Communication Officer

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

The ongoing conflict has caused significant disruptions to the supply chain and to the overall availability of services. In light of the reduced or even absent provision of public services, communities have been affected by disease and environmental degradation. Physical damage to infrastructure including roads, municipal services, water and sanitation and energy. The lack of functionality in one sector often spills over into other sectors with significant consequences on both the access to, and quality of services, that are often interrelated.

UNOPS is undertaking a multi-sectorial engagement aims at restoring urban services mainly in energy, urban roads, water and sanitation (WASH), municipality services in targeted cities in Yemen using an integrated approach.

Under the direct supervision of the Project manager, the Communication Officer will be responsible for all communications aspects of UNOPS Office in Yemen works in close collaboration with the Communication Officerat UNOPS Hub in Amman as well as in UNOPS Headquarters in Copenhagen to seek publication of commincation materials.

The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.

The Communication Officer will be based in Yemen under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the Head of Programme, and overall supervision of the Regional Director. Accordingly the incumbent will be required to perform the following duties and responsibilities:

·         Devlop a communications strategy for the Yemen Office, covering both internal and external communications;

·         Preparing briefings, presentations and background materials for the Regional/ Hub Director, the Head of Programme, and/ or Partnerships Advisor;

·         Provide substantive content for theproject website, highlighting project achievements and other relevant evidence-based information generating through monitoring process;

·         Develop key messages on UNOPS programming in the region, including for partners, local and international media;

·         Draft press releases and other communication materials related to ongoing projects and work closely with the Partnerships Unit on visibility activities for all partnerships as stipulated in the partnership agreements;

·         Produce fact sheets on specific projects with success stories and UNOPS services in Yemen;

·         Ensure or enhance the quality and relevance of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages for sharing with partners;

·         Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate;

·         Serve as the focal point for the United Nations Communications Group in Yemen, and actively promote UNOPS within the inter-agency fora;

·         Maintain relationships with Communications Officer in the Amman Hub, as well as with HQ, CPG and external partners to gather information and provide advice on communications products and outreach;

·         Develop and maintain contact list of journalists and media outlets including print, TV, radio, web etc. and institutionalize a process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the media to showcase and highlight the success and lessons from the ongoing UNOPS-WB partnership;

·         Ensure a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts) for purposes of communication;

·         Close interaction with Programme/Project staff to share information and knowledge as related to projects and communications;

·         Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication skills (spoken/written), including the ability to listen to and incorporate the views of stakeholders; ability to communicate clearly and effectively (both verbally and in written); ability to tailor language, tone, style and format to match the audience.

·         Teamwork:  Proven ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

·         Client orientation: Ability to identify clients’ needs and suggest appropriate solutions; ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients.

·         Planning and Organizing: Ability to develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; ability to foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning; and, ability to identify priority activities and adjust them as required.

·         Advanced university degree (Master degree or equivalent) in communications, journalism, public relations, international development, political science or international relations.

·         A first level university degree with a relevant combination in in communications, journalism, public relations, international development, political science or international relation and 2 years of additional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

·         Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in research and analysis, reporting, external relations, communications, advocacy, and/or outreach in international organizations is required. 

·         Experience in producing analytical reports and communications products is required.

·         Experience in the humanitarian and/or development sector is required. Experience in the Middle East is preferred.

·         Experience in international organizations and/ or the UN system is required.

·         Experience in preparing, coordinating, and leading donor reporting processes is required.

·         Computer literacy in particular MS Word, Excel, Visio, and PowerPoint is required.

·         Ability to analyze online communications using performance indicators is desirable.

·         Excellent understanding on the intersection of technology, web design, editorial, digital, social media and multimedia platforms is desirable.

·         Knowledge of digital media, visual communications and interactive storytelling methods is desirable.

·         Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic is required.

1. Contract type: Local ICA Specialist
2. Contract level: LICA 10
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’
   
   For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
   https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx 
   
   

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.