With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at its core, and in response to the General Assembly resolution 71/243 on the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the UN Secretary General’s report (December 2017) “Repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda: our promise for dignity, prosperity and peace on a healthy planet” puts forward a comprehensive proposal on further improvements to the resident coordinator system to ensure more coherent, accountable and effective support for the 2030 Agenda. This was further reinforced by General Assembly resolution 72/729 of 1 June 2018, which gave the Secretary-General the mandate to implement the repositioning. A reinvigorated resident coordinator system is at the centre of a repositioned United Nations development system, and while the system has been instrumental in driving coherence on the ground over the past four decades, it is now insufficiently robust to respond to the needs of the 2030 Agenda. The report stresses that resident coordinator offices will need to be adequately staffed to ensure sufficient substantive capacities to lead United Nations country teams. The core capacity will include expertise in coordination and strategic planning, economics, tailored policy support, results monitoring and evaluation, and strategic partnerships, plus a robust standing communications capacity within the United Nations country team. This post is part of this new generation of resident coordinator office, with the new skillset and competencies required to deliver on the 2030 Agenda.
Organizational Setting and Reporting Relationships: The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) for Trinidad & Tobago, Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, and reports to the Senior Development Coordination Officer, Strategic Planning and RCO Team Leader. The position also maintains a close working relationship with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC), which sets the communications and advocacy priorities of the United Nations around the world and includes a second reporting line to DGC.
Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the Development Coordination Officer, Programme Communications and Advocacy will be responsible for the following duties:
1. Plans and facilitates strategic, advocacy and programme communications in support of the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (UN MSDF) and the Country Implementation Plan (CIP) for Trinidad & Tobago
2. Contributes to partnership building and media relations
3. Plans and facilitates digital communications
4. Provides substantive support for publications and branding management
5. Assists in the local promotion of United Nations global communications and advocacy priorities on the work of the United Nations in other key thematic areas.
Description of Functions:
1. Plans and facilitates strategic advocacy and programme communications in support of the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (UN MSDF) and the Country Implementation Plan (CIP) for Trinidad & Tobago
• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and UN Country Team (UNCT) in designing, implementing and monitoring the UN joint advocacy and communication strategy, promoting the MSDF as the primary instrument for the planning and implementation of UN development activities in the country, in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
• Researches, analyzes and presents inputs to the RC and UNCT on strategic advocacy and programme communications for the 2030 Agenda and to boost impact of programmatic objectives under the MSDF;
• Plans and facilitates the promotion of advocacy and communications as a tool for a participatory approach to MSDF implementation and monitoring, reflecting the views and priorities of people, including those left farthest behind;
• Monitors and analyzes the media in the areas related to the UN’s mandates and programmes in the country, as well as other issues relevant to the UN brand and positioning;
• Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT on public messaging and media outreach, and assists in managing reputational risks or crises around sensitive issues;
• Identifies and assesses potential issues, concerns and risks related to communications and advocacy, and suggests corrective actions to the RC and UNCT, Programme Management Team (or equivalent) and Results Groups;
• Plans and facilitates the work of the UN Communications Group throughout the stages of the MSDF cycle;
• In collaboration with the UN Communications Group and the UN Programme Management Team (or equivalent), and in coordination with the RCO colleagues responsible for data management and results reporting, prepares the annual communication plan to publicize and communicate results with a focus on the UN’s development impact;
• Assists the RC and UNCT in projecting the UN’s image effectively and accurately as well as promoting transparency and accountability;
• Provides substantive support to ensure that communication performance indicators are identified, incorporated, monitored and reported on throughout the MSDF cycle.
2. Contributes to partnership building and media relations
• Plans and facilitates the engagement of key traditional and non-traditional partners, including government, civil society, private sector, development partners and others new as well as traditional actors on the collective 2030 Agenda and the related role and impact of the UN’s work in country;
• Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT in significantly expanding public outreach on the 2030 Agenda and the UN’s role and impact in country;
• Plans and facilitates public engagement on the UN’s role and work in country, including through programme visits showcasing the UN’s development impact;
• Undertakes regular liaison with other partners for content development, information exchange, collaborative communication efforts, and innovative communication and advocacy tools, as assigned;
• Compiles and analyzes communication experiences and shares findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit the UN’s communication work;
• Develops and maintains close working relationships with the media, including editors and journalists in key national and international news outlets; develops, maintains and updates media relations contact list/database;
• Prepares official briefing materials, talking points, speeches, statements, op-eds and presentations on any development related topic as necessary.
3. Plans and facilitates digital communications
• Develops and maintains external and internal digital communications platforms such as the UN country team website, official UN country team social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), Intranet and on-line collaboration platforms, etc.;
• Plans and facilitates the development and implementation of a digital content strategy and contributes to the development of key communications and advocacy products (e.g. human-interest stories, multilingual and multimedia content, etc.).
• Conducts exercises exploring the applicability of new and emerging tools and techniques to digital communications and advocacy activities to reach a wider, younger audience.
4. Provides substantive support for publications and branding management
• Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT on joint UN publications ensuring high quality standards and the correct application of the UN branding guidelines and the UN publishing standards.
• Prepares inputs for the RC and UNCT on the use of the UN joint brand at country level across UN content and products, both offline and online.
• Plans and organizes launch events for joint UN publications, coordinating with author entities in the UN country team and relevant local partners, including host country authorities, media representatives, members of academia, etc. to ensure high visibility and impact.
5. Plans and facilitates the local promotion of United Nations global communications and advocacy priorities on the work of the United Nations in other key thematic areas
• Provides substantive support to the United Nations Department of Global Communications in adapting and localizing global communications and advocacy priorities promoting the work of the United Nations in key thematic areas.
• Advises the Resident Coordinator on possible sources of funding and in-kind support and partnerships that could be leveraged for promoting localized global campaigns, galvanizing local, regional and global support as relevant.
• Conducts educational outreach activities, including the organization of Model United Nations conferences and public-speaking engagements at local educational institutions with support from and/or the participation of the Resident Coordinator and/or the UN country team.
• Evaluates results and impact of communications and advocacy initiatives promoting the work of the United Nations in key thematic areas other than development, reporting the outcome to the Resident Coordinator, the UN country team and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in communication, journalism, international relations or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in programme communications and advocacy in the context of international development is required.
Language: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Additional requirements: National Professional Officers are nationals of the country in which they are serving, and their functions must have a national context, i.e. functions that require national experience or knowledge of the national language, culture, institutions, and systems.
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Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension
This vacancy is archived.