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Consultancy, Communications Specialist Consultant,11.5 months, Remote

New York City

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Communication and Public Information
  • Closing Date: Closed

UNICEF’s Office of Innovation (OOI) is looking for an experienced and dynamic Communications Specialist to work within its communications team on a full-time consultancy basis. In this role, the Communications Specialist will support the development, management, coordination, implementation and monitoring of the Office’s communication strategies and work. The Communications Specialist will also support the external communications efforts of the Giga Initiative, and act as liaison between the two teams to ensure communications work is complementary and aligned. Reporting to OOI’s Communications lead, the successful candidate will be a member of OOI’s communications team, while working closely with the Giga Initiative’s dedicated External Engagement Specialist.

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.

How can you make a difference?

The Communications Specialist will support the development, management, coordination, implementation and monitoring of OOI’s communication strategies and work, while acting as a liaison with and supporting the external communications of the Giga Initiative.

As well as being a member of OOI’s communications team, the consultant will work closely with the Giga Initiative’s External Engagement Specialist.

Main responsibilities will include but not limited to:

  • Support the implementation of communication strategies and associated work plans.
  • Act as a liaison between OOI and Giga to ensure communications strategies, campaigns and work are complementary and aligned.
  • Support the development of brand, media relations and digital engagements.
  • Where requested, take charge of individual communications campaigns from conception to execution with minimal supervision.
  • Help maintain a close relationship and collaboration with UNICEF’s Division of Communication as well as with communication specialists in regional and country offices.
  • Develop, distribute and evaluate a variety of communication materials, including writing and designing.
  • Support OOI and Giga’s presence in online communications and social media and assist in the maintenance of online platforms.
  • Support the development and execution of communication and advocacy tools (e.g., newsletters, websites, decks, posters, brochures, pamphlets).
  • Help maintain a calendar of key global and regional events and opportunities for outreach in collaboration with partnerships specialists and others.
  • Work with technical teams in conceptualizing and executing communication assets.
  • Provide support to technical staff in close collaboration with the design team in data visualization and presentation as well as information repackaging.
  • Support organizing and managing events, launches of publications, seminars and conferences, and workshops.

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

  • Advanced degree in relevant field (Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or related areas)
  • At least 5 years of professional experience in a relevant field. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
  • A strong track record of delivering products for external engagement and visibility
  • Experience of working with Private Sector PR and communications teams and driving communications activity that delivers business benefit 
  • Significant experience working with print and broadcast media, preferably with a tech/innovation perspective
  • Solid understanding of the role technology plays in the development and humanitarian sectors, as well as the UN system
  • 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 Office of Innovation’s key messaging and focus areas (including data science, connectivity, open source technology, working with start-ups and a range of other partners, and others)
  • Ability to work with a diverse team in a rapidly-changing work environment and adapt to unforeseen changes
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to see the big picture and connect multiple story threads into one greater narrative
  • 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
  • Project management skills including task prioritization, budget monitoring, and results-driven strategies
  • Good understanding of the media landscape and the multiple ways we can engage media partners
  • Ability to quickly create reports/presentations in standard office software (Microsoft Office suite, Google docs, Keynote, etc.)
  • Demonstrates a solution-focused approach to overcoming the challenges of working with multiple stakeholders and is able to find shared and mutual outcomes
  • Consults others and shares expertise, know-how and ideas with colleagues for best results and proactively contributes ideas, approaches and insights that enable innovation
  • Makes decisions within agreed parameters and is accountable for own actions 
  • 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 (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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 health and travel insurance
  • Consultant is eligible for standard DSA for all work-related travel
  • Consultant is eligible for roundtrip airfare to and from the duty station at the beginning and end of the assignment.

Remarks:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

This vacancy is now closed.
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