Background
The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is an autonomous institution within the United Nations that conducts independent research on disarmament and related problems, particularly international security issues. UNIDIR’s vision is a stable and more secure world in which States and people are protected from threats of arms-related violence. UNIDIR’s role is to support Member States, the United Nations, and policy and research communities in advancing ideas and actions that contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. The Institute is based in the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
UNIDIR’s Strategic Communications team is seeking an Associate Digital Communications Specialist to support the Institute’s digital outreach by managing website content, coordinating and delivering email campaigns, and implementing social media content. Under the supervision of the Head of Communications, the Associate Digital Communications Specialist will play a key role in ensuring that UNIDIR’s research, events and institutional messages are published accurately, consistently and in a timely manner across UNIDIR’s digital platforms.
The Associate Digital Communications Specialist will work closely with programme teams to gather inputs; prepare and upload content; and support coordinated dissemination across web, email and social channels.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Head of Communications, the Associate Digital Communications Specialist will be responsible for the following duties:
- Website management
- Manage day‑to‑day website content updates, ensuring accuracy, layout consistency and adherence to UNIDIR’s branding and accessibility standards.
- Upload, format and optimize content including publications, events, news, multimedia assets and institutional updates.
- Copyedit and proofread web content for clarity, grammar, readability and alignment with UNIDIR’s style.
- Ensure timely publication schedules based on input from research programmes.
2. Email campaigns and direct digital outreach
- Draft, design and distribute email campaigns including newsletters, event invitations, and institutional updates.
- Manage mailing lists, segmentation and compliance with relevant data-protection requirements.
- Coordinate content inputs with programme teams and ensure accuracy before dissemination.
- Ensure consistency of tone, messaging and visual identity across all communication outputs.
3. Social media implementation
- Execute UNIDIR’s social media strategy across platforms (LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.).
- Draft, edit, schedule and publish engaging posts promoting publications, events and initiatives.
- Produce or adapt visual content (graphics, banners, short clips) in line with brand templates.
- Maintain content calendars and ensure coordination with programme teams.
4. Other duties
- Support institutional communications initiatives and campaigns as required.
- Perform any other related responsibilities as needed.
Competencies
The Associate Digital Communications Specialist is to demonstrate the core values of the United Nations: Professionalism, Integrity and Respect for Diversity. In addition, the following competences are essential:
- Communication: Identifies the information needs of target audiences and tailors communication accordingly, drafts clearly and concisely, good written and oral language skills, demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
- Creativity: Actively seeks to improve activities or services, offers new and different options to solve problems, takes an interest in new ideas and ways of doing things, is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
- Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from different national and cultural backgrounds to achieve organizational goals.
- Planning and organizing: Uses time efficiently, foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning, monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary to ensure tasks are completed.
- Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients’ and seeks to understand and reflect the clients’ points of view in their work.
Qualifications
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in communications, marketing, digital media, multimedia production or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience
- Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible experience in digital communications, website management, or related fields is required.
- Proven experience managing CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress or similar) is required.
- Experience designing and executing email campaigns using recognized platforms (e.g., Mailchimp or similar) is required.
- Experience in implementing social media strategies for organizations is required.
- Experience analyzing digital performance metrics (Google Analytics, social media insights, email analytics) is desirable.
- Experience with multimedia content creation or basic graphic design (e.g. Canva, Photoshop) is desirable.
- Experience in the UN system or an international organization is an asset.
Skills
- Familiarity with project management tools such as Trello, using it to track tasks, deadlines and collaboration across teams.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), with advanced skills in organizing and presenting information.
- Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities with exceptional attention to detail and organization.
Languages
- For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.
- Knowledge of French and other official UN languages is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by an interview.
Screening questions
- Do you have at least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in digital communications, website management?
- Have you managed website content using a CMS platform (e.g., WordPress or similar)?
- Do you have experience designing and executing email campaigns (using platforms such as Mailchimp or similar)?
- Do you have experience implementing social media strategies for an organization (not personal accounts)?
- Do you have experience analyzing digital performance metrics (e.g., Google Analytics, social media insights, email analytics)?
How to apply
To apply for the Associate Digital Communications Specialist role, candidates should submit:
- Cover letter
- PDF of a UN Administrative Profile created via Inspira (guide)
- Answers to screening questions
- Three relevant work samples
- Name and contact details of three references
Applications should be sent as a single PDF file attachment (titled SURNAME_Name_PHP), with the subject line “Application: Associate Digital Communications Specialist” to unidir.recruitment@un.org. Please include your earliest start date. No applications will be accepted by post. Deadline for submission of applications is 10 March 2026. Closing date is midnight Geneva time.
Send to
unidir.recruitment@un.org
Subject line
Application: Associate Digital Communications Specialist
Please note Please note that due to the high volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
