International Writer Consultant for public version of the Country Office Annual Report (COAR) Harare,Zimbabwe ,30 days (Open to Non- Zimbabwean Nationals Only)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, protection

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights. 

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous  and  empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

For more information about UNICEF Zimbabwe please click here

You can also access and explore all new UNICEF vacancies and create job alerts via the UNICEF Zimbabwe website link below:

https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/work-us

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an International Writer Consultant to develop text for the 2025 UNICEF Zimbabwe public facing version of the annual report.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF Zimbabwe is preparing its 2025 annual report. This is a flagship publication that documents UNICEF’s achievements, challenges, progress, and impact for children in Zimbabwe during the year 2025.  It is the organization’s key corporate tool that is used for outreach and advocacy purposes with different stakeholders, including government, public and private partners, civil society representatives, to name a few.

The report covers the office’s programme work, humanitarian action, partnerships and advocacy efforts; while highlighting major programmatic accomplishments, innovative approaches, strategic milestones, and lessons learned in the quest to improve efficiency and effectiveness in programming for children in Zimbabwe.

The Annual Report reinforces the office’s credibility, demonstrates transparency, and supports future resource mobilization efforts. As such, a public facing version of the report must be written in a clear, compelling, accurate, and accessible manner that reflects the organization’s and the office’s mission, values, and strategic priorities

UNICEF Zimbabwe therefore requires the expertise of a professional writer who has extensive experience in writing the public version of a UNICEF’s Country Office Annual Report (COAR) and other related documents, which can be used to share widely with external audiences. The content of the COAR 2025 will serve as a basis for this product, be summarized and adapted for use in a public version of the Annual Report 2025.

ASSIGNMENTS

Under the supervision of the UNICEF Zimbabwe Chief of Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications, and the Communications Specialist, the writer is expected to undertake the following:

• Review relevant organisational documents, including the internal version of the 2025 annual report, and the 2024 public version of the annual report.
• Participate in an inception meeting to clarify expectations, timelines, and agree on a structure for the public version of the CO Annual Report 2025.
• Use the 2025 COAR as a basis for the editing of the CO Annual Report 2025
• Copy editing of the 5,000-word internal report and ensure adherence to UNICEF’s style guide (the final product with the graphic design will consist of 48 or 64 pages).
• Edit five human-interest stories provided by the communication section of UNICEF Zimbabwe to illustrate the main texts.
• Develop draft of executive summary for the report.
• Develop at least 5 text messages for social media.
• Incorporate feedback from multiple review rounds (communications, programme teams, and senior management).
• Align content with design requirements, ensuring smooth collaboration with the graphic designer.
• Conduct final proof-reading of the publication-ready text.
• Provide final, publication-ready text.

Major tasks and deliverables:

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: 

• Master’s degree in communication, journalism, international development or a related field

Work Experience:

• Demonstrated experience of previous work with UNICEF/other UN agencies or other international institution (public or private) writing, editing and proofreading public versions of COAFRs.  (past examples to be shared)

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of the English language with high quality oral and written communication skills, including proven ability to conceptualise, analyse and articulate ideas in writing for all types of media and audiences.

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

• Strong organisational and interpersonal skills with the ability to work with little supervision, both independently and with a multicultural team.

The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link Writer for public version of the COAR-TOR.pdf