Associate Communications Officer/UNOPS

Terms of Reference

Associate Communications Officer/UNOPS

[Resettlement and Complementary Pathways Service / Complementary Pathways Unit]

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a UNOPS position within the Complementary Pathways Unit in Resettlement and Complementary Pathways Service (RCPS).

UNHCR is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. We are in over 125 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Associate Communications Officer

Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland or Remotely based on the availability of the best candidate.

Duration: 1 June 2022 to 31 December 2022

Contract Type: UNOPS [IICA 1]; Expected monthly fee range between USD [7,000 & 8,000] depending on experience and location (if home-based).

Organisational context

In pursue of UNHCR’s core solutions mandate, the mission of the RCPS is to ensure the sustainable and tangible expansion of third country solutions for persons in need of international protection globally. The RCPS strategic focus on the expansion of Third Country Solutions in line with the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) ant it’s strategy primary goals of growing resettlement and improving access and developing complementary pathways opportunities, the RCPS is seeking to enhance internal and external communication and engagement through digital technology and diverse channels.

The position

The Associate Communications Officer will assist the Resettlement and Complementary Pathways Service to develop and disseminate online and virtual content to advocate for refugee third country solutions and advance the goals of the Three-Year Strategy. The staff member will also assist updating UNHCR Public Website on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways and other digital platforms.

The Associate Communications Officer will function under the supervision of the Head of the Complementary Pathways Unit, in RCPS.

Duties and responsibilities

• Research, prepare, fact-check, edit and produce professional media and communications materials for target audiences and ensure their timely dissemination via UNHCR’s communications channels, ensuring highest quality standards.
• Regularly provide ideas for communications initiatives and considered professional communications advice to senior staff of UNHCR.
• Ensure release of multimedia content for the global English UNHCR Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn accounts.
• Ensure placement of Resettlement and Complementary Pathways topics in the existing communication materials issued by UNHCR globally
• Support content development to reach maximum impact by developing strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
• Liaise with UNHCR’s Global Communications Service, Reginal Bureaux and operations to support the development of online and social media content advocating for refugee admissions through resettlement and complementary pathways and prepare RSCP communication and social media packages as required.
• Closely monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly by other teams and units at UNHCR.
• Benchmark the results of communications projects against set success indicators; build on communications successes.
• Draft newsletters and other updates as needed on Resettlement and Complementary Pathway Service activities.
• Assist in monitoring UNHCR’s resettlement and complementary pathways related content such as online traffic, re-tweets, etc. Monitor news and popular trends related to third country admission opportunities to insert UNHCR’s messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
• Assist with the production of video materials, update of internal web pages for Resettlement and Complementary Pathways, including unhcr.org, intranet and SharePoint sites
• Provide communications expertise during the planning and execution of virtual events including drafting agendas, taking notes, and collecting and analyzing feedback. etc.
• Continually maintain and upgrade communications skills, keeping abreast of emerging platforms and tools, and systematically reviewing media impact results and other measurement tools for learning purposes.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Essential minimum qualifications and professional experience required

The ideal candidate will have:

a. Education (Level and area of required and/or preferred education)

Education in journalism, marketing, communications and media, interpretation, public information, or other relevant fields

Languages:

• English full working proficiency is essential
• Working knowledge of French, Arabic and/or Spanish would be an asset

b. Work Experience

Minimum 1 year of professional experience in journalism, communications and/or editorial work, mainly at international level. Experience with international organizations is an asset.

c. Key Competencies

Essential:

• Skills in research, reporting and editing communication products (i.e. magazines, newspapers and websites) skills
• Content Production skills or interest (video or graphic design software, etc.)
• Advanced knowledge of corporate software such as MS Office package, including MSTeams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat
• Knowledge of design software a plus (e.g., Photoshop, InDesign, WordPress, Adobe Studio)
• Good understanding of current online/digital technology (required)
• Quick learner who is self-motivated, has a positive approach and eager to grow their capabilities (required)
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective working relationships with people in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity (required)
• Excellent verbal and written skills, with a precise attention to detail (required)

Desirable competencies:

• Experience with data measurement and evaluation, especially providing analysis of media coverage, social media engagement, web traffic, etc.
• Experience using digital asset management systems.
• Experience with digital analytics and performance reporting.
• Experience reporting, writing, editing for magazines, newspapers and websites.
• Experience working with international organizations, particularly in refugee/displacement context

Location

The successful candidate will be based at the UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland or home-based, depending on the availability of the best candidate.

Conditions

N/A