Communication Officer, NO-2, Zagreb, Croatia (for Croatian Nationals only)

If you are a talented, motivated and experienced professional and would like to make an active and lasting contribution to build a better world for children, we invite you to join our Croatia office team as a Communication Officer.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a childhood

The task of UNICEF in Croatia is to ensure that each child gets the support they need to reach their full potential. The goal of the five years’ partnership between the Government of the Republic of Croatia and UNICEF is to increase the quality of life for the most vulnerable children in Croatia. For more information on UNICEF Croatia programmes and impact, please visit our website at http://www.unicef.hr/.

If you are a talented, motivated and experienced professional and would like to make an active and lasting contribution to build a better world for children, we invite you to join our Croatia office team as a Communication Officer.

How can you make a difference?

In the role of Communication Officer, you be responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating an advocacy and communication strategy to put children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives in the country, and enhance the organisation’s credibility and brand.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Communication strategy

Ensures the timely production of communication products and materials which are followed up to support the country communication strategy, regional and global campaigns and priorities and to support resource mobilisation as set out in the work plan. 

• Accountable for delivering the communication strategy and communication programme implementation.
• Gathers content and coverage of relevant country efforts to identify effective relevant country programme activities and results. Develops complementary, country specific and local community materials and activities.
• Produces advocacy and communication materials (e.g. briefing notes, images, films, video, audio-visuals, web pages, etc.) 
• Responsible for drafting and editing articles, press releases, human interest stories and other advocacy/information materials for both web-based and traditional media, as appropriate.
• Supervises and follows up on the production of advocacy and communication materials and oversees the qualitative aspects of production, (e.g., quality control, translations, reviews of layout and graphic design, etc.) 
• Establishes or maintains an up-to-date documentation centre for communication materials 
• Recommends appropriate information and communication materials for use in media, and other advocacy and communication activities.

2. Media relations

Effective and timely professional assistance and support provided in developing, drafting and maintaining contact information, materials and relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media in the country – print, TV, radio, web, etc., to communicate the story of UNICEF's cooperation to a wider audience.

• Maintains and updates the media relations contact list/database. Ensures rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media.
• Collaborate with the media through activities such as organising project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilising both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
• Prepares background communication and promotional materials for briefing and visits of media and other special interest groups. Assists in planning, logistics and administrative arrangements for them.

3. Monitoring and evaluation

Regular monitoring and evaluation activities undertaken according to the work plan to ensure maximum impact and continuous improvement of country communication efforts. Ensures results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.

• Monitors and evaluates the use and effectiveness of media materials. Maintains a library of coverage (clippings, etc.).
• Monitors and evaluates the appropriate and timely dissemination of advocacy and communication materials to target audiences, and participates in the evaluation of their impact.
• Monitors the public perception of UNICEF in the country and recommends appropriate action to maintain a positive image for the organisation.

4. Celebrities, partners and special events

Maintains and further develops the Country Office’s contact list of individuals, groups, organisations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts) whose support is essential for achieving the advocacy and communication objectives and who are able to actively participate in special events and activities that further the country programme goals.

• Develops close collaboration with mass media, as well as with groups and organisations whose support is essential for the achievement of advocacy and communication objectives.
• Maintains and updates celebrity and partner contact lists/database for the Country Office
• Organises and generates public support for special events and activities to promote country programme goals.
• Prepares background communication and promotional materials for briefings and visits of media, Goodwill Ambassadors, donors, National Committee representatives and other special interest groups. Tasks include preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits) and assisting in planning, logistics and administrative arrangements.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field.
• A minimum of two years of relevant professional experience in communication, print and broadcast media or interactive digital media, at either the national or international level.
• Fluency in English and Croatian is required. 
• Experience in leading and managing the team.
• Technical competence in producing content for various media formats – print, audio, video, web, etc.
• Knowledge of computer systems, internet navigation and various office applications, specifically interactive digital media.
• Knowledge of current theories and practices in communication research, and the role of mass media.
• Proven ability to effectively manage relationships with media representatives, Government officials and other UNICEF partners.
• Ability to research, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information.
• General ability to express clearly and concisely ideas and concepts in written and oral form; specific skills in writing press releases and articles/stories for traditional and electronic media.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are Formulating Strategies and Concepts (I), Relating and Networking (I), Persuading and Influencing (I), Applying Technical Expertise (I), Learning and Researching (II), Planning and Organizing (II)             

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF brings together dedicated and competent people, working to ensure that every child has an opportunity to realise their full potential. We appreciate your interest to join our team and contribute to building a better future for children. Taking care of your personal data is of great importance to us. Here you can find out more about how we use and protect the personal data you give us when you apply for a job at UNICEF.