Communications Specialist (Communications and Knowledge Management)

Background Information – Job-specific

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement, and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors, and United Nations organizations.

New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with peacebuilding, humanitarian, and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP). It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) is implemented by UNDP’s Local Action Cluster of the Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE) unit of BPPS on behalf of the GEF Partnership. It is executed by UNOPS. The Global ICCA (indigenous peoples and local communities) Support Initiative (GSI) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment (BMU) International Climate Initiative. The SGP and ICCA GSI are signature programmes and a central part of the UNDP Local Action Cluster of NCE.

SGP grant making promotes community-based innovation in addressing global environmental issues and improved, more sustainable livelihoods through initiatives led by civil society and community organizations, with special consideration for indigenous peoples, women, youth and persons with disabilities. SGP has supported over 25,000 community-based projects in over 125 countries in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable land management, protection of international waters, and sound chemicals and waste management. Over the years, SGP has developed extensive partnerships at global, national and local levels. See http://sgp.undp.org for further background information.

The Nature, Climate and Energy team within the UNDP Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) in New York exercises strategic, technical and fiduciary oversight for all of its GEF and bilateral partnership activities, including the SGP. Within the NCE, the Local Action Cluster Coordination team, through the SGP Central Programme Management Team, provides the overall global management of the SGP, including strategic, thematic, and operational guidance and support to Country Programmes. As the responsible Executing Agency for numerous partnerships, UNOPS provides services to UNDP for human resources, administrative, financial and legal aspects of grant-making and country operations.

The Communications Specialist (Communications and Knowledge Management) will form part of the SGP Central Programme Management Team (CPMT) and contribute to Local Action strategic objectives as follows: 1) develop, facilitate, implement and update a coherent and strategic knowledge management strategy to capture, share, and promote results, lessons learned and best practices from local initiatives, particularly those of the SGP; 2) develop, facilitate, implement and update comprehensive and streamlined communications at global, country, and project levels, and increase global coherence and consistency on SGP branding and messaging across Country Programmes as informed by the donors and partners; and 3) in collaboration with communication specialists of other signature programmes under the NCE Local Action’ teams (e.g. UNDP Equator Initiative, ISGAP and others to be determined) contribute to the development and implementation of a UNDP Local Action communications and knowledge management strategy to capture, share, and promote UNDP’s work and results of IPLC and CSO local actions.

The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Global Manager of the GEF Small Grants Programme– on behalf of the Local Action Cluster, and UNDP/NCE Communication Advisor, and in collaboration with other Local Action and CPMT staff, the incumbent will actively support the implementation of the overall programme of work of the SGP as part of the Local Action Cluster, and will perform the following specific duties:

1. Knowledge Management

• Guide the development and implementation of SGP’s Knowledge Management (KM) strategy, in collaboration with the various Country Programmes, CPMT, UNDP, GEF, and other partners, in alignment with the UNDP Local Action Strategic Framework, the GEF KM Strategy, and other strategic documents.
• Coordinate production of knowledge tools, methods and products to effectively share lessons learned and best practices at the global, country, and project levels, and ensure adequate dissemination of the same at the global level, in collaboration with other CPMT and Local Action Technical Specialists (i.e. publications, fact sheets, case studies, video, social media and others).
• Contribute to the implementation of the UNDP KM Strategy and NCE KM priorities with a focus on Local Action.
• Contribute to the design and production of UNDP Local Action KM products together with other KM experts in the cluster.
• Coordinate the development and facilitate implementation of guidance to National Coordinators, Regional Focal Points and Regional Technical Specialists and others on how to capture and disseminate knowledge and conduct knowledge exchanges at the country, regional and global levels.
• Coordinate the development, implementation and maintenance of effective knowledge platforms (i.e. website, intranet, social media and others) to disseminate lessons and best practices as well as promote peer-to-peer learning within and across communities, civil society organizations, and others. Support codifing info, data and knowledge in line with NCE and corporate taxonomy to facilitate internal/external access.
• Coordinate and ensure that the cutting-edge KM strategy and approaches are incorporated into the overall SGP Project Document and other relevant strategic documents for each operational phase, as well as in UNDP, GEF, and other partners’ relevant strategic documents.
• Coordinate the establishment of partnerships with relevant platforms, groups and organizations at the global level to ensure that the knowledge and lessons from SGP projects are widely used and reflected in relevant programmes, projects, policies, reports, publications etc.
• Ensure knowledge products are demand-driven or intended to fill a knowledge gap and have an explicit audience and a purpose considered.
• Facilitate up-scaling, replication and policy impact of SGP projects by sharing best practices with UNDP, GEF, donors and external partners.
• Develop toolkits and organize capacity development initiatives that facilitate the KM work of the Country Programme teams.
• Provide technical inputs to the development and maintenance of the SGP database and intranet to enable effective knowledge management, generation, and sharing.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation system and activities to ensure key results and lessons can be effectively captured and featured in KM products, including reports and publications.
• Coordinate sharing of best practices and lessons at global conferences and events.

Key Results: Global and Country Programme staff are motivated and performing effectively by capturing and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Successful projects and best practices are being replicated and/or up-scaled locally and globally. Lessons learned and results from the experience of SGP projects are providing policy guidance at local, municipal, national and international levels.

2. Communications

• Support and facilitate implementation of SGP’s communication system and strategies, in alignment with the UNDP Local Action Framework, GEF Communication Strategy, and other partners’ Communication Strategies, and communicate the impact of the programme to build a strong, cohesive and visible brand.
• Contribute in enhancing UNDP staff’s technical understanding about the Local Action Cluster work and impact of the signature programmes.
• Contribute in strengthening UNDP’s thought leadership on initiatives related to Local Action.
• Coordinate production of internal and external SGP communication materials including publications, videos, fact sheets, brochures and exhibition materials, among others in coordination with the staff, consultants, interns and others.
• Contribute to the design and production of UNDP Local Action communication products, guidance notes and toolkits together with other communication experts in the team.
• Contribute and facilitate implementation of a coherent SGP branding strategy at global, country, and project levels with consistent messaging, and contribute to the broader UNDP Local Action and GEF Branding and Communication Strategies.
• Coordinate drafting and editing of communications materials requested by CPMT, UNDP, GEF and other partners, including reports, speeches, presentations, etc.
• Develop guidance and facilitate development of Country Programme staff capacities for development and implementation of communication strategies, and adoption of appropriate tools at the country level.
• Liaise with UNDP, UN-wide, GEF, and other partners on communication issues to ensure local action through SGP is highlighted and promoted through relevant events and initiatives, and adherence to relevant policies and guidelines is respected.
• Provide oversight and guidance on social media communication and (Facebook and Twitter, etc.) content creation, sharing and promotion.
• Responsible for ensuring delivery of activities and products indicated in the communications plan/calendar.
• Coordinate with SGP and Local Action staff, and represent the same in relevant meetings and conferences; fulfill speaking engagements and make presentations to groups; organize events at conferences.

Key Results: Greater visibility and greater recognition of programme results and impacts among key audiences. Communication materials produced are of high quality and standardized across Country Programmes to ensure consistency in messaging and branding.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

**Female Candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Education Requirements:**

• Master’s degree or higher preferably in communications, public relations, branding/marketing or related field.

Required Work Experience:

• A minimum of (5) five years of progressively more responsible relevant experience in the field of knowledge management, communications, learning and/or strategic planning, preferably in the field of environment.
• Proven track record on knowledge management and communications and their application to strategic planning and management.
• Experience working with multicultural institutions.
• Experience with communication systems including internet and intranet management; information analysis; and database management.

Desirable experience (the following experience is optional candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• Experience working in the developing countries and field project level would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent verbal and written communication in English essential.
• Spoken and written fluency in French and/or Spanish highly desirable.
• Knowledge of another UN official language an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Fixed-Term Staff Appointment Contract level: P-3 Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability.

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