Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Design and Multimedia Unit of the Strategic Communications Branch in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in The Hague, The Netherlands.

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.

The Strategic Communications Branch (SCB) is OCHA’s communications and public advocacy team supporting headquarters and field operations in public outreach on humanitarian action. The Branch oversees senior leadership public advocacy and media, including the global spokesperson function, messaging and speeches, and social media. Within the Branch, the Design and Multimedia Unit (DMU) leads OCHA’s visual information services and products including provide design support to colleagues in the field and headquarters. Infographics, reports, animations, social media cards, icons and illustrations. DMU also develops and maintains OCHA’s branding and visual standards, including a graphics style book and standard design templates. The Unit provides regular training to colleagues to develop OCHA’s design skills.

The Graphic Designer reports directly to the Head of the Design and Multimedia Unit in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Graphic Designer will be responsible for the following:

* Develop quality visual information products, interactive websites and animations. Provides advisory services on information management and design practices include: needs and business process analysis; organization and maintenance of field information products; information management policies and procedures, with an emphasis on technological applications. Researches, analyses and evaluates new applications of information technology to manage and visualize information, makes recommendations for their deployment.
* Participates in information management and visualization improvement projects, contributing to feasibility studies, systems analysis, design, development and implementation; provides user support.
* Understands, keeps current with and applies data visualization techniques and strategies for data in all media.
* Evaluates adequacy of existing information management and reference tools. Implements new technologies in information management to ensure that tools developed for efficient access to information are accessible to staff throughout the Organization.
* Participates in developing client outreach strategies and in their implementation. Conducts programmes of outreach and user education to improve client use of desktop information resources; uses judgement of relevant institutional needs to develop presentations appropriate to client audience; develops publicity materials to facilitate outreach.
* Assists in programme administration, including provision of assistance to or supervision of contractual employees and General Service staff, formulation of consultant and institutional contracts and subsequent implementation, development of the programme budget, etc.
* Performs other related duties, as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of information management. Knowledge of electronic data maintenance and visualisation, including appraisal, conservation and migration management; data visualization and description. Ability to conduct research and provide recommendations on information management trends. Ability to demonstrate conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills and conduct independent research and analysis, identifying and assessing issues, formulating options and making conclusions and recommendations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in archival, information science, information systems, social science or related 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.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in information, management, information systems, web management, data management, geographic, information systems and mapping, data visualization, or related area, is required.

Experience in graphic design, infographic and interactive websites is required.

Experience with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, After Effects and web programming
languages (HTML, HTML5, CSS, Javascript) and web platforms (Strattic and WordPress) is required.

Two years in the last five years of international field experience working in communications/public information in a complex emergency or a conflict or post conflict setting is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Arabic is required. Fluency in another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This position is funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.