Communications & Reporting Assistant (Intern)

Responsible to the Communications Specialist - Public Relations and Outreach, the Communications & Reporting Assistant (Intern) will work in the Communications Unit in the main UNOPS office in Harare. The role will focus primarily on producing communications materials and reports for UNOPS Zimbabwe’s projects covering a range of development sectors. The work of the UNOPS Zimbabwe Office is diverse and requires a significant level of multitasking.

The intern will be required to deliver high quality products to tight deadlines. Additionally, the Communications and Reporting Assistant (Intern) will also closely coordinate with other programmes, infrastructure and procurement units.

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

The Communications and Reporting Assistant shall be responsible for performing the following duties:

1. Writing high-quality copy for external news stories, fact sheets and web content in line with UNOPS brand and style guidelines
2. Editing and proofreading copy, publications and websites
3. Assisting with design of communications materials (using tools such as Adobe In Design, Illustrator and Photoshop)
4. Monitoring international and national media in collaboration with local staff and writing a weekly media report
5. Assisting in production and editing of short videos and photo montages for the web
6. Assisting with internal/external communications, including production of a bimonthly internal newsletter
7. Drafting and developing internal and external project communications products in collaboration with Infrastructure Specialists/Project Managers and the Communication Officer
8. Performing  other  duties  as  requested by the Head of Programme, Communications Specialist or the Senior Communications Officer.

1. Providing routine reporting capacity to infrastructure and procurement projects
2. Ensuring proper and timely drafting, development and distribution of key reports, including (but not necessarily limited to) project monthly and quarterly reports quarterly reports
3. Providing editorial support to programmes and projects, ensuring effective and timely dissemination of reports, in line with project documentation and clients expectations
4. Providing quality assurance, including data verification, on all reports and information products produced by project teams by editing and consolidating all reports for external and internal distribution
5. Overseeing the collection and filing of all reports produced within Programmes
6. Preparing ad hoc reports and brief notes as required
7. Performing other duties as requested by the Head of Programme or the Communications Specialist

UNOPS highly values interns' contributions and realizes the importance of learning during an internship. UNOPS thus provides a wealth of opportunities for on-the-job training, studying project-related documents, data analysis and preparation of reports and statistics. UNOPS encourages the intern to raise specific wishes regarding learning opportunities before and during the internship.

The intern will be required to take Basic and Advanced Security in the Field courses before arrival and the Department of Safety and Security briefing immediately after arrival. S/he will take the online UN and UNOPS induction courses on arrival. The intern will participate in UNOPS Zimbabwe’s Induction Training, which comprehensively covers all aspects of UNOPS work in Zimbabwe. S/he will have access to a large offering of online training on the comprehensive UNOPS intranet and opportunities to communicate with UNOPS HQ, Regional Office, and other country offices.

The duties are Harare-based. Field missions are not foreseen.

UNOPS Zimbabwe will provide the intern with the following:

• Work-space in a shared office including computer, stationery, land line telephone
• Use of common office facilities, as for all UNOPS staff
• A monthly stipend from UNOPS, if they do not receive funds from other institutions. Furthermore, UNOPS may provide a one-time travel lump sum of USD 500 if the intern is not receiving travel funding from other institutions. However, interns must make their own arrangements for accommodation, travel and insurance coverage.
• Assistance with application for work visa

The internship comes with no expectations of future employment with UNOPS as a direct result of the internship. The internship is offered for a period of 6 months. Candidates who are unable to commit to 6 months are requested to not apply.

Either currently enrolled in a Bachelor, Masters or PhD in a relevant subject such as in journalism, communications, development, social sciences or a related field, or have graduated from such studies within three years prior to the application date of the internship is required.

•  A minimum of one year’s experience in journalism, communications, copy writing, report writing, international relations, international development, public policy, economics or related work would be desirable.
• Specialized certification in a relevant field (i.e. Communication, Project Planning or Management) is desirable.
• Solid knowledge of MS Office is desirable.
• Knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud is required (particularly Photoshop, In-design and Illustrator).
• Web and audiovisual editing skills, experience with Content Management Systems and/or basic skills in HTML would be an asset.

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of a second language is an asset.

• 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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.

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 United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peace-building, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.  With over 8,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it.  By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

The Zimbabwe Hurricane Idai Recovery Programme (ZIRP) will fall under the purview of the UNOPS KEMC (Kenya Multi Country Office) Located in Nairobi, Kenya, the Kenya Multi Country Office manages a growing portfolio of engagements, including associated strategic and operational risks. The KEMC sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Nairobi/Kenya which manages a portfolio of engagements in multiple countries in East and Southern Africa. This includes a large portfolio of Infrastructure, procurement and project management service projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and several Island states.

Project

Following devastation caused to life, livelihoods and property by tropical storm Idai in March 2019, the WB has allocated up to US$ 75 million to finance a recovery project for Zimbabwe and the African Development Bank has allocated US$ 25 million. The projects address both early and mid-term recovery needs in multiple sectors (livelihoods, health, education, agriculture, transport). UNOPS has been requested to manage the WB funds and is establishing a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and is the Implementation Agency for the AfDB project. UNOPS will engage multiple UN partner organisations to deliver specific components of ZIRP and private sector companies to deliver on the infrastructure works under AfDB.

The PIU is being established as a facility to support the World Bank fund only. As the Fund Manager/PIU UNOPS will be responsible for multiple functions vis-a-vis the ZIRP including the design of an early recovery/emergency response facility, fiduciary management, legal and technical oversight Monitoring and Evaluation, reporting, quality assurance and communications.