Communications Officer

Hardship Level

A (least hardship)

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

PR3

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Remote work accepted

No

Target Start Date

2024-03-01

Job Posting End Date

December 21, 2023

Standard Job Description

Communications Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In line with its Global Communications Strategy, UNHCR requires skilled communications professionals to conceive and execute a range of activities that help us lead the narrative on forced displacement, generate empathy and mobilize action. This body of work spans communications strategy and coordination, news and media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, Goodwill Ambassadors and other influencers, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, analytics and brand.

UNHCR’s Communications Officers need to cultivate a keen understanding of our target audiences’ including an up-to-the-minute grasp of the methods and tone of voice that resonate deeply, win trust and spark quality engagement. They must be vigilant about editorial and journalistic standards, attentive to protection concerns and political sensitivities, and focused on communicating successfully with key demographics. These audiences will vary by location, language and platform, among other factors, as well as whether the aim is to inform, advocate or raise funds.

Communications Officers’ functions, working relationships and skills specializations differ depending on language, location, grade, and whether they sit within a country operation, a regional bureau or the Global Communications Service. UNHCR’s primary target audiences include public, media and policymakers, while our main partners and influencers include peers and private sector, trusted figures and our own workforce. Some communicators will focus mainly on news and media relations, for example, while others will produce multimedia content, manage social media accounts or lead advocacy campaigns. Forging partnerships with media outlets that reach target audiences is a central role for all Communications Officers.

All Communications Officers are expected to work strategically in support of UNHCR’s operational and communications objectives for their geographic area of responsibility (AoR) as well as global priorities. Communications approaches should reflect our core values as an organization that is caring, trustworthy, proactive, outcome-focused and responsive. This will reinforce UNHCR’s role as the lead agency that protects refugees, internally displaced and stateless people and mobilizes action to provide solutions.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Support the development and implementation of communications strategies for countries, situations and special projects; identify thematic priorities and target audiences to meet UNHCR’s global communications objectives.
• Monitor news and popular trends to insert UNHCR’s messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
• Forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce and promote UNHCR content, activities and messaging as well as provide research insights to improve communications; promote the work of engaged businesses and civil society actors.
• Contribute to development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCR’s impact (e.g. interviews, press releases, flagship reports, speeches), create emotive storytelling to generate empathy (e.g. stories, multimedia content) and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees (e.g. digital diplomacy, action-driven campaigns, fundraising).
• Ensure content created reaches maximum impact by developing strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of our content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
• Closely monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly. Benchmark the results of communications projects against set success indicators; build on communications successes.

Additional duties for news and media roles:

• Develop and implement communications strategies, campaigns, events and other initiatives in support of UNHCR’s strategic objectives, including its need for leading share of voice on refugee and related matters, and ensure coverage of refugee situations in their country or region in global and domestic media.
• 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.
• Draft media releases, statements and media briefing notes, and secure clearances, working in conjunction with relevant focal points and keeping sensitive to needs of both internal and external audiences.
• Act as a spokesperson for UNHCR, organizing press events, handling interviews requests and providing responses to requests from media relating to UNHCR and its work.
• Engage with journalists and public audiences via social media channels.
• Regularly provide ideas for communications initiatives and considered professional communications advice to senior staff of UNHCR.
• Undertake missions and field trips with media and other official visitors in support of UNHCR and its work.
• Actively maintain media relations for UNHCR, ensuring that media (and other important external stakeholders, such as governments, embassies, NGOs etc.) are briefed regularly on issues of importance to UNHCR, and have access to information and UNHCR expertise.
• Prepare and manage communications budgets.
• Ensure alignment with UNHCR’s global branding and messaging.
• 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.

Additional duties for news and media roles within the Global Communications Service

• Oversee coordination of communications work for their designated regions and thematic issues, working closely with communications staff in bureaux and country offices and in collaboration with the senior communications officers/advisers in that region.
• Manage a wide network of relationships at all levels across bureaux, divisions and offices (including the Executive Office) to ensure timely internal information sharing as a foundation for grounded communications, and to build consensus around communications proposals.
• Maintain close involvement in communications recruitment and training needs for assigned regions, keeping in mind UNHCR’s goals of employing and retaining the world’s leading humanitarian communications expertise.

Additional duties for news and media roles within Country Offices

• Act as the primary interface on communications matters between their country office and the Global Communications Service.
• Act as the lead for crisis communications work for their country, alerting the GCS/News & Media Section’s crisis communications lead to risk issues and ensuring close coordination.

Additional duties for news and media roles within Regional Bureaux

• Regularly provide ideas for communications initiatives and considered professional communications advice to senior Bureau staff and Representatives of Country Operations overseen by the Bureau.
• Oversee data and information gathering and sharing of information with a view to ensuring the Bureau’s authority as a centre of up to date knowledge and expertise relating to its region.
• Assist the Senior Management of the Bureau to implement advocacy objectives for the Bureau, and oversee development of supporting communications strategies for these, working in conjunction with staff of the Global Communications Service and communications staff in the region.
• Ensure Bureau staff are aware of UNHCR’s global positioning needs.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P3/NOC – 6 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Journalism; International Relations; Political Science;

Communications; Public Information; Media

Film / Video; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

not specified

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Minimum 4years of professional experience in journalism and/or communications, mainly at international level.

Desirable

Experience developing and implementing communications strategies. Strong social media presence. Experience working on advocacy campaigns. Experience working with goodwill ambassadors and other high-profile influencers. Experience with brand management. Experience with measurement and evaluation, especially providing analysis of media coverage, social media engagement, web traffic, etc. Experience reporting, writing, editing for magazines, newspapers and websites. Experience using digital asset management systems. Experience with digital analytics and performance reporting.

Functional Skills

Required skills will vary according to the precise nature of the role, location, etc. but may include:

CO-Drafting and Documentation

CO-International Media Contacts

CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches

CO-Spokesperson skills

CO-Strategic Communication

CO-Public Speaking

CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)

CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)

CO-Editing

CO-Digital content production

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Advanced communication skills such as drafting press releases, “If asked” lines and SM posts in both English and Arabic as the candidate will also be expected to work with the colleagues in the operations to guide and support their communications products.
• Extensive experience in devising and managing SM platforms for humanitarian organizations as well as guiding their developments to adapt to a very quick changing landscape.
• Fluency in both English and Arabic, speaking, reading, writing and editing.
• Extensive knowledge in the region and it’s issues as the candidate will have to advise on UNHCR’s communications strategies and approaches, especially during crisis moments in a very complex sensitive and challenging environment.
• Experience in handling media interviews.
• Experience in managing relations with the MENA region media platforms and outlets.

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

Arabic

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

The Security Level for Amman and the rest of the country is assessed at Level 1 (MINIMAL), except the northeast Jordanian Syrian border area, where it is assessed at Level 3 (MODERATE). Road traffic accidents remain a pertinent risk to staff. Vehicle travel is difficult at certain times due to adverse weather conditions, low visibility and/or heavy traffic.

Nature of Position:

With UNHCR regionalization process in place, the MENA Regional Bureau is assuming more communications responsibilities, as well as a leading role in the Comms outreach in MENA both for the region and for Global needs, as well from the region.

The UAE has evolved to become a main Media hub in MENA. Dozens of regional and influential news outlets are now based in the UAE plus a fast-growing number of influential media outlets that are competing with the traditional media outlets in their influence and ability to shape public opinion.

Untraditional outlets are critical if UNHCR is to reach the diverse audience it needs to penetrate to advocate for refugees, their needs, bring visibility to UNHCR work, bring compassion to refugees plight, mobilize support to refugees and UNHCR ‘s work to protect them and meet their needs including critical needed funding.

The GCC countries also offer a fertile resource mobilization environment with more than US $1.1 billion cumulative governmental and non-governmental contributions towards UNHCR programmes during the last 10 year. The MENA RB Comms Team along with and in coordination with the GCC Communication Team supports the resource mobilization and donor relations activities employing advocacy and outreach through enhancing engagement with media outlets, digital media, social media influencers, and high-profile supporters and the use of interviews with UNHCR officials, sharing of briefing notes, press releases, reports, and promotional material. UNHCR also coordinates with printed and online outlets in publishing news stories, features, and op-eds in local and GCC wide publications, and efforts with relevant units regarding Social Media Influencers and High-Profile-Supporters. It handles relationships with regional Offices of digital media outlets such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter, through joint campaigns and events in coordination with the relevant Units. High-quality promotional material is produced to ensure effective communication with all interlocutors and contacts, and to maximize visibility. The Regional Comms team also coordinates with the Global/local Website Team to reinforce UNHCR ‘s presence and engagement with media in the digital sphere.

It ‘s critical that the Regional Comms team have access and is able to reach out to media outlets in UAE, build relationships, strengthen partnerships and initiatives with these outlets to maximize the ability of the MENA RB and the country operations to reach it ‘s goals.

The candidate will be part of the MENA RB Communications team, following up on all related communications responsibilities for the Bureau including: Drafting and editing “If Asked lines” relating to any of the issues facing the MENA region, taking interviews in both English and Arabic, reviewing, editing and MENA generated content in English and Arabic and coordinating content creation and dissemination with HQ and operations. The position is based in Dubai to give the MENA RB access to reach out and utilize all regional media that is based in UAE both traditional media news networks and new digital platforms that are sprouting in the UAE and have growing reach amongst audiences UNHCR is desperate to reach in both English and Arabic languages. The candidate will also have to help steer and guide MENA output on SM platforms including the Global Arabic languages platforms.

Living and Working Conditions:

Jordan has a total population of 9.4 million people. Amman houses 42% of Jordan’s population, 4.008 million, making it the populous city in the country. Amman is categorized as (A) duty station. Several International airlines operate daily flights from Amman (Queen Alia International Airport). The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar and the exchange rate is fixed and equivalent to ( 1 JOD=0.71 USD), Money traders and good local banking system are available.

Jordan is visa free for UNLP holders; however appointed staff must obtain a residency permit. Residency permits and other local protocol remain a challenge due to governmental procedures, subject to frequent changes. The process of obtaining residency in Jordan may vary depending on nationality of applicant, type of contract offered and its length.

Staff members assigned to Amman are residing in private accommodation. Rent in Amman can vary depending on the size of the property itself, number of bedrooms and the area of Amman in which it is located. Renting a 3-bedroom apartment can range from 1100 – 2500 USD per month.

Food and other commodities are widely available in the local shops and markets.

Amman tends to have a Mediterranean climate; summers are mildly hot, winter usually starts around the end of November and continues until mid-March, there is occasional snowfall.

The medium for teaching in international schools is English, however there are a few French language schools as well. There is a plethora of institutions for children of all ages from pre-school to high school as well universities.

The majority of international educational institutions are in Amman.

Amman is the home to many top-end hospitals and clinics. Due to Jordanian healthcare’s international appeal, nearly all doctors and many support staff speak English. Healthcare here is also very accessible and affordable.

Jordan has a total population of 9.4 million people. Amman houses 42% of Jordan’s population, 4.008 million, making it the populous city in the country. Amman is categorized as (A) duty station. Several International airlines operate daily flights from Amman (Queen Alia International Airport). The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar and the exchange rate is fixed and equivalent to ( 1 JOD=0.71 USD), Money traders and good local banking system are available.

Jordan is visa free for UNLP holders; however appointed staff must obtain a residency permit. Residency permits and other local protocol remain a challenge due to governmental procedures, subject to frequent changes. The process of obtaining residency in Jordan may vary depending on nationality of applicant, type of contract offered and its length.

Staff members assigned to Amman are residing in private accommodation. Rent in Amman can vary depending on the size of the property itself, number of bedrooms and the area of Amman in which it is located. Renting a 3-bedroom apartment can range from 1100 – 2500 USD per month.

Food and other commodities are widely available in the local shops and markets.

Amman tends to have a Mediterranean climate; summers are mildly hot, winter usually starts around the end of November and continues until mid-March, there is occasional snowfall.

The medium for teaching in international schools is English, however there are a few French language schools as well. There is a plethora of institutions for children of all ages from pre-school to high school as well universities.

The majority of international educational institutions are in Amman.

Amman is the home to many top-end hospitals and clinics. Due to Jordanian healthcare’s international appeal, nearly all doctors and many support staff speak English. Healthcare here is also very accessible and affordable.

Skills

Additional Qualifications

Education

Bachelor of Arts (BA): Communication, Bachelor of Arts (BA): International Relations, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Public Professions

Certifications

Work Experience

Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Innovation & creativity, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration

UNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Add. 2 to Bi-annual Compendium 2023 – Part B

Additional Information

Functional clearance

This position requires Functional Clearance