JOB DESCRIPTION

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, Commitment

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among other things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives — being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

Accountable for developing, managing, coordinating, 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, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights, and support for UNICEF’s mission, priorities and programmes in general and the polio eradication initiative in particular.

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To make a difference, the incumbent shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks;

1. Communication and Advocacy strategy 

The Polio Programme has a clear communication & advocacy strategy, including the Polio Campaign strategy and associated work plan to get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of the Polio Programme goal in line with the UNICEF’s mission and objectives, and enhance the organisation’s credibility and brand.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, maintain and update the Polio communication and advocacy 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 the Provincial media teams, UNICEF Advocacy and Communication team, GPEI partners and HQ Communication Specialist for effective overall coordination.
• Prepare mass media campaign strategy for the Polio programme and enforce accountability framework for campaign monitoring,
• Prepare Terms of References for obtaining various services related to the Polio campaign.

2. Media relations

The Polio Programme has a well-maintained and continually developed contact list of journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, photo etc. – and a successful process of communicating and maintaining regular contact and close collaboration with the Global Polio Eradication Partners including government counterparts. 

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Duties & Tasks

• Promote a better understanding and support for the Polio Programme by carrying out media, information and education activities in support of UNICEF-assisted development programmes or humanitarian efforts in the country.
• Develop, maintain and update the media relations contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences, campaign inauguration  and events, issuing of media materials etc.
• Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media, GPEI partners, HQ Communication focal point, provinces  and other appropriate audiences.
• Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate a variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats. Ensure or enhance the quality, and appropriateness of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public.
• Prepare/ review press releases, organise media interviews and prepare talking points for media interviews for the NEOC Coordinators/UNICEF Representative.
• Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organising project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilising 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 the provincial Communication Officer (Media), UNICEF Advocacy and Communication team (Pakistan) and HQ Communication focal point for effective overall coordination.

3. Communication Crisis Management:

The Polio Programme has a Crisis Communication strategy in place with SOPs for national and provincial levels.

Duties & Tasks

• Maintain and review media reports to manage crisis communication.
• Periodical review of the Crisis management SOPs, both at national and provincial levels, in collaboration with Communication Officers, update and implement.
• Prepare holding statetement/ press release as required for unforeseen crisis management.
• Inform and provide regular update to the National Emergency Center (NEOC) focal point and NEOC Communication task team.

4. Networking and partnerships

The Polio Programme has a well-maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organisations and forums/association whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives. Effective working relationships with the GPEI partners and counterparts are developed, maintained and enhanced.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, maintain and update partners’ contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine the process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
• Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of country-specific 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.
• Support the provincial Communication Officer in the implementation of partnerships by providing technical guidance and support.
• Monitor, evaluate and share results and findings with partners and NEOC Communication Task team.

5. Celebrities and special events

The Polio Programme provided support to the GPEI partners for fundraising by providing stories, pictures, and video products and organising high-profile visits. Also, provide support for organising special events as per the need of the Programme.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop, maintain and update celebrities contact list/database.
• 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 high-level GPEI delegates, Polio Oversights Borad 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 Polio programme on various platforms in an audience-friendly manner. Maintain close collaboration with the Country office Advocacy and Communication team, and HQ Polio Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.

6. Social media and social listening:

Functional Social media team is supported by Social media strategy and misinformation/disinformation managed by enhanced social listening. Duties & Tasks

Duties & Tasks

• Functional Social Media team in place, implementing, and monitoring social media strategy.
• Strengthening Social Listening to combat misinformation/propaganda against Polio vaccination and monitoring on a regular basis.
• Oversee social media content generation, ensure production and dissemination of monthly, quarterly and annual reports of the PEI Social media performance
• Ensure regular communication and coordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters divisions.
• Oversee regular updates of PEI Website and content management.

7. Resource mobilisation support

Global and country-level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.

Duties & Tasks

• Mobilise Polio Programme communication capacity to support and gather/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.
• Mobilise resources for fund-raising support through regular communication and coordination with relevant communication focal points in the office and the Polio team at the HQ level.
• Provide support for fundraising by providing input to the donor proposals, stories, and photos with captions. Support to organise high-profile donor briefing events.
• Oversee maintaining and updating of the photo library on a regular interval.

8. 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. Prepare TORs for procurement of services to implement the Polio programme.  Approve and monitor the overall allocation and disbursement, and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimise the use of funds.
• Identify, recruit and supervise staff, technical resources and consultants as necessary. Conduct and Implement effective performance planning, monitoring, and performance development programme as required.
• Ensure communication effectiveness, efficiency and delivery, as well as a rigorous and transparent approach to planning, monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide management support to the provincial Communication Officers.

9. 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, etc.
• 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 the GPEI partners.

10. Capacity building and support

 Ensure that the Team lead /Senior SBCC Manger and the Polio team 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

• 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.
• Assist the Provincial Communication Officer in developing communication tools and/or strategies and implementing partnership activities.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training.
• Prepare reports, talking points, meeting notes and presentations for the programme as required.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or above) in one of the following fields is required: Communication, Journalism, Public Relations.
• *A first University Degree (Bachelor’s) in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning and communications is required.
• Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.
• Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics based on a clear theory of change.
• Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions.
• Experienced and current in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels.
• Experience in media relations. Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.
• Experience in advocacy at the international level is an asset.
• Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. 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, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1); Works Collaboratively with others (1); Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1); Innovates and Embraces Change (1); Thinks and Acts Strategically (1); Drive to achieve impactful results (1); Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

Life at UNICEF

Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office.

We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Our contracts, wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as;

• Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc.
• Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security etc.
• UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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:

• The vacancy announcement is open both to internal and external candidates.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• Verified educational certificates are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF.
• UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates will be prioritized.
• UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

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