By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Communications Officer (PN10007522) - Ankara

Ankara

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: Ankara
  • Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Communication and Public Information
  • Closing Date: Closed

This position is open to applications from Group 1, Group 2 and all external candidates, provided that requirements regarding professional experience, academic qualifications, language, etc. are fulfilled.

Candidates must be primarily Turkish nationals. The minimum educational requirement for this position is a university degree.

Applications must be supported by documentation of fully effective performance history and demonstrated potential to assume professional responsibilities.
Your application will NOT be considered if;
-      The application form is not duly filled.
-      The questionnaire at the end of the application form is not answered. (for external candidates)
Interested staff members should consult Recruitment and Assignment of Locally-recruited Staff (RALS) para 39-40-41. Communications Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In line with its Global Communications Strategy, UNHCR requires skilled communications professionals to conceive and execute a range of activities that help us lead the narrative on forced displacement, generate empathy and mobilize action. This body of work spans communications strategy and coordination, news and media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, Goodwill Ambassadors and other influencers, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, analytics and brand.
UNHCR's Communications Officers need to cultivate a keen understanding of our target audiences including an up-to-the-minute grasp of the methods and tone of voice that resonate deeply, win trust and spark quality engagement. They must be vigilant about editorial and journalistic standards, attentive to protection concerns and political sensitivities, and focused on communicating successfully with key demographics. These audiences will vary by location, language and platform, among other factors, as well as whether the aim is to inform, advocate or raise funds.
Communications Officers' functions, working relationships and skills specializations differ depending on language, location, grade, and whether they sit within a country operation, a regional bureau or the Global Communications Service. UNHCR's primary target audiences include public, media and policymakers, while our main partners and influencers include peers and private sector, trusted figures and our own workforce. Some communicators will focus mainly on news and media relations, for example, while others will produce multimedia content, manage social media accounts or lead advocacy campaigns. Forging partnerships with media outlets that reach target audiences is a central role for all Communications Officers.
All Communications Officers are expected to work strategically in support of UNHCR's operational and communications objectives for their geographic area of responsibility (AoR) as well as global priorities. Communications approaches should reflect our core values as an organization that is caring, trustworthy, proactive, outcome-focused and responsive. This will reinforce UNHCR's role as the lead agency that protects refugees, internally displaced and stateless people and mobilizes action to provide solutions.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Support the development and implementation of communications strategies for countries, situations and special projects; identify thematic priorities and target audiences to meet UNHCR's global communications objectives.
- Monitor news and popular trends to insert UNHCR's messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
- Forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce and promote UNHCR content, activities and messaging as well as provide research insights to improve communications; promote the work of engaged businesses and civil society actors.
- Contribute to development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCR's impact (e.g. interviews, press releases, flagship reports, speeches), create emotive storytelling to generate empathy (e.g. stories, multimedia content) and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees (e.g. digital diplomacy, action-driven campaigns, fundraising).
- Ensure content created reaches maximum impact by developing strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of our content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
- Closely monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly. Benchmark the results of communications projects against set success indicators; build on communications successes.

Additional duties for news and media roles:
- Develop and implement communications strategies, campaigns, events and other initiatives in support of UNHCR's strategic objectives, including its need for leading share of voice on refugee and related matters, and ensure coverage of refugee situations in their country or region in global and domestic media.
- Research, prepare, fact-check, edit and produce professional media and communications materials for target audiences and ensure their timely dissemination via UNHCR's communications channels, ensuring highest quality standards.
- Draft media releases, statements and media briefing notes, and secure clearances, working in conjunction with relevant focal points and keeping sensitive to needs of both internal and external audiences.
- Act as a spokesperson for UNHCR, organizing press events, handling interviews requests and providing responses to requests from media relating to UNHCR and its work.
- Engage with journalists and public audiences via social media channels.
- Regularly provide ideas for communications initiatives and considered professional communications advice to senior staff of UNHCR.
- Undertake missions and field trips with media and other official visitors in support of UNHCR and its work.
- Actively maintain media relations for UNHCR, ensuring that media (and other important external stakeholders, such as governments, embassies, NGOs etc.) are briefed regularly on issues of importance to UNHCR, and have access to information and UNHCR expertise.
- Prepare and manage communications budgets.
- Ensure alignment with UNHCR's global branding and messaging.
- Continually maintain and upgrade communications skills, keeping abreast of emerging platforms and tools, and systematically reviewing media impact results and other measurement tools for learning purposes.

Additional duties for news and media roles within the Global Communications Service
- Oversee coordination of communications work for their designated regions and thematic issues, working closely with communications staff in bureaux and country offices and in collaboration with the senior communications officers/advisers in that region.
- Manage a wide network of relationships at all levels across bureaux, divisions and offices (including the Executive Office) to ensure timely internal information sharing as a foundation for grounded communications, and to build consensus around communications proposals.
- Maintain close involvement in communications recruitment and training needs for assigned regions, keeping in mind UNHCR's goals of employing and retaining the world's leading humanitarian communications expertise.

Additional duties for news and media roles within Country Offices
- Act as the primary interface on communications matters between their country office and the Global Communications Service.
- Act as the lead for crisis communications work for their country, alerting the GCS/News & Media Section's crisis communications lead to risk issues and ensuring close coordination.

Additional duties for news and media roles within Regional Bureaux
- Regularly provide ideas for communications initiatives and considered professional communications advice to senior Bureau staff and Representatives of Country Operations overseen by the Bureau.
- Oversee data and information gathering and sharing of information with a view to ensuring the Bureau¿s authority as a centre of up to date knowledge and expertise relating to its region.
- Assist the Senior Management of the Bureau to implement advocacy objectives for the Bureau, and oversee development of supporting communications strategies for these, working in conjunction with staff of the Global Communications Service and communications staff in the region.
- Ensure Bureau staff are aware of UNHCR's global positioning needs.

- Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
Journalism, International Relations, Political Science, Communications, Public Information, Media, Film / Video or other relevant field.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Minimum 4years of professional experience in journalism and/or communications, mainly at international level.

Desirable:
Experience developing and implementing communications strategies. Strong social media presence. Experience working on advocacy campaigns. Experience working with goodwill ambassadors and other high-profile influencers. Experience with brand management. Experience with measurement and evaluation, especially providing analysis of media coverage, social media engagement, web traffic, etc. Experience reporting, writing, editing for magazines, newspapers and websites. Experience using digital asset management systems. Experience with digital analytics and performance reporting.

Functional Skills
Required skills will vary according to the precise nature of the role, location, etc. but may include:
CO-Digital content production
CO-Editing
CO-International Media Contacts
CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)
CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches
CO-Public Speaking
CO-Spokesperson skills
CO-Strategic Communication
CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)
CO-Web publishing and content management
MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation

Language Requirements

Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. Shortlisted candidates must be required to sit for a test. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. No late applications will be accepted.

UNHCR is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

REMUNERATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. The monthly net salary is between TRY 20,264 and TRY 25,923   depending on relevant experience, dependency status and language proficiency. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations.
========================================================================================================
See below for this postion's Operational Context
======================================================================================================== Operational Context
I. Nature of The Position

The position of Communications Officer of UNHCR Turkey is in charge of managing communications, targeting the public and media in Turkey, in close consultations with the Representative.
The Government of Turkey takes the lead in the refugee response, based on a  legal framework and policies to include refugees in national services, and is actively engaged in humanitarian matters related to refugees and migration globally.  UNHCR is coordinating the support to the refugee response, co-leading the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), maintaining an operational footprint in order to support the response in areas where it has a specific expertise.
UNHCR strategic protection engagement in Turkey include the following areas:
¿ Promoting access to and support the provision of protection
¿ Strengthening protection and access to quality services for refugees with specific needs
¿ Promoting social cohesion and harmonization
¿ Working toward durable solutions.
¿ Enhancing partnership and communication.
To present this strategy and UNHCR's efforts, the Communications Officer needs to be familiar with political and social developments in Turkey, be able to develop content and messaging relevant to the context and audience in Turkey. A particular focus of the position will be to promote social cohesion. 

II. Interaction with Persons of Concern or External Stakeholders

This position of Communications Officer requires regular interaction and engagement with the media, specifically national media and journalists, as well as with the press- and information interlocutors of UNHCR's governmental counterparts. The incumbent is also expected to play a pro-active role in the UN Turkey information group, as well as to support UNHCR's inter-agency coordination functions as the co-lead of the 3RP.

III. Reporting and Managerial Expectations

The Communications Officer reports directly to the Representative, working closely with the Executive Office and the External and Donor Relations team. The incumbent is expected to manage a small communications and public information team, in charge of media relations, media monitoring, producing content for and updating UNHCR Turkey's WebSite and social media accounts as well as for UNHCR visibility and branding, including public events. Close interaction and coordination with other functional and field teams is expected and necessary for effective communication and visibility, as well as active engagement in Heads of Units coordination meeting and planning.

IV. Additional Languages, Skills aand Qualifications

The post of Communications Officer of UNHCR Turkey requires familiarity with social media, given their relevance in Turkey, including in developing and adapting content for use in social media. The closing date of the job opening is 05 October 2020.
This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: