Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located within the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in the Communications and Public Information Section. The Spokesperson will be based in Juba under the overall guidance of the Chief, Communications and Public Information.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Spokesperson will be responsible for the following duties:

• Serve as lead spokesperson for UNMISS; provide technical and policy advice on highly complex public information and communications issues; develop and disseminate messages, press lines and press releases on specific occasions, events, crises, and all other opportunities identified by mission leadership to express its views and share its opinions, including combatting misinformation, disinformation and hate speech.

• Facilitate and anchor UNMISS press conferences from Juba, and elsewhere when required, and oversee the production and distribution of a near verbatim transcript of the press conference.

• Makes official statements on behalf of the mission and provides information on the mission to the UN Office of the Spokesperson, Departments of Public Information, Peacekeeping Operations, Field Support and other entities in the UN as required;

• Conceptualize, design and execute the media driven information strategy, programme and activities to support the mission concept and mission objectives within the context of the overall mission public Information strategy.

• Lead and direct a team of Media relations and public information officers; plan and allocate work assignments; coach, mentor, and evaluate staff; participate in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs.

• Oversee the preparation, from research to publication, of UN newsletters, periodicals, and reports within the context of the overall mission public information strategy.

• Conduct sensitive political liaison work; create and maintain networks of high level communications contacts with broadcast media, the press, governmental media related agencies, international institutions and other groups and organizations in civil society (non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, community organizations, women’s groups, etc.); represent the organization in important meetings, conferences, events, etc.; promote joint public relations ventures.

• Contribute to development of institutional public relations policies within the United Communication Group (UNCG) when required.

• Assess the overall effectiveness of the public information media strategy and programmes and make needed changes in approach and technique if necessary.

• Provide diverse materials (talking points, briefings, speeches, questions and answers) for use by senior officials develop or overall see development of high-profile multi-media communications campaigns; set quality and production standards for information dissemination.

• Maintain daily relations with local and international media arrange for media representatives to meet with senior mission officials and facilitate the daily work of journalists covering the mission, and facilitate visits by media within the mission area;

• Maintain collaborative working relations with Mission components and the Head of Mission and to have accurate and up-to-date information on mission activities and priorities; working with UN and non -UN partners, national authorities and representatives, regional and international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders;

• Advise the Head of Mission on public relations and dealing with the media;

• Ensure that all components of the mission, as well as other UN actors on the ground coordinate their communications messages;

• Oversee the monitoring of the media for coverage of the mission and other relevant news, identifies trends, and provides advice to the Mission leadership in this regard, including cooperation with Mission, UN and external stakeholders in countering disinformation.

• Contribute to the Section’s efforts in planning, organizing, and reporting on section activities in support of the implementation of the UNMISS mandate.

• Act as Officer-in-Charge of the Section in the absence of the Chief of Communication and Public Information.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM:
Knowledge of different aspects of public information and communication. Ability to address a range of issues in the context of political developments, public attitudes and local conditions. Ability to advise on high profile and sensitive communication challenges. Ability to lead crisis communications in a complex operating environment. Ability to assess world-wide communication environments, develop communication strategies and manage implementation of public information campaigns with various promotional and publicity techniques. Ability to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear, concise style. Ability to present and defend difficult positions to senior officials. 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. Ability to hold press conferences & handle media review & interviews professionally.

COMMUNICATIONS:
Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

CREATIVITY:
Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

LEADERSHIP:
Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.

JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING:
Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, public administration or related field. 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 ten years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public administration or related area is required.

Experience working as a journalist is required.

Experience as a Spokesperson for an international organization is required.

Experience managing engagement with international media outlets is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.

Assessment

Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 30 June 2024, possibility of extension subject to availability of funds. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

• Qualified women that meet the requirements of this job opening are particularly encouraged to apply and will be given full consideration in accordance with the United Nations efforts to increase women participation in its workforce.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.