Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Mid level – P-3, International Professional – Internationally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Logistics
Communication and Public Information
Supply Chain
Closing Date: 2024-10-16
In UNICEF Supply Division, we are looking for a passionate Communication Specialist to form part of our Global Supply Hub-team based in Addis Ababa; Someone with the dedication to promote awareness of and to support UNICEF and Africa CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) to achieve positive outcomes for the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership.
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, dedication
Many of Supply Division’s approaches and solutions to support the adequate financing of supplies will continue to be expanded in the next strategic period 2026-2029. However, there is also a need to identify, build and strengthen new and current partnerships and supply and logistics solutions to support the provision of essential supplies and accelerate results for children in a post-pandemic “new normal” and poly-crisis environment.
The changing landscape, including the recent development of exciting partnerships, vis-a-vis UNICEF’s Supply Function’s support to AU Member States, including via UNICEF’s Procurement Services function. Within the framework of UNICEF’s Africa Strategy, and contributing to UNICEF’s localization agenda, UNICEF has expanded its partnership with Africa CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), to initially focus on four outcomes: (1) Supply chain management (building Africa CDC’s supply function); (2) -Stronger, more equitable primary health care, and emergency preparedness and response; (3) Pooled procurement; and (4) – African manufacturing.
How can you make a difference?
The institutional building of Africa CDC will require a dedicated team focusing on the day-to-day support and engagement with Africa CDC staff to facilitate skills transfer and coordination of the Africa CDC and UNICEF Expanded partnership joint workplan activities. The Communication Specialist is accountable for developing, managing, co-ordinating, 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 to support UNICEF and Africa CDC to achieve positive outcomes for the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership.
Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.
Communication strategy
Ensure that the Hub has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to support the Africa CDC and UNICEF Expanded Partnership objectives and 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.
Duties & Tasks
Develop, maintain and update the expanded partnership advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan. Strategy and work plan include: an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences; messages and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact; success and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy.
UNICEF’s rights- and results-based programming approach is appropriately reflected in the communication strategy, work plan and products.
Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers, HQ Communication Officers, Africa CDC leadership as well as Supply Division leadership for effective overall coordination.
Media relations
Ensure that the Supply Hub 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 in the context of the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership 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 Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership.
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, , Africa Union, AU Member States, 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 the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public.
Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials and share results and findings.
Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers, HQ Communication Officers, Africa CDC leadership as well as Supply Division leadership for effective overall coordination.
Networking and partnerships
Ensure that the Supply Hub 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 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 Supply Hub-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages for the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership shared with partners.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of Africa CDC 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
Ensure that the Supply Hub has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, nationally-known personalities who have been identified, engaged and support Africa CDC and UNICEF’s expanded partnership effort and who actively participate in special events and activities that support Africa CDC and UNICEF’s expanded partnership goals.
Duties & Tasks
Develop, maintain and update celebrities contact list/database.
Help establish, document, review and refine process of working with celebrities, including special events, media opportunities, field trips etc.
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 expanded partnership . Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers, HQ Communication Officers, Africa CDC leadership as well as Supply Division leadership for effective overall coordination.
Global priorities and campaigns
In addition to local/national campaigns, ensure that the Supply Hub has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership priorities and campaigns, both disseminating these elements in a locally-appropriate way, as well as providing/enabling coverage of the work in the country for global use.
Duties & Tasks
Support the Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary partnership specific materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns.
Develop and deploy Supply Hub communication capacity to gather/facilitate the content and coverage of the expanded partnership efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective expanded partnership activities and results.
Ensure regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in Africa CDC and UNICEF regional offices and headquarters divisions.
Resource mobilization support
Ensure that Africa CDC and UNICEF expanded partnership fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.
Duties & Tasks
Mobilize Supply Hub communication capacity to support/facilitate the gathering of content and coverage of relevant expanded partnership 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 relevant communication focal points in Africa CDC and UNICEF regional offices and headquarters divisions.
Assist the Partnership Specialist Officer in the development of fundraising activities, tools and/or strategies.
Management
Ensure that human resources (the communication team) and financial resources (budget planning, management and monitoring) are both effectively managed and optimally used.
Duties & Tasks
Develop a work plan for communication activities, monitor compliance and provide support and guidance to ensure objectives are met.
Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources. Approve and monitor the overall allocation and disbursement and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds.
Identify, recruit and supervise staff, 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.
Monitoring and evaluation
Ensure that 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, approach and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.
Duties & Tasks
Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Annual Management Plan, Annual Work Plan, as well as the Joint Workplan of the expanded partnership.
Conduct timely and accurate monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the communications objectives are met and the strategy is effective.
Undertake lessons learned review of successful and unsuccessful communication experiences and share observations/findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit UNICEF’s communication work.
Capacity building and support
Ensure that the Africa CDC senior management and UNICEF teams are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required; opportunities are identified and addressed for building communication capacity among country communication team, media and other relevant partners.
Duties & Tasks
Advise UNICEF management, colleagues and staff on media strategy and implications for action and policies proposed.
Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the country communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material.
Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education: Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations.
Note: *A first University (Bachelor’s degree) combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree (Master’s 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.
International and national work experience.
Background/familiarity with Emergency situations.
Language Requirements: Fluency in English.
Desirables:
Developing country work experience
Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
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…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
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.
Remarks:
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.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
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/external 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.