Communications Assistant

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) is dedicated to delivering innovative ideas and actions aimed at empowering and transforming Africa. Established to address the continent's unique challenges, UNECA operates under the guidance of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 206

• The organization focuses on five strategic directions: enhancing its role as a premier knowledge institution, developing macroeconomic policies for economic diversification and job creation, implementing innovative financing models, addressing regional challenges with a focus on peace and social inclusion, and advocating for Africa's position in global governance. UNECA is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and employs a diverse workforce committed to the continent's development across various sectors.

Job Overview:
The Communications Assistant position is integral to the Publications & Conference Management Section (PCMS) within the Administration and Conference Management Division (ACMD) at UNECA. The role involves overseeing guided-tour operations, ensuring a seamless experience for visitors, including VIPs and diplomats. The assistant will manage logistics, create schedules, and provide operational guidelines to maintain high standards of service. This position requires a proactive approach to addressing visitor inquiries and grievances, ensuring that all interactions uphold the institution's brand image. Additionally, the assistant will collaborate with the Marketing team to gather visitor feedback for continuous improvement of services. The role also includes managing digital and manual systems related to visitor interactions and supporting data collection and analysis for reporting purposes. The Communications Assistant will play a key role in enhancing the visitor experience and supporting the overall mission of UNECA.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Communications Assistant will be responsible for directing the end-to-end flow of guided-tour operations, which includes creating daily and weekly schedules, managing logistics, and making real-time adjustments to ensure a fair workload and seamless transitions for visitors. The assistant will act as the central point of contact for all types of visitors, addressing complex inquiries and resolving grievances tactfully. Responsibilities also include monitoring guide performance, overseeing high-priority assignments such as VIP visits and special request tours, and ensuring compliance with organizational rules and professional ethics. The assistant will support the collection of visitor feedback, manage specialized tour equipment, and liaise with IT, FMS, and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security teams to maintain site safety and efficiency. Additional duties involve assisting with data collection and analysis, preparing presentations and reports, and updating information materials such as web pages or brochures.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a high school diploma, with additional education in fields such as history, political science, international relations, tourism and hospitality, communication, journalism, heritage studies, cultural studies, marketing, or public/business administration being advantageous. Knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices, as well as risks to information integrity, is essential. Candidates should demonstrate strong presentation skills, communication abilities, storytelling capability, audience adaptation, and critical thinking skills. Professionalism and a commitment to high standards of service are crucial for this role.

Educational Background:
A high school diploma is required for this position. Further education in relevant fields such as history, political science, international relations, tourism and hospitality, communication, journalism, heritage studies, cultural studies, marketing, or public/business administration is desirable. Candidates should possess knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices, as well as an understanding of risks to information integrity, including misinformation and disinformation.

Experience:
A minimum of seven years of experience in roles such as tour guide coordinator, communication, journalism, public information, marketing, tourism and hospitality, or related fields is required. This experience requirement is reduced to five years for candidates with a first-level university degree or higher. Familiarity with strategic communications principles and practices is desirable, along with at least one year of experience in data analytics or a related area.

Languages:
The working languages of the United Nations Secretariat are English and French. For this position, proficiency in either English or French is required. Knowledge of Amharic, Arabic, or Chinese (Mandarin) is considered desirable, enhancing the candidate's ability to communicate effectively in a multilingual environment.

Additional Notes:
The job does not specify the contract duration or seniority level. It is essential to note that the position is full-time and based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The organization may consider candidates for international recruitment, and details regarding compensation and benefits are not provided in the job posting.