Back Communications Associate

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Please note that the person selected for this position will be offered a contract with UNDP under its National Personnel Services Agreement (N-PSA) modality; the UNDP Service Contract modality is phasing out over the coming year. More information about the N-PSA is available here [link to the N-PSA POPP https://bit.ly/3gaGFud).

The European Union Support to Agriculture Competitiveness and Rural Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU4Agri) is a 4-year project (2020-2023) primarily funded by the European Union (EU) under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). Worth EUR 20 million, the project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Czech Development Agency (CzDA).
In line with the Strategic Plan for Rural Development of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2018-2021) – Framework Document, the project objective is to increase the competitiveness of agricultural production and rural jobs and services. In this context, the project will focus on raising investments in the agri-food sector and increasing the knowledge and skill levels of agricultural producers and other participants in the value chain through the expanded provision of advisory services, as well as on improving economic opportunities in rural areas. The project will also enhance the policy environment through a coherent and complementary set of activities, including strengthening of institutional capacities and services, as well as improvements in policy and regulatory frameworks.
Accordingly, the project expected results are as follows:
 

The Communications Associate will perform the following functions with due respect to UNDP rules and regulations and the UNDP internal control framework:
 

1. Support the formulation and implementation of the projects communications and advocacy strategies and plans for EU4AGRI Project:

• Conducts communications needs assessment for the project;
• Develops communication strategies and plans for the project with clearly defined goals, as well as communication and advocacy instruments;
• Proactively develops ideas, proposes actions and provides advice for improved and coherent promotion of the Project results using the existing and new communication tools and channels, adequate for targeted audiences;
• Support identification of communications activities in line with the project’s mandate, Communication Strategy, work plan, as well as UNDP CO’s strategic approach, guidelines and best practices;
• Manages PR events and campaigns, outreach and awareness-raising activities (including organizing and moderating media events and press conferences) and ensure they are in line with relevant and prescribed communication and PR guidelines and approaches fully aligned with the visibility needs and interests of the principal partners;
• Produce periodical and ad-hoc reports on communications activities, including analysis of media coverage/clipping;
• Coordinate PR and communication activities and events with UNDP Communication Unit and keep Head of Unit and EU4AGRI Project Manager informed about potential reputational risks or developments which may affect UNDP’s or donor’s image;
• Maintain close contact with media representatives in the country, as per guidance and in coordination with UNDP Communications Unit, providing support to building partnership with the media;
• Ensures effective implementation of the sectoral and projects’ communication strategies and plans;
• Ensures effective and timely information exchange between the Project and Communications Unit on all aspects related to communication plans and activities;
• Provides inputs related to Project’s communications plans, actions and results to Communications Unit;
• Moderates’ projects’ conferences when/if required.

2. Produce or support production of various PR and communication products for EU4AGRI Project:

• Develop communications products and conduct activities that ensure effective communication with targeted audience(s), to include:
• Drafting and distributing media advisories and press releases;
• Produces (writes) various types of promotional materials, including but not limited to media advisories, press releases, op-eds, briefing materials, talking points, key messages and speeches for senior UNDP staff, blogposts, web articles, posts for social networks, etc;
• Producing success stories (human interest stories) and other communications products for distribution via national and local media, websites, social media and via UNDP BiH CO communication channels;
• Disseminating communications products to appropriate recipients;
• Monitoring media and informing designated staff on issues of relevance to EU4Agri project;
• Archiving/organizing video files for easy filing and future use;
• Establishing and maintaining the photo archive;
• Providing background information and briefing materials per request.
• Coordinating organisation of EU4AGRI Project related events from the communications and PR perspective;
• Photograph and produce content to promote the project, project’s partners, and results to targeted audiences;
• Contacting partners and stakeholders;
• Capturing footage and photos for video story development;
• Reviewing stories, existing footage and photos;
• Where possible, contacting potential participants and doing pre-interviews;
• Capture high resolution images and videos of individuals, groups, companies, and events at field locations related to the implementation of the project;
• Establish and maintain archive of photo and video materials;
• Support and oversee production and postproduction (including editing) of video materials (all formats) intended for TV broadcast and web video platforms (dissemination via Facebook, YouTube, and designated websites);
• Provide support to the design process for reports and presentations to be published by the projects, using a wide range of media.

3. Administrate relevant project website subpages and social media channels:

• Administrate relevant UNDP websites and social media platforms;
• Support development and implementation of plans for online communications;
• Ensure that the use of online channels is in line with UNDP global guidelines and best practices;
• Develop communications content tailored for online communications;
• Delivering creative and innovative ideas for print, web and interactive presentations.

4. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing within the project:

• Participates in the trainings for the UNDP CO’s communications and PR procedures;
• When necessary, provides guidance to project staff in project’s Communications Strategy and communications and PR procedures;
• Organization of training for the project staff and project personnel on effective communications and advocacy;
• Support to Project staff and project teams/personnel in identification, documenting and drafting of best practices and lessons learned;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

5. Support in mainstreaming gender equality

• Supports the Project Manager in effectively mainstreaming the gender equality throughout project activities, work plans, budgets, reports, researches, analyses and, where specifically relevant, analysed in detail;
• Ensures that communications and PR project documents prepared by the incumbent are written using gender sensitive language;
• Ensures that all the communications material and media related to the project, are gender sensitive and evaluated from the gender point of view.

Institutional Arrangement

The employee will work under the direct supervision of the EU4AGRI Project Manager.

Core Behavioral Competencies/Achieve Results:

• Demonstrates focus on achieving quality results and impact.
• Consistently strives to meet or exceed excellent standards.
• Efficiently establishes appropriate plans and resources for self and others to accomplish goals.
• Holds self and others accountable for results.

Think Innovatively:

• Seeks patterns and clarity outside, across and beyond boxes and categories, resists false certainty and simplistic binary choices.
• Looks beyond conventional approaches and established methods.
• Proposes new ideas, approaches and solutions to problems.

Learn Continuously:

• Actively pursues opportunities for learning and self-development, professionally and personally.
• Proactively seeks feedback, demonstrates a desire to learn from others as well as from experience, both positive and negative.

Adapt with Agility:

• Keeps up to date with new developments in own professional area.
• Contributes to the learning of others.

Act with Determination:

• Is flexible in handling change, and adopts new ideas, approaches and ways of working.
• Seamlessly adapts to working with new situations or contexts, with new people, and in different ways.

Engage and Partner:

• Establishes and develops networks that deliver powerful collaborations.
• Demonstrates and encourages teamwork and co-creation, internally and externally, to achieve joint objectives and results.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

• Understands and appreciates issues from the perspective of others.
• Treats all individuals with respect, considers ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people.
• Demonstrates honesty and transparency.

Cross-Functional Competencies:

Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends.

Effective Decision Making:

• Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources.

Knowledge Generation:

• Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Communication:

• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.

Technical Competencies:

• Excellent computer literacy, working knowledge of use of photo and video processing software.
• Basic understanding of web development (HTML, PHP, etc) technologies.
• Brand &Quality Management.
• Campaign Management.
• Creative direction and copywriting.
• Digital asset management.
• Digital strategy.
• Marketing.
• Media Relations.
• Multimedia production.
• Web production and development.

Minimum Academic Education 

• University degree in media and communications, journalism or related field;
• Secondary education with additional 3 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of a university degree.

Minimum years of relevant Work experience  

• At least 4 years for candidates with a university degree; or 7 years for candidates with a secondary education of relevant experience delivering communication services to promote the different activities, preferably for development organization;
• Experience in producing communication materials (print and online) for a variety of media;
• Previous experience in producing interactive web content and high-quality videos and photos.

Desired additional skills and competencies 

• Previous experience within the UN System is an advantage.

Required Language(s) (at working level) 

• Fluency in English and the official languages of BIH.

Important applicant information

All posts in the NPSA categories are subject to local recruitment.

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.

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Contract Duration: One year with possible extension