Monitoring and Verification Specialist (Communications)

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to help and protection to a population of 5.7 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance, and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

UNRWA is establishing a Monitoring and Verification Unit, within the Agency’s Communications Division, to better monitor media and social media mentions of the Agency as well as to track and respond to misinformation.

Additional information:
International Specialist UN Volunteers are entitled to:
• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 2565.48 (subject to change in monthly Post Adjustment Modifier).
• Entry lumpsum, Exit lumpsum; and Travel Allowance
• Annual and learning leaves;
• Free Medical and life insurance; and
• Free access to different learning platforms.

For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/become-volunteer/volunteer-abroad

Under the Direct Supervision of the Senior Communications Manger, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

-Monitoring and Evaluation:
• Monitor and report on mainstream and digital media channels, social media platforms, and other online forums.
• Identify risks, including from online lobbyists/campaigners that have a track record of attacking UNRWA.
• Evaluate media coverage of UNRWA and the impact of UNRWA’s messages in mainstream and social media and conducts sentiment analysis in both domains.
• Utilize advanced analytics tools and social listening techniques to detect and identify misinformation trends related to UNRWA. Shares recommendations with other team members and management based on misinformation trends and the impact of responses to these trends.
• Produce daily and weekly trend analyses, and other periodic reports on misinformation and verification, including risk and reputational management assessments.
• Identify also UNRWA supporters (or potential supporters) to grow list of those that we can solicit as third-party defenders (in ways similar to detractors but positively).

- Partnerships:
• Undertake fact-checking and suggest messaging to respond to misinformation based on previous/similar precedents and existing TPs.
• Liaise and consult with international, regional, and national fact-checking entities. Regularly shares fact-checked content with such organizations to cultivate a two-way relationship.
• Regularly share fact-checked content through official UNRWA channels to amplify the work of partner fact-checking organizations.

- Communications strategy:
• Contribute to evaluating the effectiveness of UNRWA’s anti-misinformation and verification plan, within UNRWA’s overall communications strategy. Contributes adapting the communications strategy based on emerging trends and lessons learned, to ensure continuous improvement.