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Job Title: Communications for Development Specialist

Organisation: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. Since UNFPA started working in 1969, the number – and rate – of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are smaller and healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.

Job Summary: The Communications for Development (C4D) Specialist will support the Office of the Representative and the UNFPA Country Office in all its internal and external strategic communications, advocacy efforts, and media engagements. A key member of the Resource Mobilization, Innovation and Strategic Communications Unit of the Country Office, the C4D Specialist provides technical and operational support for the design, formulation, management, execution, monitoring and evaluation of the behavioral change and social mobilization strategy, plan of action and programme activities in support of the UNFPA Uganda country programme and its various projects as well as for emergency response plans. S/he will work under the general guidance of the Representative and direct supervision of the Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Specialist.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

The Communications for Development (C4D) Specialist will ensure linkages with and work in close cooperation with the Country and Field Office program staff, the media, the UN system, government counterparts, development partners and civil society organizations to ensure consistent and quality flow of internal and external information and communication, and strengthened partnerships for safeguarding, promoting and advancing the ICPD agenda and the Uganda Country Programme with a specific focus on bringing about social norms change in line with the new UNFPA Strategic Plan.  The C4D specialist is proactive in providing the Representative with media reports/updates and regularly monitors and analyzes content and trends in media communication UNFPA related issues within existing policy and social contexts in Uganda, and advises the representatives on such matters.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Design and Implementation of C4D and Social and Behavioral Change communications activities:

• Conduct and/or participate in comprehensive C4D situation analysis of social, cultural, economic and political issues in the country/regions, and structural barriers to achieving the ICPD mandate in Uganda.
• Assess/synthesize qualitative and quantitative information, data and evidence to support the establishment of comprehensive and evidence-based internal and external communication components of the Country Programme and other emergency response plans.
• Participate in country programme planning and reviews to contribute to discussions on the underlying and contextual issues to be addressed to ensure the successful and sustainable delivery of programme results and provide technical recommendations on approaches, strategies and plans of action for C4D for the promotion of social and behavioral change in support of country programme delivery.
• Coordinate and oversee enhanced production and dissemination of communication and advocacy materials, including brochures, posters, pamphlets, programme publications, fact sheets, donor information packs and press releases;
• Prepare or provide quality assurance on materials and related documentations for C4D strategies and plans to ensure optimum impact, scale and sustainability of achievements/results.
• Establish and maintain a system for constant scanning of UNFPA-produced research, surveys, assessments, notes to the file, field-visit reports and other such internal information sources to identify, capture and make optimal communications capital/material of these for advocacy, media and capacity building purposes of the UNFPA staff, the UN system and UNFPA partners;
• Ensure timely preparation and response to global, regional and national media and advocacy events linked to UNFPA’s mandate, including World Population Day, State of the World Population Report, International Women’s Day, World AIDS Day, etc.
• Develop and produces a strong resources base for communications, including UNFPA Annual Report and UNFPA Quarterly bulletin on a regular basis; a library of UNFPA programming areas and issue-based photo and information materials that also reflect projects funded by donors;
• Edit various reports/proposals/studies, press releases, speeches to ensure quality and user-friendliness, as well as political, cultural and gender sensitivity and social inclusion, for use as resources for advocacy and fundraising purposes;
• Strategically engaging media and other partners to amplify the voice, results, leadership and messages of UNFPA among target audiences.
• Improving the capacity of UNFPA to scale up communications at regional and national levels, and ensuring consistency between the levels.
• systematically communicating compelling stories and data to media and other audiences;
• Managing UNFPA CO’s communication, multimedia, online platforms and partnerships and ensuring that messages on key issues are aligned as well as duplication of communication efforts minimized.
• Liaise and coordinates with regional and sub-regional communication officers, as well as program staff in advocacy efforts, including advocacy activities in ongoing projects.
• Ensure well-coordinated flow of information during Humanitarian response; maximize visibility for UNFPA mandate and regular updates to ESARO/HQ (Sitreps)
• Prepare timely response to queries from the media, liaising as necessary with HQs Media Branch when sensitive situations arise, in particular for responding to misinformation.

Partnership Building, Innovation, Knowledge Management and Capacity Building

• Establish, build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with strategic partners, e.g. media, academia; social networks; celebrities, journalist, all sectors/levels of society and critical audience to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities for C4D advocacy to promote UNFPA mission, goals and country programme.
• Collaborate with UNFPA internal and regional communications team to harmonize, link and/or coordinate messaging and use of multiple media and communication platforms to enhance C4D outreach in development and in humanitarian contexts.
• Lead capacity assessment of the Country Office in Communications for Development and Behavioral Change; facilitate capacity development planning and implementation with the Regional Office; and monitor implementation of the Capacity development plans
• Organize training workshops for implementing partners and journalists to sensitize and create awareness on UNFPA mandates and work in Uganda
• Facilitate the due diligence process of media partners and update a database of points of contacts for the UNFPA CO.
• Represents UNFPA in UN Communication Group and contributes to identifying new and creative ways to show how UN programs are delivering results and promoting a coherent image of the UN and participate in developing a common UN Communication Strategy; ensuring UNFPA’s active and substantive contribution to joint UN statements/press releases, events and materials production

General Support

• Stand-in for other team members on selected functions as may be required.
• Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership

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Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal applicant must hold a Masters Degree in relevant field, preferably journalism, public relations, social and behavioral science, (sociology, anthropology, psychology, health, education or communication) with emphasis on strategic communication planning for behavior development, social mobilization, participatory communication, and research is required.
• Training in health communications, population, demography, development, gender, law and/or other related social behavioral change methods is desirable.
• At least five years of relevant progressively responsible experience in journalism, strategic communication, media, public relations or advertising /marketing
• Demonstrated experience in working with journalists from top tier media practitioners across sectors, channels and geographies and achieving impressive news and feature coverage; delivering C4D and Behavioral Change activities
• Demonstrated experience conceiving and managing communications and media projects, including brand campaigns
• Advanced user of social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn and experience with Social Media Management and monitoring platforms such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social or SalesForce Social Studio
• Demonstrated experience working with multimedia and social media platforms effectively
• Superior writing and editing skills, especially under time pressure
• Initiative and sound judgment. Must be highly organized and have demonstrated ability to work well under tight deadlines
• General knowledge of Health Systems Strengthening and integrated SRHR/GBV/HIV/YD approaches will be desirable;
• Field experience is an asset;
• Prior experience in the UN system is an asset
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate, its policies and operations and current development topics and political issues in Uganda will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team
• Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French is desirable.

Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves, our relationships, and others
• Communicating for impact

Functional Skill Set:

• Advocacy/Advancing a policy-oriented agenda
• Leveraging the resources of national governments and partners/ building strategic alliances and partnerships
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for results mobilization
• Delivering results-based programmes
• Technical Understanding of the areas of work
• Media and Social-Media Platforms Management
• People Management and Leadership
• Managing financial processes
• Proficiency in current office and multimedia software applications

Compensation and Benefits: This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

How to Apply:

All interested applicants who wish to join the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to click on the link below and follow the application instructions after reviewing the job details.

Click Here

Deadline: 26^th October 2022

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