Communications Specialist at UN Women

Key Functions and Accountabilities:

Lead the development and implementation of communication and outreach/advocacy strategies and plans for the region, including for MCOs and COs:

• Conduct communication needs assessments for Regional Office, including projects, programmes and corporate change initiatives;
• Design, develop, and implement communication and outreach/advocacy strategies, including media strategies; ensure gender perspective;
• Integrate communication, advocacy and outreach strategies into proposals for project/programmes and other initiatives;
• Participate in UN inter-agency Communications Group meetings and contribute to UN system efforts;
• Launch in-country UN Women/ UN system corporate and local/regional campaigns and special events;
• Provide advice and guidance to and coordinate with CO/ MCOs in the region.

Lead the development and dissemination of public advocacy materials for the region:

• Develop and produce communication and advocacy instruments and materials, including briefing materials, press releases, and articles and coordinate its dissemination through effective channels according to UN Women corporate standards;
• Identify and leverage opportunities, activities, approaches and platforms and partners;
• Provide advice on advocacy materials and coordinate launch of flagship initiatives and publications in the region;
• Lead the engagement and supervision of video producers and other communication specialists to produce audio/ visual material on UN Women’s regional work;
• Develop brochures, factsheets, stories from the field to inform media and general public at the regional level;
• Follow guidelines from and report to HQ.

Coordinate regional communication knowledge building and sharing initiatives:

• Coordinate with HQ Communications regularly, through meetings, updates and calls to ensure timely adaptation of corporate communications priorities;
• Attend trainings hosted by HQ Communications, to stay abreast of corporate policies and workflows;
• Ensure leadership and coordination from the Region to communications personnel in MCOs and COs in the region;
• Provide training and workshops on communication and advocacy as appropriate to MCOs and COs, based on corporate communications policies;
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned from RO, COs and MCOs ensure exchange of information;
• Monitor and analyze media, web and social media and prepare analytical reports.

Manage web, social media and news media relations for the Regional Office:

• Ensure media strategies are implemented in line with corporate guidelines to enhance the positioning of UN Women with the media, with a special focus on regional priority areas of concern;
• Lead relationship building with press in country; maintain and update database of relevant contact;
• Respond timely and clearly to media inquiries and to a variety of inquiries and information requests; identify impactful success stories/ issues, media talking points, news-related development, and coverage of interest;
• Facilitate interviews with senior and thematic managers; connect media with UN Women subject experts;
• Pitch and write impactful programme stories for corporate platforms: global website, social media channels regularly;
• Provide technical and coordination support to the expansion of UN Women’s Media Compact in the region;
• Organize press conferences, and press briefing sessions with internal experts and external partners.

Build and maintain communications and advocacy focused partnerships:

• Identify and develop new communication partnerships and alliances to enhance visibility; manage and nurture existing partnerships; 
• Liaise with advocacy partners and undertake outreach to civil society organizations, governments, and other groups to ensure that newsworthy information reaches the public and donors;
• Guide and collaborate closely with communication colleagues in other offices to ensure consistency with corporate policies, messaging and initiatives; 
• Provide inputs to resource mobilization leads with programme/ results-oriented communications.

Oversee the RO’s web/online presence and social media platforms: 

• Oversee and maintain (regional) websites, including developing content regularly;
• Keep the RO’s web-presence updated and in the line with corporate web policy;
• Oversee and manage (regional) social media accounts in line with corporate social media policy;
• Coordinate the management of regional social media accounts in line with corporate social media policy or provides inputs to global corporate social media accounts.
• Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The incumbent will lead a team of two personnel. 

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different constituencies;
• Strong knowledge of managing web-based knowledge management systems;
• Strong understanding of production, graphic design, and photography standards;
• Strong knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach;
• Strong oral and written communication and editing skills;
• Strong communication, networking, and advocacy skills;
• Ability to provide advice and be strategic and analytical;
• Good knowledge of local country media landscape;
• Knowledge of gender and human rights issues is desirable.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification 

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in communications, public relations, journalism or relevant field is required;
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of professional work experience at national or international level in public relations, communications or advocacy, including in media relations is required;
• Experience in the use of social media is required;
• Experience in media relations is desirable.