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, a voice 

UNICEF Turkmenistan’s communication efforts are focused on advocating for the rights of children, promoting better parenting and promotion of digital communication as well as risk communication and community engagement and increasing UNICEF’s brand in all communication platforms, including digital. Digital trends are shifting and having a bigger impact on the lives of everyone. Audiences are increasingly seeking relevance and emotional connection in the content and information that they are exposed to. UNICEF strives to evoke empathy and effect change for children and young people by communicating around both what UNICEF’s audiences care about and the issues UNICEF wants them to care about. Digital communication is another means to build the audience’s trust in order to drive impact and engagement. UNICEF aims at achieving this by telling compelling stories and calling for actions for children by using targeted digital channels and tools.

The digital space is the space in which UNICEF reaches people with critical messages, in which people engage and interact with UNICEF, in which most public advocacy initiatives happen. With the growing internet penetration in Turkmenistan, the role of digital platforms, especially social media is getting critical in UNICEF’s engagement with its key stakeholders, including children and youth. The country office has its branded English/Turkmen/Russian website and active accounts in Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and IMO and contributes to regional social media channels. UNICEF also plans to establish partnerships with major social media influencers to maximize the reach of child rights and development messages and increase follower base.

How can you make a difference? 

The purpose of the individual digital communication consultancy is to maximize children’s and families’ access to reliable and timely resources on children’s development and well-being. The consultancy will also help the country office increase UNICEF’s visibility, follower base and engagement on digital communication and social media platforms.

With the support and under the guidance of UNICEF Turkmenistan Communication Officer (Social & Behavior Change Officer as OiC), the full time Digital Communication Consultant will support the management, maintenance and monitoring of UNICEF Turkmenistan’s digital and social media presence and provide overall support in organizing and managing key digital communication activities in line with UN and UNICEF policies and procedures. This will include updating, maintaining and monitoring all social media platforms and the website for reliability, consistency, quality and up-to-date information. The Digital Communication Consultant will also create, source, commission and manage digital content that is accurate, timely, relevant and brand-compliant for online public advocacy.

The Consultant will be actively engaged in supporting various public advocacy initiatives on UNICEF’s mandate, CPD awareness raising, and RCCE including support to campaigns and publication launches, online and offline events throughout the year, and other aspects of implementing the Country Programme’s communication and public advocacy strategy as well help implement activities under the work plans with UNICEF’s partners.

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

• University degree in communication, journalism, information management, ICT, social sciences, international relations, graphic design or other relevant fields; Advanced degree in a relevant field is an asset.
• Strong experience in managing social media platforms and websites, and experience in developing successful social media engagement plans;
• Graphic design and video design skills
• Graphic design software skills or at least good familiarity with one or several visualization tools (Canva, Figma, Illustrator, Capcut)
• Creative thinking; strong presentation, verbal, visual and written communication skills; ability to work independently and meet deadlines are required.
• Good communication and networking skills;
• Knowledge of Turkmenistan’s social media landscape, social media trends and social media influencers;
• Fluent knowledge of English, working knowledge of Turkmen and Russian is a requirement.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

Technical Proposal

• The technical proposal should include
• A cover letter, including
• Assessment of suitability vis-à-vis the requirements of this ToR;
• A summary of experience in similar assignments;
• Links to/attachments of examples of similar work;
• Comments and suggestions on the ToR and proposed workplan and deliverables
• CV of the candidate
• Names for reference check

Financial Proposal

• Candidates are expected to submit a financial proposal indicating their monthly fee to complete the entire assignment based on the terms of reference. The monthly fee should cover deliverables indicated above for the period of 1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025.
• For additional requirements of the consultancy, please refer to the attached ToR.

ToR_2024-2025 Digital Communication Consultant-WEB.docx

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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. 

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

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