Background

Office/Unit/Project Description 

The Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) is responsible for positioning UNDP as the world’s leading global development agency, working with 170 governments and hundreds of partners to achieve sustainable development through the interconnected issues of prosperity, good governance, environmental protection, crises stabilization, gender equity, sustainable finance and digital access. BERA leads and supports UNDP in building and nurturing strategic relationships and alliances essential to achieving its mission by coordinating, setting the strategy, and delivering the functions of partnerships, marketing and communications within UNDP. 

BERA delivers through a network of Representation Offices (Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Tokyo, Washington D.C and Berlin) and Regional Team Members in hubs (Africa, Arab States, Asia Pacific, Europe and CIS, and Latin America and the Caribbean).

Scope of work

UNDP requires the services of a Strategic Communications Specialist (Writer and Editor) who can swiftly transform ideas into compelling, strategic content across multiple formats and to speak to different audiences. The role is critical to ensuring high-quality communications outputs aligned with organizational priorities. The Strategic Communications Specialist (Writer/Editor) will ensure the highest editorial and quality standards across UNDP’s key communications materials and will also improve the clarity of other people’s writing. S/he will collaborate with teams across BERA (specifically the Advocacy, Marketing and Communications Group and Partnerships Group) and across UNDP. Their responsibilities will include:

Produce high quality written content across multiple formats

  • Generate original, high-quality content aligned with organizational priorities
  • Translate complex ideas into clear and engaging copy, avoiding jargon while ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for diverse global audiences.
  • Adapt writing style and tone for various formats including messages, narratives, press releases, media statements, op-eds, brochures, donor briefs, reports, speeches, blogs and internal communications
  • Ensure consistency and coherence across platforms

Editorial Excellence and Quality Control

  • Serve as lead writer and editor for high-visibility outputs, ensuring clarity, grammar, and logic.
  • Use tools like Word’s Editor function and/or coordinate with a copy editor on retainer for fast turnaround.
  • Provide final review and copy editing for different communications materials before dissemination.
  • Oversee consistency in UN language use across all BERA outputs.
  • Ensure text alignment with the UN terminology database and UN editorial guidelines

Rapid Response and Agile Writing

  • Work under tight deadlines to produce or refine content in response to emerging priorities or crises.
  • Collaborate with communications leads to ensure timely delivery of strategic outputs during high-stakes moments.

Management of external vendors

  • Manage and oversee editing projects as needed, liaising with internal clients and coordinating with external editors to uphold high editorial and quality standards.
  • Guide in the scoping of copyediting projects, including estimating the cost and timeline
     

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement 

The Strategic Communications Specialist (Writer/Editor) will be based in the Advocacy, Marketing and Communications Group (AMCG) of the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA). The incumbent will report to the Deputy Director of Communications. 

The incumbent will work closely across AMCG teams and with other teams in BERA.

Competencies

Core
  • Achieve Results:

LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
  • Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
  • Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
  • Adapt with Agility:   

LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
  • Adapt with Determination:

LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
  • Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion:         

LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Communications 

Creative direction and copywriting

  
  • Ability to creatively communicate concepts in an engaging and simple way
  

Partnership Management

Relationship management

  
  • Ability to engage with a wide range of philanthropic partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding. 
  

Communications 

Product management

  
  • Ability to manage digital products through their entire life cycle.
  

Communications

Writing and editing

  
  • Ability to create and/or edit written content in a UN languages. 
  

Business Management

Communication

  
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
  

Business Development 

Knowledge facilitation 

  
  • Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
  

Business Directo & Strategy

System Thinking

  
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
  

Minimum Qualifications of the Successful IPSA

Min. Education requirements          

  • Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Communications, International Relations, Global Communications, or other relevant field is required, or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Min. years of relevant work experience   

  • Minimum of 5 years (with Master´s degree) or 7 seven years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in strategic communications, partnership engagement, or related field.

Required skills            

  • Demonstrated experience writing across multiple formats: press releases, speeches, reports, donor briefs, blogs, and social media posts.
  • At least 5 years of professional editing and writing experience in communications, journalism, publishing, or international development.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

  • Experience mentoring or guiding junior writers/editors, and coordinating with external vendors.
  • Experience as a subeditor, copywriter, or journalist. 
  • Proven track record of experience producing content for international organizations, NGOs, or media outlets.
  • Hands-on experience using editing/proofreading tools (Word Editor, Grammarly, or similar).

Required Language(s) 

  • Fluency in the English language is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.