Asst Communications Officer

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office in Afghanistan invites qualified AFGHAN candidates to apply for the following vacancy:

Functional Title:         Assistant Communications Officer
Type of Appointment: Temporary Appointment
Grade: NOA
Duty Station: Kabul Country Office
Issue Date: 17 May 2022
Closing Date: 30 May 2022

Organizational/ Operational Context:

Having entered the fifth decade of their displacement, Afghan refugees constitute one of the largest protracted displacement crises of our time. Over the years, the region has remained in flux and return movements have been interspersed with waves of emigration, sporadic flows of refugees, and exponential internal displacement. COVID-19 has pushed millions of vulnerable people further into poverty, with potential implications for population movements within the region and further afield. Hundreds of thousands remain further afield, notably in Germany, other European Union Member States and Turkey.

Between 2002 and 2020 an estimated 7 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan, including  more than 5.2 million  refugees who voluntarily repatriated with UNHCR¿s assistance. Refugee returns during recent years have been far lower; During 2021, 1,363 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan from Iran (868), Pakistan (437), and other countries (58) including India, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation. The declining return figure that could be attributed to the deteriorating political, security and economic situation in Afghanistan and the impact of COVID-19. These returns have taken place against a backdrop of increased internal displacement due to conflict and natural disaster. OCHA, estimates that there are 3.5 million conflict displaced persons in Afghanistan.

Despite strong will for peace in Afghanistan, uncertainties due to the lack of global recognition of the de facto authorities and questions with regard to the inclusivity of the interim government, remain.

There are 67,200  refugees and asylum seekers residing in Afghanistan. Most of this group were displaced from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2014 and settled in areas of Khost and Paktika provinces. A small number (approximately 380 people) reside in urban areas of Kabul and other cities. Refugees constitute one of the most vulnerable populations in the country. They face significant legal challenges due to the fact that that a national law on asylum has not been enacted.

UNHCR provides international protection and finds solutions to the refugee situation in Afghanistan building upon the ongoing consultations within the context of the Support Platform for the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) and the Global Compact on Refugees.

While ongoing security challenges remain significant, there is also an opportunity at present for Afghanistan¿s gradual progression on the path towards peace and stability, which could pave the way for the long-awaited solution of voluntary repatriation. UNHCR plans to further expand the Priority Area of Return and Reintegration (PARR) from the current 55 areas in 2022. Full, explicit and impactful inclusion of returning refugees and internally displaced persons into national development planning and programming is essential to enable their sustainable reintegration.

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 Assistant 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.

The Assistant 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 Assistant Communications Officers.

All Assistant 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 members of UNHCR¿s workforce 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, members of the workforce 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 and Responsibilities

¿ Assist in establishment of close working relationships with television, radio and news agencies to promote and ensure the dissemination of UNHCR aims, activities and principles.
¿ Assist in development of working relationships with the Government, NGOs and UN Agencies in order to raise interest and develop co-operation in inter-related activities.
¿ Organize UNHCR¿s public awareness campaign in the duty station.
¿ Draft bulletins and updates on UNHCR¿s operations in the duty station.
¿ Brief national and international media of developments in UNHCR¿s operations in the duty stations and accompany visiting media to the refugee camps where applicable.
¿ Assist in planning and organizing advertisements, exhibitions, training seminars, conferences, meetings, social events and other activities to promote a better understanding of UNHCR¿s activities and accomplishments by the general public and/or organized groups.
¿ Assist in preparation of communication budget.
¿ Perform other related duties as required.

Essential qualifications, skills and professional experience

Education:

Journalism; International Relations; Political Science.
Communications; Public Information; Media
Film / Video; or another relevant field.

Years of Experience:

¿ For NOA - 1-year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree

Essential

¿ Minimum 1 year of professional experience in journalism and/or communications, mainly at international level.

Desirable

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.


Language:

¿ For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
¿ For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
¿ For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Functional Skills

¿ 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-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)
¿ IT-Web Content Management
¿ MS-Drafting, Documentation, Data Presentation

Core Competencies

¿ Accountability
¿ Communication
¿ Organizational Awareness
¿ Teamwork & Collaboration
¿ Commitment to Continuous Learning
¿ Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

¿ Empowering and Building Trust

Cross-Functional Competencies

¿ Analytical Thinking
¿ Innovation and Creativity
¿ Political Awareness

APPLICATION:

The management of the advertised openings in this announcement is in line with the provisions of the UNHCR Administrative Instruction on Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS).   The vacancies are open to eligible internal (Group 1 and Group 2) and external applicants.

¿ Internal applicants (Group 1 and Group 2) are requested to submit their applications through MSRP ¿ Self-Service ¿ Recruiting ¿ Careers or CLICK HERE . It is important that applicants update their fact sheets (languages, education and prior working experience) before submitting their applications.

¿ External applicants are requested to submit their applications through the UNHCR website - www.unhcr.org ¿ Career ¿ Career Opportunities ¿ Other Opportunities  or CLICK HERE . You will need to create an account as ¿New User¿ and then click on ¿My Account Information¿. Complete the application and submit it.


IMPORTANT NOTE:

Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an eliminatory written test. Only those who obtains 50% will be invited to an interview.
The recruitment for this position shall be in line with the new Recruitment and Assignment of Locally Recruited Staff (RALS) policy.
Only applications submitted through MSRP will be accepted.
Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for consideration