Communications Specialist

United Nations Volunteers (UNV) contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. UNV works with partners to integrate qualified, highly motivated and well-supported UN Volunteers into development programming and promote the value and global recognition of volunteerism. UNV is active in around 170 countries every year. With field presences in over 60 countries, UNV is represented worldwide. UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The External Relations and Communications Section (ERCS) builds and nurtures corporate donor relations, strategically leads the donor resource mobilization platform and conducts coherent communications efforts to highlight the value of volunteerism for peace and development and the contributions of UNV and UN Volunteers. ERCS also leads and manages UNV's corporate strategic partnership relations and alliances with Member States, intergovernmental, non-governmental organizations, financial institutions, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector to promote UNV's mandate and initiatives, raise awareness and stimulate action to advance UNV's global agenda and resource mobilization.

The Communications Section focuses on clear and effective messaging to increase the visibility and impact of UNV. It raises awareness on the work of UN Volunteers and of volunteerism and its contribution to development among UNV stakeholders, encourages support of volunteerism for development, including observation of IVD, and produces and promotes materials (social media content, graphics, videos, website, annual report, etc.) to highlight UNV’s work, its contribution to partners’ objectives and support for volunteerism for development.

UNV reaches out to diverse audiences through its websites, along with articles in publications, reports and statements/ speeches. Content is needed with a keen eye for consistency and fact checking, along with management of approval processes and editing. The Communications Specialist will also be required to steer the strategic direction of all content and guide all layers of the organization in implementing plain and jargon free content that makes an impact. Content also includes the overall management of the corporate website unv.org and a revamp of UNV’s digital presence. The responsibilities of the Communications Specialist include:

Lead editorial strategy, coordination and planning:

• Keeps UNV's content and editorial strategy and guidelines up to date, incorporating forward thinking on training and continued improvement of content creation and relevant thematic areas;
• Create messaging and content for the corporate brand and thematic areas to promote UNV’s work and engagement with all UNV’s audiences;
• Lead the development of and support other UNV teams and Regional Offices creation of editorial planning, strategies and content for the website and communications plans for other outreach (such as high-level missions);
• Coordinate editorial plans for all UNV content, guided by UNV priorities;
• Coordinate work of the global communications team and focal points within all Sections and Regional Offices to produce diverse types of online content, along with external articles, reporting and other communications products;
• Lead on original content about the impact of UNV and UN Volunteers and to publicize and promote the work with other UN partners and Member States;
• Edit and approve content from the regions and the field in line with the mandate of UNV;
• Develop innovative written content for corporate communications.

Website coordination 

• Handle the content production and of all communications content, ensuring high editorial quality and accuracy of relevant data;
• Manage the strategic development of UNV online presence, including content development, expansion and continual assessment of the innovative quality and relevance of web-based information services, including overseeing geographically mixed visuals/video and innovation in online content; 
• Implement online information design plans (i.e. new content development, display, classification and navigation), overseeing the production of graphic and interactive components for optimal presentation; 
• Ensure consistency of web publishing plans, and review and clear all online content and editing, guided by UNV priorities, for posting on websites and social media, as well as Regional Offices/Field Units’ sites;
• Develop and implement a website revamp project, starting with a scoping exercise (with procurement and management of any external service providers), and development of a website strategy; 
• Oversee the maintenance of the UNV.org web site ensuring its updates and technical functionality (with management of a technical resource);
• Oversee regular statistical analysis of web usage and the impact of content on volunteer mobilization, along with analytics of performance for all online content for the website. (with management of technical resource);
• Adapt editorial and outreach priorities according to the data and coordinate the digital evidence for impact of communications on mobilization. Prepare yearly plans for capacity, resources and technical requirements. 

Perform/Support other functions:

• Contribute to the promotion of special events, executive missions and global campaigns; 
• Contribute to the development of and implement innovative communications marketing and outreach initiatives; 
• Guidance on how to create and edit social media content as needed, bringing to the content the rules and rigor of the editorial guidelines;
• Work with the ERCS team as well as other UNV teams to ensure a coordinated approach to content;
• Be versed in photo curation and ability to back-stop photo and visual selection and use (for website, power point, etc.) as needed;
• Manage the production of user friendly and searchable corporate publications (overviews, brochures, annual report, etc.); 
• Participate in the design of and maintain a yearly corporate publications calendar and workplan for all published products; 
• Liaise with relevant organizational units on the gathering of reporting content for the UNV Annual Report, Executive Board report and other required reporting. 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Communications Specialist will report to Communications Specialist (P4) in ERCS, who will advise on tasks/requests from the global communications team, ERCS and the Executive Office. The Communications Specialist will supervise a Web Assistant, NPSA home-based. 

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

• Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Management- Communication

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience · Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, online web presence content and other appropriate channels.

Business Management- Portfolio Management

• Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

Communications - Social Media management

• Ability to represent and promote the UNDP brand in virtual communities and networks

Communications - Writing and editing

• Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages.

Communications- Multimedia writing/editing

• Ability to create and/or edit written content for multimedia 

Digital & Innovation - Data literacy

• Understand the potential as well as the limitations of using data driven innovation
• Ability to use a mix of data sources (quantitative, qualitative or real-time techniques) to develop understanding, identify patterns to inform decision making or identify opportunities for further exploration.