the conflict, more than half of the 25 million population were already below the poverty line and 8 million people were receiving humanitarian assistance. Now it is estimated that 21.2 million people (82% of the population) are in need of assistance. With civilian casualties rising, Yemenis are suffering from multiple and entrenched hardships.

In response, UNDP developed a Resilience Programme Framework 2016 - 2018 which aims at building resilience from the bottom up using local systems, capacities and institutions to strengthen and promote economic self-reliance and recovery, public service delivery, and peacebuilding and social cohesion.

UNDP Yemen Programme portfolio is rapidly increasing in partnership with WB, EU, USAID, Japan and other donors

UNDP Yemen now seeks a qualified Team Leader for the CO Strategic Partnerships and Communications team.

The Team Leader will act, under the direct supervision of the Country Director and in close collaboration with the DCD(P&O), as the principal advisor on communication and advocacy issues to UNDP Yemen. In doing so, the Team Leader will provide leadership and overall strategic direction and management of this portfolio and provide cross-cutting expert advice on communication and advocacy aspects of the UNDP Country Office and programmes. The Team Leader will supervise a team of national staff, including a NOA communication analyst, G6 Webmaster and 2 NUNVs.

The Team Leader will serve as the focal point for the design and implementation of a comprehensive  communication and advocacy strategy for the UNDP Yemen Resilience Programme.

The Team Leader will be an effective team player, as his/her work will be conducted with his/her colleagues responsible of the other UNDP priority areas including Governance and Peacebuilding, Economic Self Reliance and Recovery, and important cross-cutting areas including Gender, and Human Rights.

The Team Leader will be responsible for managing the Communication and Advocacy activities and supervising the partnership, resource mobilization, and communication team:

1. Formulates and implements CO strategies related to communication, and advocacy focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Develop of a detailed Communication and Advocacy CO strategy with planning tools to implement the strategy;
• Conduct external and internal analysis for assessing CO opportunities for communication, and advocacy;
• Undertake monitoring and evaluation of  UNDP Yemen communication and advocacy activities  based on market research, media analysis, and impact analysis.;

2. Strongly positions UNDP amongst its partners, supports business development, and coordination, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Provide outreach to officials and senior staff of key international organizations and of other relevant actors on all aspects relevant to support for UNDP operations;
• Provide quality assurance of donor reports, as well as of key strategic reports that cut across sectors and units and input to OCHA Situation Reports and Fundraising Appeals;
• Establish and maintain contacts with communication staff of other UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, diplomatic missions, media, etc.;
• Ensure appropriate mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and exchange of information both in and outside the UN system on communication and advocacy.

3. Ensures consistent messaging, outreach and communication support focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Undertake initiatives to develop and implement joint activities and projects to improve the knowledge, understanding and support of UNDP’s CO  Programme with partners and the general public, inter alia, through leading campaigns, managing media relations, production of relevant communication material;
• Support and guide national communication staff and provides constructive advice on the mainstreaming of consistent vision-based messaging through the CO;
• Lead in the preparation of UNDP reports, studies, background papers, correspondence, presentations;
• Respond to requests by media, development partners and Headquarters on the development and implementation of the Yemen Resilience Programme;
• Support and guide communication staff in the creation and promotion of campaigns to local and regional media that position UNDP and influences the recovery and development agenda based on the current programme and new initiatives;
• Manage, promote and disseminate corporate advocacy materials for launching flagship initiatives and publications;
• Create, promote and deliver public information campaigns on UNDP activities in Yemen, particularly in relation to transcending the humanitarian/development divide and support to the implementation of an eventual peace agreement in Yemen.
• Professionalize the digital footprint of UNDP Yemen in terms of website and social media with a view to increase readership and interaction with the Yemeni population.
• Acts as the spokesperson of UNDP Yemen in response to media enquiries
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4. Ensures strategic Planning and management focused on the following results:

• Provide senior management with timely information, advice and analysis on developments in the region and in Yemen in relation to (social) media reports
• Plan and prepare budget and Annual Work Plan, including outputs, tasks, required resources and responsibilities within the team;
• Provide leadership and continuous monitoring, guidance, and coaching to team, aiming at effective implementation of the work plan;
• Develop management tools supporting the implementation of the work plan;
• Develop a set of key performance indicators of the team and continuous monitoring of progress against these indicators;

5. Facilitates knowledge building and knowledge sharing as required by the organization, focusing on the following results:

• In collaboration with the other teams in the CO, identifies and formulates of lessons learned and recommendations to be integrated into broader CO knowledge management efforts;
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
• Organize and conduct trainings on resource mobilization and partnership building in the CO.

6. The incumbent of the position should avoid any kind of discriminatory behavior including gender discrimination and ensure that 

• human rights and gender equality is prioritized as an ethical principle within all actions;
• activities are designed and implemented in accordance with “Social and Environmental Standards of UNDP”;
• any kind of diversities based on ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, class, gender are respected within all implementations including data production;
• differentiated needs of women and men are considered;
• inclusive approach is reflected within all actions and implementations, in that sense an enabling and accessible setup in various senses such as disability gender language barrier is created;
• necessary arrangements to provide gender parity within all committees, meetings, trainings etc. introduced.

Core Competencies

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform
• Demonstrates effective written and oral communication skills.

Delivery

• Ability to get things done

Technical /Functional Competencies

Corporate Responsibility & teamwork

• Serves and promotes the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time;
• Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;
• Responds flexibly & positively to change through active involvement.

People Skills

• Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
• Sets clear performance goals and standards;
• Executes responsibilities accordingly;
• Dependability, reliability and initiative
• Works to tight deadlines;
• Is motivated & demonstrates a capacity to pursue personal development & learn;
• The incumbent shall reflect high moral standards, dedication, accountability and delivery drive towards results and impact.

Partnering & Networking

• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UNDP.

Results-Orientation

• Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals.

Innovation & Judgment

• Contributes creative, practical ideas and approaches deal with challenging situations;
• Pursues own personal and professional development Strives for quality client-centered services (internal/external).

Job Knowledge & Expertise

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships with all colleagues;
• Strong analytical judgment; efficiency and results-orientation in a multi-tasking environment and excellent management capabilities;
• Excellent networking and partnering skills with a demonstrated successful resource mobilization record;
• Capacity to perform effectively under pressure and hardship conditions; ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Public relations, communication and advocacy skills;
• Excellent teamwork skills, cross-cultural and gender sensitivity, tact and diplomacy in the execution of functions, and competence in protocol;
• Ability to use information technology effectively as a tool and resource;
• Ability to facilitate and organize meetings

Knowledge Management

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

Education:

• Masters in a relevant discipline, such as Master’s degree in Communications, Social Science, International Relations, Public Policy, Political Science or other related field

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of proven relevant work experience, with a minimum of 5 years of experience in international relations, development or humanitarian affairs at the national and/or international level;
• Experience in resource mobilization and communication for an international organization
• Experience in building and maintaining strategic and/or operational partnerships with international organizations/governments
• Field experience in crisis and post-crisis countries is an advantage

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset

Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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