Consultant on Strategic Communications and Institutional Positioning

Result of Service

The Consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables: 1. Draft a report on Strategic Landscape and Forward Positioning, mapping the institutional, regional and intellectual terrain ESCWA will speak into, identifying the openings created by UN80, UN 2.0, Arab Vision 2045 operationalization, and the lead-in to the SDG Summit 2027, with recommendations on where ESCWA should claim leadership. 2. Prepare an Institutional Positioning Framework document (2026 to 2030), on ESCWA’s distinctive voice, signature themes, and value proposition under the new Executive Secretary, built with contemporary place and nation branding methods (competitive identity, reputation over promotion, narrative-led positioning), anchored in UN80, Arab Vision 2045, and the 2030 Agenda. 3. Draft Editorial Line materials for the Executive Secretary (reference documents) setting out voice, key messages, recurring framings, and intellectual anchors across the term. 4. Design the Road Flagship, a practical roadmap covering the build-up to the flagship convening, with strategic communication priorities, narrative arc, and key milestones. 5. Prepare the AI Flagship and Communications Blueprint. The regional AI position and Just Financing for AI connected to the strategic narrative and to the fast-moving regional and global AI agenda; a practical plan for AI-enabled communication, multilingual production, and capacity across the 21 Member States; and a measurement layer that benchmarks reputation and narrative reach so positioning rests on evidence. Includes one finished pilot output. 6. Develop the Communication Design System. An evolution of ESCWA’s look and feel into a coherent design system that works across Arabic, English and French, meets accessibility standards, and stays within the UN visual identity guidelines, applied across the Commission’s reports, digital channels, and the Executive Secretary’s outputs. Attribution of Authorship The intellectual property of the outputs delivered from this consultancy remains the property of UN ESCWA.

Work Location

Hybrid: UN-House/Remote

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Background and Objective The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is entering a new strategic phase, taking place within a rapidly evolving multilateral and regional context. In this regard, ESCWA seeks to strengthen its strategic communications, institutional positioning, and regional narrative coherence to reinforce its leadership role and amplify impact across its 21 Member States. The Commission’s communications need to position ESCWA to lead through this window. The region is navigating compound transitions (climate adaptation, post-conflict recovery, fiscal stress, demographic change, and digital and AI transformation) that cross every line of policy and every Member State. Key institutional and regional developments include: • The evolution of the UN development system, including ongoing reform initiatives (e.g. UN 2.0 and regional coordination platforms). • Progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including preparations for forthcoming global milestones such as the SDG Summit 2027. • Arab Vision 2045, jointly developed with the League of Arab States as well as the advancement of Arab regional development frameworks, including long-term strategic visions. • Increasingly complex regional dynamics, including economic, environmental, technological, and social transitions. The objective of this consultancy is to design and draft several high-level and impactful communication strategies and reports as outlined below. 2. Duties and Responsibilities The Senior Consultant will be responsible for the outputs to support ESCWA for following plans and results: • Position ESCWA to lead through the period to the March 2027 flagship with one coherent narrative spanning strategy, institutional positioning, and regional cooperation. • Voice the region across the cross-cutting themes that span the Commission’s mandate (climate and resilience, financing and recovery, gender and youth, statistics and digital, the 2030 Agenda) into a coherent position carried on behalf of the 21 Member States. • Connect the substantive flagship initiatives, including the regional position on artificial intelligence and Just Financing for AI, to the broader strategic narrative. The flagships are anchors, not the whole brief. • Apply contemporary place and nation branding methods, the reputation-and-substance school rather than promotional image-making, to ESCWA’s institutional positioning and to Member-State development narratives. • Bring contemporary technology and tools into the communications function itself, multiplying reach, multilingual production, and capacity across 21 Member States. • Build the road to the March 2027 flagship as the demonstration moment of the new positioning, with milestones, narrative arc, and clear divisions of responsibility between the Office of the Executive Secretary, the External Relations and Communications Division, and the substantive Clusters.

Qualifications/special skills

A Master’s degree or equivalent in communications, international relations, public policy, or a related field is required. A Bachelor’s degree will also be accepted with two additional years of experience required in addition to the experience requirements below. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of 10 years (or 12 years for bachelor’s degree holders) of progressively responsible experience in, Strategic communications; Institutional positioning and narrative development; Public sector, international organizations, or comparable environments is required. Demonstrated experience in High-level advisory roles is required. Communication strategies for senior leadership is required. Working in multicultural and multilateral contexts is required. Experience in the Arab region is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Note: " Fluency" equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas ( speak, read, write, and understand) and " knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.