Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

Through the Communications unit, UN Women communicates on the progress and results of its different programs and portfolios.

The work of the unit includes creating content for and managing the country website, social media platforms, yearly advocacy campaigns, and the like. In addition, UN Women Lebanon Communications unit works with program colleagues as well as sister UN agencies to shed light on the specific needs of women and girls.

Given the recent escalation of hostilities across the Blue Line, which has resulted in the displacement of more than a million person of whom 52% are estimated to be women, with 12.000 families headed by women, and the destruction of private and public property. UN Women seeks to document and amplify the stories of women affected by the war in Lebanon, highlighting their resilience and the impact of conflict on their lives. The aim is to generate engaging and meaningful content that will be shared on various social media platforms to raise awareness and mobilize support for women’s rights and gender equality in Lebanon. This communication initiative will also contribute to the broader efforts to advocate for gender-responsive humanitarian interventions

The consultant will be reporting to the Communications and Advocacy Specialist and will be supported by the Communications Assistant, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Communication Consultant will be responsible for collecting, writing, and developing impactful stories that showcase the experiences of women affected by the war. The consultant will also create engaging reels for social media to maximize outreach and visibility.

Story Collection and Development:

• Conduct interviews with women affected by the war, focusing on their personal stories, challenges, and resilience.
• Work closely with local women-led organizations, women’s groups, and communities to identify and document compelling stories that align with UN Women’s objectives.
• Write and edit stories in a compelling, human-centered manner, ensuring the content is engaging, respectful, and sensitive to the experiences of the women interviewed.
• Ensure that all stories collected are in line with UN Women’s communication and ethical guidelines, maintaining confidentiality and respect for the interviewees’ consent
• Write a minimum of 20 stories in English documenting the impact of the war on women, formatted for publication.

Social Media Content Development:

• Develop creative and engaging short reels (15-60 seconds) for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, showcasing the stories of women impacted by the war. At least 20 short video reels (15-60 seconds) ready for social media platforms, featuring women’s stories and related visuals.
• Video reels to be subtitled in English if developed in Arabic and subtitled in Arabic if developed in English
• Collaborate with videographers, photographers, and editors to ensure high-quality video production that meets UN Women’s branding and messaging guidelines.
• Adapt stories and video content into social media-friendly formats, including captions, visuals, and sound effects, to maximize engagement and reach.

Coordination and Collaboration:

• Coordinate with UN Women’s Communication Team and partners to align stories with ongoing campaigns and communication priorities.
• Collaborate with local organizations and community leaders to facilitate access and establish trust with women who are potential interviewees.
• Attend relevant events, meetings, and field visits to capture additional content and stories as required.
• Providing a final report summarizing the stories collected, social media engagement metrics, and lessons learned.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy with travel across Lebanon as needed.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

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

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies:
https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrated skills in developing compelling content, and in reporting on qualitative and quantitative analytics.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic communication plans

Required Skills and Experience

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 journalism, communications or advocacy public relations, including in media relations;
• Experience in the use of media relations and social media;
• Knowledge in graphic design and videography is an asset.
• Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills; (Samples of previous work will be required.)
• Computer skills, graphic design, videography, internet communication and command of MS Office.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral English and Arabic is required.
• Knowledge of French or any other UN official language is an asset.

Application:

• Personal CV or P11 (P11 can be downloaded from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form.doc )
• A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page)
• Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns, or other materials.

The above-mentioned documents should be merged in a standalone file including all them, since the online application submission does only permit to upload one file per application. Incomplete submission can be a ground for disqualification.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)