Individual Consultancy _ National Professional Photographer – Development and Humanitarian Photography

The Position:

The objective of this assignment is to produce a collection of high-quality, impactful photographs that visually capture the stories of beneficiaries, project activities, and community impacts of UNFPA Rwanda’s programs. These photos will be used to support communications, advocacy, and resource mobilization efforts.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

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.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA Rwanda is seeking a professional photographer with extensive experience in development and humanitarian settings to document the impact of its programs. These include initiatives focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), youth empowerment, and other social development areas. The photos will be used across a variety of platforms, including websites, social media, reports, and donor publications, to illustrate the impact of UNFPA Rwanda’s interventions. The photographer will report directly to the Communications Analyst at UNFPA Rwanda, who will provide guidance and feedback throughout the assignment. Regular check-ins will be scheduled to review progress and address any challenges.

You would be responsible for:

The photographer will work closely with UNFPA Rwanda’s Communications Team to cover multiple projects and field sites. The key tasks include:

Pre-shoot planning

• Attend briefing sessions with UNFPA Rwanda to understand project objectives, key messages, and required deliverables.
• Develop a detailed shoot plan with the UNFPA team, outlining location, subjects, and themes for the photography sessions.

Photography

• Capture high-resolution photographs that depict the impact of UNFPA’s work, with a strong focus on human stories, community engagement, and program benefits.
• Travel to project sites in both rural and urban areas, including refugee communities and youth empowerment initiatives.
• Ensure subjects are photographed with dignity, adhering to ethical guidelines, and securing consent, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and children.

Post-production

• Edit and retouch photographs, ensuring high standards of quality and consistency.
• Provide a mix of portrait, landscape, and action shots in various formats suitable for digital and print use.
• Submit all raw and edited photos to UNFPA within agreed deadlines.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education: 

• The prospective candidate should have at least a bachelor’s degree in media and communication studies, Journalism, Photography, or a related field.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• A minimum of 5 years of experience as a professional photographer, particularly in development and humanitarian contexts.
• Proven track record of working with international development agencies, NGOs, or UN organizations.
• Strong portfolio showcasing impactful, high-quality photographs in social development, humanitarian, or community settings.
• Proficiency in digital photography equipment and photo-editing software.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work in rural and challenging environments.
• Understanding of the ethical considerations and requirements for photographing vulnerable populations, with experience in obtaining consent and ensuring confidentiality.

Languages: 

English Proffeciency (Written and Spoken) and Fluent in Kinyarwanda. 

Required 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 and our relationships,

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA’s workforce – click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

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