TA - Emergency Communication Specialist NO-C at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: TA - Emergency Communication Specialist NO-C

Job Number: 503640
Location: Maiduguri, Nigeria
Work Type: Temporary Appointment

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Media relations:

• Ensure that the Maiduguri Field Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media - print, TV, radio, web 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 to a wider audience.

Duties & Tasks

• Promote a better understanding of, respect and support for children's and women's rights and issues by carrying out media, information and education activities in support of UNICEF-assisted humanitarian efforts and where necessary, development programmes in northeast Nigeria.
• Develop, maintain and update media relations contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials etc.
• Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media, National Committees, NGOs, and other appropriate audiences.
• Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats. Ensure or enhance the quality, appropriateness of country specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public.
• Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
• Monitor the situation for input to key messages and Q&As and collaborate with programme and communication colleagues in keeping all such materials updated and accurate.
• Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials and share results and findings.
• Maintain close collaboration with Nigeria Country Office Communication Team, Regional Emergency Communication Specialist and HQ Communication colleagues for effective overall coordination.
• Support the maintenance of a log of media interviews and clips conducted by the Country Office.
• Monitor media for and log mention of UNICEF Nigeria and relevant stories about Nigeria.
• Scan traditional and social media to search for new platforms / opportunities for UNICEF to pitch stories about the crisis in northeast Nigeria.

Content Development:

• Identify and develop themes for development of a range of communication materials – social media, Human Interest/feature Stories, web stories, photographs and videos. Research and draft where appropriate, identify and collaborate with consultants where appropriate on content development.

Duties & Tasks

• Identify appropriate needs, results and donor-related themes for development and dissemination of communication materials.
• research and draft stories, including photography
• Edit photographs, stories, blogs, and field diaries supplied by UNICEF staff.
• Manage processes for contracting and working with consultants such as writers, photographers and videographers.
• Plan and execute content development visits.
• Support UNICEF Nigeria social media presence.
• Maintain close collaboration with Nigeria Country Office Communication Team, Regional Emergency Communication Specialist and HQ Communication colleagues for effective overall coordination.

Networking and partnerships:

• Ensure that the Maiduguri Field Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts), whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives of the Nigeria Country Office communication strategy.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, maintain and update partners contact list/database.
• Help establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
• Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of communication materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing.
• Monitor, evaluate and share results and findings with partners.

Celebrities and special events:

• Contribute as appropriate to the Nigeria Country Office development of 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 that support country programme goals.

Duties & Tasks

• Contribute to the development, maintenance and updating of celebrities contact list/database.
• Participate in global advocacy activities by planning visits of Goodwill Ambassadors, National Committee representatives, Executive Board members etc. including preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits), and necessary logistic arrangements. Highlight the achievements of the country programme. Maintain close collaboration with the Country Office Communication Team, Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Colleagues for effective overall coordination.

Global priorities and campaigns:

• Collaborate with the Country Office Communication Team to ensure that the Maiduguri Field Office has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on UNICEF's global communications priorities and campaigns where appropriate, both disseminating these elements in a locally-appropriate way, as well as providing/enabling coverage of the work on the Emergency for global use.

Duties & Tasks

• Support the UNICEF global communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns.
• In coordination with the Nigeria Country Office Communication Section, develop and deploy communication capacity to gather/facilitate the content and coverage of relevant Field Office efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results.

Resource Mobilization Support:

• Ensure that fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication activities.

Duties & Tasks:

• Mobilize communication capacity to support/facilitate the gathering of content and coverage of relevant programme efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results in support of fund-raising.
• Mobilize resources for fund-raising support by regular communication and co-ordination with communication in the Nigeria Country Office, Regional Offices and Headquarters divisions.

Management:

• Ensure that financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop a work plan for communication activities
• Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources. Monitor the overall allocation and disbursement and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds.
• Identify and supervise technical resources and consultants as necessary. Conduct and Implement effective performance planning, monitoring, performance development programme as required.
• Ensure communication effectiveness, efficiency and delivery as well as a rigorous and transparent approach to planning, monitoring and evaluation.

Non-Emergency Communications:

• Support the Nigeria Country Office non-emergency communications as required.

Minimum Qualification & Competencies
Education:

• Advanced university Degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or related field (or an undergraduate degree plus at least 12 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications.)

Experience:

• 5 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
• International work experience preferred.
• Background/familiarity with emergency situations.

Language:

• Excellent English, both written and spoken, is required. Strong English-language writing skills are essential.
• Hausa and or Kanuri would be an asset.
• Common Technical Knowledge Required

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.
• Knowledge of United Nations or other international organizations;
• Global human rights issues, specifically relating to children and women.
• Gender equality and diversity awareness

Application Closing Date
31st March, 2017.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online