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 Coordination Office (RCO) in Male, Maldives, under the direct supervision of the Head of the Resident Coordinator Office.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible of the following duties: • 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. • Contribute to the implementation of communications strategies that raise awareness, drive engagement, build support and have measurable impact with target audiences. • Contribute to drafting narratives and messaging on the work of the UN that engage target audiences across different channels and platforms. • Contribute to media mapping, reaching out to and fostering relationships with traditional and new media outlets. • Contribute to the development of media lines, including in crisis situations and on sensitive issues. • Contribute to the planning and coordination of press conferences, briefings, and media events. • Act as a spokesperson for the organisation, when required. • Contribute to the creation of compelling content that is optimized to reach target audiences across a range of platforms and channels. • Contribute to the drafting and production of communications products, such as press releases, press statements, web stories, reports, and infographics. • Contribute to the development and implementation of communications campaigns that engage and have measurable impact with target audiences through appropriate channels and platforms. • Contribute to development and coordination of strategic communications partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to reach target audiences and maximize impact. • Contribute to the delivery of in-person outreach and advocacy strategies and campaigns to engage target audiences and advance UN priorities. • Contribute to the creation of content, interviews, news and programming for UN and/or community radio channels and podcasts. • Contribute to the creation and updating of policy, guidance and/or training related to strategic communications, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. • Assist in the preparation of reporting and inputs for strategic communications in the context of regular reporting to governmental bodies. • Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies • Maintain confidentiality, integrity, and discreet handling of sensitive information in compliance with the UN data privacy, security requirements, and standards. • Monitor, analyse, and report on communications approaches, activities and strategies to assess their performance and effectiveness. • Contribute to the collection and analysis of data as well as 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. • Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Critical thinking skills; Public speaking skills; Knowledge of digital design. Presentation skills. 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. 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. 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.

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 demonstrating ability to develop and implement communications strategies is required. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices is required. Demonstrated ability to draft and tailor clear messages for diverse audiences is desirable. Demonstrated skills in developing creative content is desirable. Demonstrated knowledge of current and emerging digital media platforms, their principles and technologies is desirable. Demonstrated skills to conduct research such as systematic data collection and analysis of information from various sources is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Dhivehi is 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 IIDhivehiUN 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 or teleconference. Special Notice This is a Temporary Job Opening. Appointment against this position is available UNTIL 30 November 2026 and does not carry any expectancy, legal or otherwise, of renewal. Extension of appointment is subject to legislative body funding availability. 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 MALDIVES 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, Maldives nationals residing elsewhere may be considered, in which case the candidate would be responsible for any costs related to traveling and relocating to Maldives in the event of an employment offer. 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. 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