Associate Communications Officer, NOB

Org. Setting and Reporting

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator - the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level - support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDG's. The Associate Communications Officer maintains relationships with management in their entity, with other Communications specialists in the organisation, with managers in other functional areas and with staff to provide and clarify information, to exchange information, to plan and coordinate communication activities, to seek guidance; to support reporting efforts, provide updates on activities, to discuss communications support to other functional areas, to support the Crisis Management Team, when required, and to support training activities in the area of communications, as necessary. The Associate Communications Officer also maintains external relationships with counterparts in United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, government officials, civil society representative and local community representatives, digital/community influencers, vendors, media and think tanks, and academia to support building and managing partners, consult and coordinate activities, exchange information and best practices, coordinate activities to strengthen information integrity, if needed, support organizing events and campaigns. The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, reports to the Resident Coordinator, under the supervision of the Head of the Resident Coordinator Office.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will perform the following duties: 1. Create and moderate engaging and platform-optimized content, including live content, tailored for social media and other digital platforms to advance digital communications priorities and campaigns work. 2. Monitor and report on social media analytics to stay abreast of trends, measure impact and adjust content strategy as needed. 3. Contribute to the implementation of communications strategies that raise awareness, drive engagement, build support and have measurable impact with target audiences. 4. Contribute to drafting narratives and messaging on the work of the UN that engage target audiences across different channels and platforms. 5. Contribute to gathering insights and analysis from traditional, social, and digital media monitoring, including public narratives and areas of reputational risk to inform communications strategy. 6. Contribute to media mapping, fostering relationships with media outlets; identifying and engaging with relevant editors, journalists, bloggers, and influencers, pitching story ideas, and issuing news releases. 7. Assist in the preparation of reporting and inputs for strategic communications in the context of regular reporting to governmental bodies. 8. Сontribute to the development of media lines, including in crisis situations and on sensitive issues. 9. Contribute to the preparation of talking points, key messages, and data for media interviews to shape public perceptions of the UN work and its impact. 10. Contribute to the development and maintenance of the organization’s website, ensuring it remains up-to-date, user-friendly, and accessible. 11. Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver joint outreach and advocacy activities to advance UN priorities. 12. Contribute to the development of strategic partnerships with social media influencers to elicit support for and maximize the impact of digital campaigns and promotional objectives. 13. Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies. 14. Maintain confidentiality, integrity, and discreet handling of sensitive information in compliance with the UN data privacy, security requirements, and standards. 15. Contributes to the collection and analysis of data and identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. 16. Ensures that requirements and background information used for data analysis are documented. 17. Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: : Presentation skills. Strategic thinking skills. Public speaking skills. Critical thinking skills. Knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices. Knowledge of Media Monitoring tools. Knowledge of Digital Design. Knowledge and understanding of sustainable development theories, concepts & approaches and knowledge of Media Monitoring tools. Skills in developing creative content. Ability to apply sustainable development theories, concepts and approaches. Ability to conduct independent research and analysis on sustainable development topics, determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by different sources. Shows skill in developing sources for data collection. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. • COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, digital communications or related field, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in communications, international relations, or other relevant areas is required. Demonstrated knowledge of risks to information integrity - misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and threats in fragile, post conflict, and crisis environments is required. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices is required. Demonstrated knowledge of current and emerging digital media platforms, their principles and technologies is desirable. Demonstrated skills in data visualization tools to create charts, graphs, and visual outputs is desirable One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics, data visualization, or a related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Russian and Turkmen are required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIRussianUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IITurkmenUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level IIUN Level II Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position may include a substantive assessment, such as a written test, which will be followed by a competency-based interview by phone/Teleconference (MS Teams) or in-person where possible. Special Notice This is a Temporary Job Opening. Appointment against this position is available for a duration of up to 31 AUGUST 2027 and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. The appointment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Candidates for the National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located. 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. THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO NATIONALS OF TURKMENISTAN ONLY. National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located and will be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of the office. If no suitable local candidate is identified, TURKMENISTAN nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to traveling and relocating to TURKMENISTAN in the event of an employment offer. 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