Advocacy and Communications Officer, NO-2, Temporary Position, 364 days, Cotabato, Philippines, #00137346

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Voice

How can you make a difference?

The Advocacy and Communications Officer will support the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies. Incumbents will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams and with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children.

Duties include:

Advocacy and communication strategy development and planning:

• Assist in the development of advocacy and communication strategies and plans to achieve SMART outcomes.

Advocacy and communication strategy implementation:

• Support the implementation of advocacy and communication strategies, contributing to a range of tactics, such as the production of assets, writing advocacy briefs, developing narratives, delivering creative campaign activations, organizing events, and cultivating new strategic partnerships.

Digital communications:

• Support the day-to-day conceptualization, budgeting, planning, coordination, execution and digital content creation, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of digital initiatives and integrated advocacy campaigns for key audiences.

Media relations:

• Effective and timely professional assistance and support are provided in developing, drafting and maintaining contact information, materials and relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web etc. – to communicate the story of UNICEF to a wider audience.

Advocacy and communication M&E:

• Support the establishment of baselines against which advocacy and communication results are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; produce and disseminate M&E results on a regular basis.

Project and budget support:

• Support the day-to-day delivery of key projects/ workstreams, developing and tracking project plans to ensure progress and address obstacles and bottlenecks.
• Support effective budget management, projections and tracking.

Advocacy and communication capacity building:

• Document and disseminate advocacy good practice to build internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy and communication.

Stakeholder engagement:

• Research current and potential partners.
• Assist and maintain a database of formal and informal partnerships and networks whose support is essential to achieving objectives.
• Support the flow of information to key stakeholders.

Others:

• Undertake other key responsibilities to support the performance and impact of advocacy and communications work, as required.

If you are a dynamic and results-oriented communications professional with experience in advocacy, media engagement, digital communications, and stakeholder relations, UNICEF Philippines invites you to apply for the position of Advocacy and Communication Officer NO-2. In this role, you will support the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of advocacy and communication strategies that advance children's rights and well-being. You will contribute to media and digital communication initiatives, stakeholder engagement, campaign implementation, project and budget monitoring, capacity-building activities, and evidence-based advocacy efforts to strengthen public and policy support for children and young people across the Philippines.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD - Advocacy and Communication Officer NO2 TOR.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Communications, Journalism, Media Relations, Public Relations/Communication, Communication Science, Development Studies, International relations, political science, international development, Public policy, Public administration, Economics, Communications and any other related fields.
• Work Experience: At least 2 years of relevant work experience in Communication, International Development, International Non-Governmental Organization, Development, Emergency, Programme Communication, Programme Management, United Nations, advocacy, strategic communications, digital communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, campaign management, monitoring and evaluation, project management, partnership development, public policy. and any other related fields.
• Experienced in digital communications and in managing online platforms and channels.
• Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues.
• Skills: Knowledge of Advocacy Strategy; Stakeholder Engagement; Media Relations; Digital Communications; Project Management; Budget Monitoring, and Team building.
• Experience in supporting the effective functioning of a team.
• Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
2. Previous work experience in BARMM and knowledge of the regional context a distinct advantage.
3. Experience in developing and organizing advocacy campaigns is a strong advantage.
4. Experience in supporting training and facilitation is an asset.
5. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities.

UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reductions. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.