Communications and Advocacy Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
UN Women was established in July 2010 as part of the UN reform agenda to enhance the impact of gender equality and women's empowerment efforts. The organization is dedicated to eliminating discrimination against women and girls, empowering women, and achieving equality between women and men. UN Women operates globally, providing leadership and coordination for the United Nations system's efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality translate into action. The organization works closely with Member States, civil society, and other relevant actors to support their priorities and efforts. UN Women has a significant presence in various countries, including a Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) that focuses on strategic program development, policy advisory services, and quality assurance support to Multi-Country Offices and Country Offices. The organization emphasizes building effective partnerships and acts as a knowledge hub to collect evidence on progress and emerging issues related to gender equality and women's empowerment.

Job Overview:
The Communications and Advocacy Consultant will play a crucial role in supporting UN Women’s resilience portfolio, which focuses on gender-responsive climate action, disaster risk reduction, and humanitarian action. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Communications Unit and collaborate closely with the Resilience Unit. The primary responsibilities include designing and implementing strategic communications, advocacy, and knowledge dissemination initiatives that align with UN Women’s corporate standards and respond to evolving communications environments. The consultant will contribute to enhancing the visibility and positioning of UN Women’s resilience initiatives, including flagship programs like EmPower: Women for Climate-Resilient Societies. The role requires a deep understanding of the communications landscape, particularly in relation to gender issues, and the ability to adapt to new digital and AI-enabled communication tools. The consultant will also be responsible for developing communication products that effectively convey technical knowledge in accessible formats, ensuring that messaging is timely, context-sensitive, and aligned with UN Women’s priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strategic Communications and Portfolio Visibility: Develop and implement communications strategies to enhance the visibility of UN Women’s resilience portfolio, ensuring alignment with humanitarian priorities and global advocacy opportunities.
• Digital Communications, AI, and Emerging Communications Practice: Utilize digital communication tools and emerging AI technologies to create engaging content and improve audience engagement.
• Advocacy, Awareness, and Social Norms Change: Create communication products that promote women’s leadership in climate action and resilience building, contributing to positive social norms.
• Knowledge Products, Storytelling, and Learning: Develop accessible communication materials that translate technical knowledge into compelling formats for diverse audiences.
• Communications Systems and Portfolio Support: Organize and maintain communication assets and templates to ensure continuity and efficiency in resilience communications. The consultant will also be expected to provide flexible support for emerging communication priorities and contribute to internal reflection and adaptive communication approaches as resilience priorities evolve.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess a Master’s degree in communications, journalism, media, international relations, development studies, gender studies, or a related field. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in a similar field combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. The candidate should have at least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, advocacy, digital content development, or strategic communications, preferably in development contexts. Demonstrated experience in producing communication products such as briefs, stories, presentations, and digital content is essential. Familiarity with digital communications tools and evolving communication formats is highly desirable, along with knowledge of gender equality and human rights issues.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have a Master’s degree in communications, journalism, media, international relations, development studies, gender studies, or a related field. A first-level university degree in similar fields, combined with two additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of communications within the context of gender equality and women's empowerment.

Experience:
The position requires at least 2 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, advocacy, digital content development, media, or strategic communications, ideally within development contexts. Candidates should have a proven track record of producing various communication products and supporting communication for regional or multi-country initiatives involving diverse stakeholders. Experience in translating technical content into accessible communication formats is also necessary. Familiarity with digital communications tools and AI-supported applications is an asset, as is knowledge of climate change, disaster risk reduction, and humanitarian action.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position. Knowledge of other languages spoken in the Asia-Pacific region and/or other UN languages is considered an asset, enhancing the consultant's ability to engage with diverse stakeholders and audiences effectively.

Additional Notes:
The consultant will be based in Bangkok and is expected to work 20 days per month. Official travel may be required as part of the assignment, and travel costs from home to the duty station will be covered. Payment will be made upon submission of deliverables and approval by the Programme Coordinator for Gender and Climate Action. The role emphasizes core values such as integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity, and candidates are expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures, including a zero-tolerance policy on misconduct.