Communication Specialist

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

The UNDP Multi-Country Office (MCO) based in Samoa, which covers Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau, implements the UNDP Subregional Programme Document for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (2018-22), which is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and country priorities as reflected in national development plans. In close partnership with the four Governments, UNDP works in collaboration with donors, the private sector, civil society organizations and local communities, academia, media and regional organizations to provide global knowledge and integrated development solutions to development challenges. UNDP promotes a whole-of-society approach to deliver on the ambition of the 2030 Agenda, with greater involvement of civil society actors, emphasis on empowering women, youth and vulnerable groups, and centered on the principle of leaving no one behind.

While Samoa’s contribution to global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions is negligible, climate change mitigation remains a critical government priority considering the already felt and predicted increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The transport sector in Samoa, which is entirely dependent on fossil fuels, is the country’s largest emitter of CO2, accounting for 27.4% of GHG emissions (based on Samoa’s National GHG inventory, 2020). Reliance on energy-dense fossil fuels is expected to render decarbonization of the transport sector particularly difficult. Transport demand has grown in parallel to economic development, and with structural changes, it grows faster than that of other sectors. Whilst some interventions to decarbonize the transport sector in Samoa have initiated, efforts remain fragmented due to a lack of investment and coordination across ministries, agencies, development partners, financial entities, private businesses, and individuals.

To meet Samoa’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target to reduce national GHG emissions by 26% from 2007 levels by 2030 (equivalent to 91 Gg CO2e), the rapid decarbonization of both land and maritime transport systems is fundamental. Research-based evidence, best practices and lessons learned globally indicate that a number of interventions can catalyze the paradigm shift required 2 to decarbonize the transport sector, including electrification of transport systems, along with supportive policy and business model innovations to catalyze systemic electrification.

UNDP implemented project Climate Action Pathways for Island Transport (CAP-IT): Accelerating the Decarbonization of Samoa’s Land and Maritime Transport Sectors, funded by the Government of Japan, aims to promote urgent and inclusive transformation of the land and maritime transport sectors towards decarbonization by accelerating the uptake of electrical vehicles and outboard motors in support of the achievement of Samoa’s enhanced NDCs for the energy and transport sector by 2030. This will be achieved through a three-fold approach:
1. Creating an enabling environment through strengthened and gender-sensitive institutional governance, financial, legal, and technical capacities for accelerating the decarbonization of both land and maritime transport systems;
2. Accelerating inclusive decarbonization of the land transport sector with a focus on adoption and imports of electric vehicles and accessible electrification service networks targeting public transport and public service delivery vehicles; and;
3. Introducing and piloting low-carbon outboard motors for Samoa’s fishing fleet through a gender sensitive grant mechanism for local fisherfolk and training scheme on installation, operation, and maintenance. CAP-IT is implemented through the UNDP Direct Implementation Modality (DIM), with some activities to be delivered by national implementing entities as Responsible Parties (RPs) contracted by UNDP.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Project Manager or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Communication Specialist will:
Scope of Work
Under the overall supervision of the CAP-IT Project Manager and in close collaboration with the MCO’s Communications Analyst, the CAP-IT Communications Specialist UNV will be responsible for strategic communications, visibility, advocacy and graphic design needs. Key responsibilities include, but not limited to;

12.1 Effective communication and visibility of project

• Produce public relations materials for internal and external promotion of the project, and assist with planning and publicizing, including project-related press releases;
• Coordinate the presence and coverage of national and international media in project-related events and/or milestones;
• Support the organization of public events at the regional and national level in order to achieve better project understanding, recognition and visibility;
• Ensure systematic recognition of donor (Government of Japan) support and partner involvement;
• Use traditional media and social networks to share information about the project and the support it offers to, and benefits of, low-carbon development in Samoa;
• Oversee and support awareness campaigns implementation to maximize advocacy impact on the benefits of low-carbon transport;
• Manage and feed the CAP-IT and/or UNDP MCO website and newsletter content with news, innovative topics and useful content;
• Manage and feed the Organization’s social media platforms with content and news-worthy topics, including blogs, op-eds, inter alia. These include at least 1-2 social media posts per week, and at least once a month a blog, an article or an op-ed product;
• Support and coordinate film crew in the creation of promotional videos (documentary or testimonials);
• Prepare human stories featuring project beneficiaries and how the project has impacted the sector and testimonials from local counterparts and public service providers to share experiences from the project at national and regional events;
• Ensure inclusive language, especially in the Samoan context, throughout project documentation, including speeches, reports, social media, inter alia; and,
• Provide inputs and drafting support to narrative and annual reports from the Communications perspective.

12.2 Support to MCO communication efforts

• Support the implementation of the MCO’s Partnership and Communications Strategy;
• Provide coordination support to MCO events, publications and web activities, including content management, norms for photography, video production, publishing, design, and editing;
• Support the design and maintenance of the office websites, newsletters and social media platforms based on corporate requirements in cooperation with the ICT team and relevant staff members;
• Support implementation of public information campaigns on issues including UNDP activities, UN Reform, and Sustainable Development Goals, including the enforcement of inclusive language;
• Support corporate and donor reporting requirements from the Communications perspective.

12.3 Support to knowledge building, sharing and management in the MCO

• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country goals and activities;
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories.
• Provide, upon needs, training and advice to UNDP staff on internal and external communications for development.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

13. Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNDP team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNDP and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
o to ensure high visibility of the project,
o effective communication of the project to national and Japanese audience,
o build awareness rising,
o help project with knowledge building, and sharing,
o as well as to help MCO communication efforts.
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.