Advocacy and Communication Officer

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, operates in over 190 countries and territories with a mission to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. The organization is committed to promoting the rights of every child and offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development to its staff. UNICEF is known for its passionate culture and attractive compensation and benefits package, emphasizing the importance of building careers that contribute to the welfare of children and communities globally.

Job Overview:
The Advocacy and Communication Officer is responsible for developing, managing, coordinating, networking, implementing, and monitoring an advocacy and communication strategy aimed at promoting awareness and support for children's and women's rights. This role involves ensuring that the Country Office has a clear communication strategy that aligns with UNICEF's mission and objectives, enhancing the organization's credibility and brand. The officer will work closely with various stakeholders, including media, partners, and government entities, to ensure effective communication and advocacy efforts that resonate with public audiences and support UNICEF's programs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and update the country advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan, including stakeholder assessments, objectives, target audiences, messages, and evaluation metrics.
• Ensure effective media relations by maintaining a comprehensive contact list of journalists and media outlets, promoting children's and women's rights through media activities, and ensuring timely dissemination of information.
• Build and maintain partnerships with individuals, organizations, and government entities to achieve advocacy objectives, including training and capacity building for partners.
• Engage celebrities and organize special events to support UNICEF's goals, including planning visits of Goodwill Ambassadors and preparing necessary materials.
• Integrate global communication priorities into local campaigns and ensure effective resource mobilization through advocacy strategies.
• Manage human and financial resources effectively, including budget planning and monitoring, staff recruitment, and performance evaluation.
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation of communication strategies to ensure objectives are met and share findings with relevant stakeholders.
• Provide expertise and support to the country programme team on external relations communication and capacity building.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field. A first university degree combined with two additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in communication, including print, broadcast, and new media. Field experience is required, with familiarity in emergency situations being an asset.
• Experience within the UN system and in various contexts/countries is desirable.
• Strong understanding of advocacy and communication strategies, media relations, and partnership building.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field. Alternatively, a first university degree combined with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. Educational qualifications must be from an institution recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED).

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, with a strong emphasis on fieldwork experience. Candidates should have a background in emergency situations and experience working in diverse contexts and countries, preferably within the UN system.

Languages:
Fluency in Spanish is required for this position, while fluency in English is desirable. Proficiency in another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) is considered an asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate effectively in a multilingual environment.

Additional Notes:
The position is applicable only for national personnel. UNICEF promotes a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, or background. The organization offers a wide range of benefits, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct incompatible with its objectives, including discrimination and abuse. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and appointments are subject to medical clearance and visa requirements. UNICEF does not charge any processing fees during the recruitment process.