Job Description

Agency: UNDP

Title: Communications Specialist

Job ID: 27257

Practice Area – Job Family: Crisis Prevention and Recovery

Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 05/12/2019

Duty Station: Ndjamena, Chad

Education & Work Experience: G-Bachelor’s Level Degree – 7 year(s) experience, I-Master’s Level Degree – 5 year(s) experience

Languages Required: English, French

                      Desired:

Grade: P3

Vacancy Type: FTA International

Posting Type: External

Bureau: Africa

Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background

Over the last decade, the four countries around Lake Chad Basin, including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, have experienced unprecedented levels of crises, exacerbated by repeated incidences of violence from the Boko Haram terrorist group. These crises have deepened instability, slowed economic growth and engendered deep humanitarian concerns in the region. Additionally, the spread of radicalization especially amongst youth remain an imminent threat to peace, stability and development. Absolutist ideologies that reject co-existence, tolerance and progress represent an existential threat to these countries. As such, these ideologies have found recruits amongst the youth who believe that the state has failed them and that they are excluded from legitimate political and economic processes from time to time. Largely overlooked now due to Boko Haram activities in the region as well, the crisis has created an urgent humanitarian need for about 10.7 million people in the region. Almost a quarter of these people have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict or food shortages largely brought on by Boko Haram’s insurgency.

In response to the crisis, the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission in 2015 signed an agreement for the operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency in the Region. Despite the significant progress made by the MNJTF, it is agreed by all stakeholders that overall success of the collective effort will be contingent upon coherent acceleration and completion of the second phase of the mandate, namely to “facilitate the implementation of overall stabilization programs by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Member States and Benin in the affected areas, including the full restoration of state authority and the return of the Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) and refugees”. To achieve this, the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) was tasked by its Member States to facilitate the mechanisms and processes required to consolidate the gains of the MNJTF.

In light of the above and with the support of the Africa Union and UNDP, the LCBC developed a five years stabilization strategy – “Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery & Resilience of the Boko Haram-affected Areas of the Lake Chad Basin (RSS)”. The RSS provides a comprehensive, integrated and multi-level framework for overall stabilization, comprising nine inter-related pillars which include military support to the MNJTF, provision of humanitarian assistance and key interventions to secure early recovery and longer-term resilience. The Strategy recognizes the nexus between security, humanitarian and development issues and calls for a “New Way of Working” to be at the heart of the response to the Lake Chad Basin Region crisis. Achieving the “New Way of Working” will require strong coordination between Governments at central and local levels, regional and continental institutions and between UN agencies and entities, including international community partners, civil society actors and the private sector.

UNDP support to the stabilization of the region is at two key results. Result 1 focus on immediate Stabilisation of specific target areas, builds on UNDP experience in Iraq and elsewhere to offer activities to secure the following three outputs understood as the basis of successful stabilisation. Result 2 focus on strengthening the capacity of LCBC to implement the Regional Stabilization Strategy as adopted by the LCBC Ministerial Council on 30th August 2018 and endorsed by the AU Peace and Security Committee summit on 5th December 2018.

To achieve the two key results, UNDP developed the Regional Stabilisation Facility (RSF) to support the operationalisation and implementation of the Lake Chad Basin Regional Stabilisation Strategy and will resource a Stabilisation Secretariat with full capacity to lead and deliver on the two result areas. The Secretariat will be responsible for programming and implementation; building strategic partnerships, mobilizing resources; technical coordination and oversight as well as managing knowledge and communication that will lead to the achievement of the key results.

To ensure coherent and professional communication and engagement with stakeholders and the public at large, UNDP is looking hiring a communication specialist. Under the overall guidance of the Coordinator Regional Programme for African and direct supervision of the Head of Stabilisation, the Communication Specialist will play an integral role in the achievement of the two key results articulated in the RSF in order to contribute to the implementation of the Lake Basin Regional Stabilisation Strategy The Communication Specialist will ensure that  stakeholders and general public has accurate, unbiased, accessible and coherent information on the implementation of RSS through the RSF.   In this regard, the Communication Specialist will lead in the development and operationalization of a comprehensive communication strategy for the RSF.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific Roles and Responsibilities

Development and Roll Out of Communication Strategy

-Develop a detailed communication strategy that integrates the entire communication, publicity and visibility requirements of the RSS and the RSF processes including clearly delineating how the overall communication strategy will be connected to national specific communication strategies;

-Hold consultation meetings with key stakeholders and relevant partners, to integrate their insights and communication expectation into the Strategy

-Develop communication tools and platforms for the RSS and RSF

Strategy Advice to the Stabilisation Secretariat

-Provide strategic advice to the Stabilisation Secretariat on appropriate communication, tools, medium and message to be deployed at a given time based on contextual circumstances

-Provide advice to the Stabilisation Secretariat on the management of public perception and expectation through bespoke and targeted communication approach and strategies

-Monitor public reactions and advise the Stabilisation Secretariat on appropriate communication response and measures

-Advise and support the Stabilisation Secretariat to develop key messages relating to the implementation of the RSS and RSF in order to promote public confidence and enhance the integrity of the process

-Provide ongoing and real-time support to the Stabilisation Secretariat in crafting and responses to emerging issues related to the implementation of the RSS and RSF.

Training of Team and Stakeholders

-Developed communication training package

-Conduct training for selected stakeholders and actors involve in the implementation of the RSS and RSF

-Conduct training for selected technical groups, platforms and pillar members

-Conduct training for members of the media to ensure consistent messaging on the RSS and RSF

-Provide conflict sensitive social media training for selected media groups to ensure that conflict sensitive reportage across social media platforms on in the Lake Chad Basin region

Development of public education materials

-Development communication tools such as infographics, flyers and newsletters to update the public on the RSS and RSF

-Create and deploy social media communication and publicity campaign across different platform on the RSS and RSF

-Prepare communication briefs on regular basis as might be required

-Prepare articles and other communication piece to be shared with different media outlets

-Prepare public notices, press releases, circulars and provide oversight on all external briefings relating to the RSS and RSF

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

-Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards

-Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP

-Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

-Treats all people fairly without favouritism

Additional Skills & Requirement:

-Experience in maintaining tools and strategies for data collection, analysis and pro-duction of reports;

-Hands-on experience in Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation, including in designing and developing M&E systems, conducting ME&R activities including data collection required.

-Demonstrated ability and willingness to travel to deep field locations in harsh living conditions required.

Computer Skills

-Excellent computer literacy and skills on MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, database systems, statistical analysis and overall report writing;

-Expertise in analysing data using statistical software is an asset.

Competence and Values:

-Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.

-Accountability: mature and responsible; ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.

-Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.

-Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects activities.

-Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender;

-Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards colleagues, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; and

-Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

-A Bachelor or master’s Degree in Communication, Information Management, International Development or any Social Science or Business-related course

Experience:

-Minimum of 7 years (with bachelor) and 5 years (with masters) professional experience in communication around international development, conflict and peace building, mediation and dialogue and elections

-Experience in managing communication for diverse stakeholders including government, international organisations, NGOs and/or private sector

-Familiarity with the use new and innovative communication platforms to reach large number of audiences

-Good understanding of Stabilisation issues and Lake Chad Basin region is desirable

-Excellent communication and reporting skills

Language Requirements:

-Fluency in spoken and written English and French

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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