Result of Service

At the completion of the contracted days, the consultant will have helped produce/execute the following:
– multi-year communications and external relations strategy
-high-quality written, visual, and multimedia content pertaining to the Flagship Initiative
-media coverage and stakeholder awareness
-activities that promote awareness and outreach, including interviews and other activities

Work Location

This position is for a remote consultancy and the contractor is required to participate/respond during the working hours in New York.

Expected duration

15 November 2023-31 March 2024, with possibility of extension.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and implements a multi-year communications and external relations strategy for the Flagship Initiative.
• Coordinates all communications and advocacy aspects of the Flagship Initiative at HQ, in close collaboration with the focal points in the select countries. Provides hands-on support and guidance to country-level communications focal points.
• Participates in the development and monitoring of communication flows being maintained through appropriate electronic media, including but not limited to, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) corporate website and intranet.
• Galvanizes and promotes support from key stakeholders, including developing messaging and story angles, pro-actively reaching out to journalists and public figures, anticipating and mitigating potential risks, and supporting the organization of country-level missions as required.
• Builds media coverage and stakeholder awareness around the key objectives as well as learning events of the Flagship Initiative. Arranges strategic placement of articles and feature stories.
• Organizes other activities to promote awareness and outreach, including interviews and other activities.
• Develops high-quality written, visual, and multimedia content pertaining to the Flagship Initiative, including but not limited to press releases, op-eds, articles, media products, and infographics to amplify coverage of the Flagship Initiative and related humanitarian issues.
• Provides advice and expertise to managers, senior officers and other public information staff on a range of communications issues, methods, and approaches; anticipates and resolves communications/external relations issues/problems.
• Evaluates results and impact of communications activities; reports on developments, trends and attitudes regarding the Flagship Initiative. Analyzes and reports on the impact and effectiveness of advocacy campaigns, external outreach and media coverage.
• Prepares the organization of meetings, seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. with other agencies and partners to facilitate exchanges of professional expertise and views and issues related to communications and advocacy for the Flagship initiative.
• Develops and maintains productive relationships with relevant parties, including senior UN officials, public information officers, journalists, and representatives of international, regional and national organizations, to advance the goals of the Flagship Initiative.
• Performs other communications and external relations duties as required.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, political sciences, public administration or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in public information, public relations, journalism, international relations or related areas is required.

Experience in the development and implementation of communications strategies is required.

Knowledge of the full range of communications approaches, tools, and methodologies is desirable.

Ability to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear, concise style is required.

Experience in working with communication and media partners from international organizations, government officials, academia/professional bodies among others is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.