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Communication Officer With Yemen Emergency Crisis Response Project (ECRP)

Sanaa

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Sanaa
  • Grade: Consultancy - SB-4 (SC8/SC9), Service Contract, Local Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Medical Practitioners
    • Crisis Prevention and Recovery
    • Communication and Public Information
    • Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
    • Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
    • Emergency Aid and Response
    • Crisis Response
    • Project and Programme Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

Yemen’s current multi-dimensional war is now entering its fourth year.  This conflict has exacerbated the Yemen’s chronic vulnerabilities, leaving an estimated 22.2 million people (or more than 75 percent of its population) in need of humanitarian assistance, including an estimated 11.3 million children and 2.9 million IDPs.
 
Yemen is one of the most food insecure countries in the world. Around 20 million people (70 percent of the population) are facing hunger, a 13 percent increase from 2017. The current conflict has led to a decline in the national economy. Gross Domestic Product was cut in half since 2015, and more than 80 percent of the population living below the poverty line. The fighting around the country’s seaports and the ensuing suspension of commercial imports and supply shortages, the depreciation of the Yemeni riyal, which is now worth barely a third of 2015 level, have combined to push the food prices up. 
 
It is estimated that close to 14 million people will be facing severe food shortage or at risk of starvation by the end of 2018. Around 152 out of Yemen’s 333 districts are currently in IPC 4 (Emergency), which is a 45 percent increase from 2017.  In total, people in 230 out of 333 districts in Yemen are currently at risk of famine, with people in 104 out of 333 districts facing multiple, overlapping vulnerabilities including exposure to diseases, lack of electricity and access to adequate WASH facilities, and lack of security. Only half of health facilities are functioning, and many Yemenis in need of critical treatments especially for malnutrition are too poor to access the ones that are open. Beyond those at risk of famine, many millions with only emergency food assistance to survive, face a collapse in their immune systems – especially children and the elderly – increasing their vulnerability to malnutrition, cholera and other diseases. Chronic water shortages exacerbate food insecurity and risk of famine in areas where people depend on agriculture for food and income.
 
In this context, UNDP, in partnership with the World Bank, developed a project to step up current efforts of the international community to deliver critically needed livelihood support and service delivery to a population hit hard by the conflict. The Yemen Emergency Crisis Response Project (ECRP) contributes to improving the resilience of participating households and communities and helps host communities of IDPs to cope with the economic and social pressures on the already scarce resources. It contributes to local area economies by supporting local communities, private sector contractors, SMEs, and improving the purchasing power of benefitting communities. ECRP has started in September 2016 with US$ 50 million which was scales up to US$300 million early 2017 and the delivery is now over 75% with a potential financing of US$ 100 million or more in the pipeline. Two Responsible Parties, Social Fund for Development (SFD) and the Public Works Project (PWP) have been identified to deliver the outputs outlined below:
 
1)Short-term income-generation – through labor-intensive Cash for Work schemes and small-scale community infrastructure rehabilitation leading to increased income-generation and livelihoods including access to productive assets for households. The end result will be that Yemeni households benefit from short-term income and livelihoods opportunities irrespective of gender, age, and displacement status.
2)Recovery of SMEs – through improvement of access to finance and MFI operations leading to enhanced resilience and recovery of financial service providers and SMEs (including agriculture-based SMEs). The end result will be that financial service providers and SMEs are able to sustain and scale up their business operations creating additional employment.
3)Increasing community assets – through reconstruction and rehabilitation of community infrastructures leading to functional key socio-economic community infrastructures.  The end result will be that the communities benefit from restored socio-economic community assets through extended basic service delivery.
 
In delivering these outputs, UNDP will be able to ensure that Yemeni households and communities are able to effectively cope with the impact of the crisis and to enhance resilience-building and early recovery efforts.
 
As such, the project contributes towards Outcome 6 of the UNDP corporate Strategic Plan: Early recovery and rapid return to sustainable development pathways are achieved in post-conflict situations.
 
UNDP Yemen now seeks to hire a Communication Officer based in the UNDP office Sana’a to support visibility and outreach of YECRP.
 

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the National Coordinator and in liaison with the CO Communication Specialist, the Communication Officer will undertake the following tasks:
 
Summary of Key Functions:
  1. Provide a substantive contribution to the project and capacity building for the partners:
  2. Contribute to project planning and implementation
 
1.Provide a substantive contribution to the project and capacity building for the partners:
  • Develop an annual communication work plan respective of the Project activities implementation plan and Communication and Visibility Plan and ensure its timely implementation.
  • Constantly assess the validity and need of updating the Communication Strategy in order to fully support all outputs of the Project.
  • Liaise as needed with other Communications focal points within UNDP as needed.
  • Develop the ECRP branding (logo, promotional materials, signboards etc.) and ensure their correct and systematic use in the target areas of the project and for all communication, visibility and advocacy activities.
  • Provide support to the project partners in planning and implementing advocacy and communication actions and ensure that work-flow, branding and products are aligned with the overall project communication and visibility strategy.
  • Liaise with implementing partners and develop a calendar of monthly events for the planning and support communication activities.
  • Organize media events, including press conferences, journalists field visits, press kits, regular radio and TV interviews on lessons learnt and major achievements of the project to be aired nationally and internationally.
  • Prepare and organize awareness programmes and public messages to be aired on local radio channels, television and newspaper. 
  • Promote ECRP actions and activities and ensure visibility of the Programme and information updates at national, regional and international levels by preparing and managing content published on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr etc.) and publishing regular press releases in English and Arabic.
  • Produce Human interest stories focusing on interventions and strategies that bring about real changes in the lives of the beneficiaries, with special interest to marginalized groups and women beneficiaries, and that could be replicated by donors and partners. (E.g. Support communication of success stories where women’s engagement in self or wage employment activities positively contributed to income generation at household or community levels.)
  • Collaborate with professional photographers and implementing partners for the collection of professional high quality photos of the project activities to be used for ECRP communication and visibility materials. 
  • Draft speeches, notes, develop briefs, OP- Eds and other PR materials for the project and project partners for advocacy, visibility actions and awareness-raising campaigns.
  • Develop and organize publication activities, communication materials, flyers, newsletters, information briefs, posters, handbooks, case studies, social impact studies and thematic studies aimed at empowering stakeholders and enhancing visibility of the Project outcomes.
  • Ensure strong and continuous relations/contacts with journalists and media in Yemen and regularly monitor the coverage of the Programme in the regional and local media (print, electronic, video, social media).
  • Work closely with other project staff to ensure strong linkages with the partners and media.
  • Provide direct technical knowledge and expertise that is necessary for the implementation of assigned project activities.
  • Support the project partners in planning and implementing advocacy and communication actions 
  • Develop campaign and outreach activities, as requested by Project Manager, according to the needs of the Project and its beneficiaries.
  • Support communication of success stories where women’s engagement in self or wage employment activities positively contributed to income generation at household or community levels.

2.Contribute to project planning and implementation

  • Analysis of requirements and synthesis for elaboration of the Project communications and outreach strategy.
  • Provides support to the planning and design of internal and external strategies for communications and outreach, 
  • Support in developing the implementation strategies and communication campaigns for the Project through public awareness campaigns which will aid in project implementation. 
  • Contribute to the preparation of the project work plans, in particular focusing on communication aspects in collaboration with project team and partners. 
  • Coordinate and cooperate with different project partners for implementation of project activities, focusing on communication aspects.
  • Support the project manager to prepare reports regularly on activities, outputs and outcomes as per UNDP rules and regulations and ensure that gender dimensions are highlighted in all products.
  • Advise the Project Manager on communications issues.
 
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.
 

Competencies

Integrity :Demonstrates the values of the United Nations in daily activities and behaviors.
  • Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.
Professionalism :Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter
  • Level 4: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others.
Teamwork :Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals
  • Level 4: Models independent thinking and action.
Planning and organizing :Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies.
  • Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis.
Accountability :Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments.
  • Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services

Client orientation :Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view

  • Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Master's degree in Communications, Journalism, International relations or political sciences.
  • Or Bacelor degree with two (2) addational years of relevant working experience maybe accepted in lieu of the master degree.
Experience:
  • Minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience in administration or programme support services specifically focusing on media outreach work, media relations, advocacy, communications, coordination with various stakeholders and communication strategy creation and implementation or (6) years of relevant expereince for holders of bachelor degree.
  • Experience in handling of web-based management systems .
  • Ability to use information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool and resource, experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel), and knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages; experience in handling web-based management systems;
  • Working experience in communications with the United Nations system, particularly with UNDP in emergency and recovery programmes , is highly desirable.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English and Arabic, both written and oral

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

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

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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This vacancy is now closed.
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