Communication Specialist, NO-C, Montevideo, Uruguay #00115216 (Internal advertisement)

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a future

UNICEF has been present in Uruguay since 1992. Since then, it has provided technical cooperation and financial assistance to the Government and to the society in different areas to promote the rights of children and adolescents and generate opportunities for all of them to achieve the full development of their abilities. UNICEF work is based on a cooperation program that is agreed with the government every five years. A new cooperation program between UNICEF and Uruguay’s Government started in March 2021.

UNICEF provides technical assistance and advice for monitoring, supporting and promoting children’s rights on the following areas within the country:

• Support policies to reduce levels of poverty affecting children with special focus on early child development.
• Prevention of non-communicable diseases on children under five.
• Improve graduation rates in upper secondary education.
• Guarantee the access of children with disabilities to inclusive education.
• Reduce the number of children and adolescents living in institutional care.
• Prevention of violence against girls and boys.
• Empower adolescents to participate in decision making processes.
• Improve alternatives to deprivation of liberty for adolescents in conflict with the law.
• Raise awareness about child rights among Uruguay’s general public and the engagement of the private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs) and academic institutions in promoting, protecting and monitoring child rights.

How can you make a difference?

The Communication Specialist, under the supervision of the Representative is accountable for developing, managing, coordinating, networking, implementing and monitoring an advocacy and communication strategy and associated products and activities on on-going basis with public audiences, with the objective of promoting awareness, understanding, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights, and support for UNICEF’s mission, priorities and programmes in the country office, and at a global level and those of the UN Country Team.

KEY END-RESULTS

1. Communication strategy: The Country Office has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF’s mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.

2. Media relations: The Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, photo etc. – and a successful process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the media to communicate the story of UNICEF’s cooperation.

3. Networking and partnerships: The Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives. Effective working relationships with the UN Country Team and UN communication counterparts are developed, maintained and enhanced.

4. Celebrities and special events: The Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, nationally known personalities who have been identified, engaged and support UNICEF’s effort and who actively participate in special events and activities.

5. Global priorities and campaigns: The Country Office has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on UNICEF’s global communications priorities, campaigns and partnerships, disseminating these elements in a locally appropriate way.

6. Resource mobilization support: Global and country level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.

7. Management: Human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.

8. Monitoring and evaluation: Communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated; analysis is

undertaken to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared.

9. Capacity building and support: The Representative and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required.

* Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for other assigned areas, please refer to the Job Description:  Communication Specialist NOC GJP.doc

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education:

  Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations.

  A first University combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted

  in lieu of an Advanced University Degree in the field of journalism, communications, external

  relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications.

• Work Experience: Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.

  Field work experience and background/familiarity with Emergency situations.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and English is required. 

Technical Knowledge: 

General knowledge of:

. Communication management. Knowledge of theories and practices in communication research planning and strategy.

. Fundamentals for working in various media formats – print, audio, video, web etc.

. Computer systems/applications and network, including internet navigation, office applications, and specifically, interactive digital media.

.  Knowledge of United Nations or other international organizations.

. Global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency. 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

· Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)

· Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)

· Works Collaboratively with others (2)

· Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)

· Innovates and Embraces Change (2)

· Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)

· Drive to achieve impactful results (2)

· Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Remarks:

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.