Consultancy: Technical Writer, Office of Innovation, New York, USA, 11.5 Months

We are seeking a Technical Writer who can make sure that our most complex and technical project information is easily and clearly understood and is appealing to a wide range of audiences. The successful candidate will obtain a deep understanding of our connectivity project and other priorities to translate this work into simple, polished, engaging content. The technical writer will develop user-friendly content that meets the needs of our target audiences -- using alternative media forms for maximum usability, with a consistent and cohesive voice across all materials. Duty Station: New York Duration: 11.5 months

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, innovate...

UNICEF has a 70-year history of innovating for children. We believe that new approaches, partnerships and technologies that support realizing children’s rights are critical to improving their lives. The Office of Innovation is a creative, interactive, and agile team in UNICEF. We sit at a unique intersection, where an organization that works on huge global issues meets the startup thinking, the technology, and the partners that turn this energy into scalable solutions.
 
UNICEF's Office of Innovation creates opportunities for the world's children by focusing on where new markets can meet their vital needs. We do this by:

• Connecting youth communities (or more broadly -- anyone disconnected or under-served) to decision-makers, and to each other, to deliver informed, relevant and sustained programmes that build better, stronger futures for children.
• Provoking change for children through an entrepreneurial approach -- in a traditionally risk-averse field -- to harness rapidly moving innovations and apply them to serve the needs of all children.
• Creating new models of partnership that leverage core business values across the public, private and academic sectors in order to deliver fast, and lasting results for children.

The Office of Innovation specifically looks to form partnerships around frontier technologies (like drones and UAVs, blockchain, 21st century skills, urban technologies, new banking tools, wearables and sensors, or 3D-Printing) that exist at the intersection of $100 billion business markets and 1 billion person needs – and to identify how they can grow and scale profitably and inclusively.

Our team
We're an interdisciplinary team around the world tasked with identifying, prototyping, and scaling new technologies and practices. With our partners, we focus on convening and collaborating on new and different solutions, low- and high-tech, by:

• Looking at the 2-5 year horizon to evaluate emerging and trending technologies and to see how UNICEF can work with the private sector on doing better business while improving essential services for children;
• Investing in early stage solutions that show great potential to positively impact children in the 0-2 year future including the Venture Fund that invests in open source technology solutions from start-ups based in UNICEF’s programme countries;
• Identifying proven solutions that can be implemented at national scale in multiple countries – taking the ideas that help thousands in one country, bringing them to dozens of countries across multiple sectors, and impacting the lives of millions of children.

How can you make a difference?

We are seeking a junior communications professional who wants to work with a dynamic team in a global context and tell a story of global change. In particular, you will be responsible for developing communications assets (with a focus on writing, story development and packaging) for some of Innovation’s most high profile work areas and partners. Some of your duties will include:

• External: You will help raise the profile of UNICEF Ventures’ 2019 priority work areas by highlighting key stories emerging from these projects and related partnerships. You will develop content that supports the success of these relationships and raise awareness of the technologies and applications they explore.
•  Coordination: You will ensure that departments within UNICEF, including the Division of Communications, UNICEF National Committees, and the wider Office of Innovation alongside our partners, have the appropriate key messages and resources to communicate about these priority projects effectively. You will help them distill complex ideas and approaches into easy to understand stories and related content for internal and external audiences.

 Main responsibilities will be:

The candidate must be a very strong writer who is familiar with emerging technology sectors. The candidate will be the primary content developer for UNICEF Ventures priorities around school connectivity and digital public goods related to jobs and learning -- focused on developing a strong overall narrative, and producing materials that tell the story of using new technology and partnerships to meet children’s needs today and tomorrow. In addition, the role requires someone with the ability to work with a range of partners, and a working knowledge of both UNICEF and the technology sector’s communications environments.

        Tasks include:

• Research, outline, write, and edit new and existing content -- working closely with various teams to understand project requirements
• Prepare overview materials, articles, presentations, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information simply
• Determine the needs of end users of these materials, and work with project/technical staff to make stories engaging and simpler to understand
• Select appropriate medium for message / audience; standardize content across platforms and media 
• Provide advice and assistance to technical / scientific staff on how to explain complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Develop and maintain detailed databases of appropriate reference materials, including research, usability tests, and audience specifications.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Information or Telecommunications Technology or other relevant field. A first university degree in a relevant field, combined with 4 years of professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree
• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Information or Telecommunications Technology. A skilled wordsmith who can develop how-to guides, FAQs, articles and other content that distills technical information with ease and clarity
• Demonstrated strong writing skills
• A strong track record of developing quality written content and assets
• Familiarity with emerging technology areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and  digital connectivity
• An understanding of the role technology plays in the development and humanitarian sectors, as well as the UN system
• Ability to evaluate and analyze complex information
• Natural desire to help people understand things that are hard to understand
• Capacity to prioritize and manage a diverse range of partners, projects and activities
• Great interpersonal skills and the ability to unite fragmented, and occasionally opposing, teams and ideas
• Experience working with digital and social media, preferably with a tech/innovation perspective
• Strong experience developing content for traditional and new media (and a range of publications and outlets, especially in the tech and development sectors)
• Understanding of UNICEF Innovation operating environment and priority partners
• Good management skills and the ability to deliver against multiple priorities and deadlines
• Knowledge of UNICEF Ventures key messaging and focus areas
• Ability to work with a diverse team in a rapidly-changing work environment and adapt to unforeseen changes
• Experience working in the social impact space
• Ability to quickly create reports/presentations in standard office software (Microsoft Office suite, Google docs, Keynote, etc)
• Fluency in English. Competence in another UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) preferred.

For every child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are:

• Learning and researching (Level I)
• Creating and innovating (Level I)
• Adapting and responding to change (Level I)

View our competency framework at

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

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 has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Payment details and further considerations

• Monthly payment, based on monthly tasks and progress reports, approved upon monthly review with supervisor.
• Consultant is responsible for his/her own travel and  health insurance
• Consultant is eligible for standard DSA for all work-related travel

Remarks:

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

Duty Station: New York

Duration: 11.5 months