COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER (Crisis) Temporary

Org. Setting and ReportingTo ensure a United Nations that is fit-for-purpose to deliver on the ambition of the SDGs, the General Assembly adopted the most far-reaching development reforms in the history of the organization in May 2018. At the core of resolution 72/279 was the establishment of a reinvigorated, independent, impartial, and empowered Resident Coordinator (RC) system to support a new generation of UN country teams (UNCTs). The Communications Officer will lead the development and execution of a forward-looking communications strategy for the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), amplifying the UN’s recovery and development agenda in Ukraine. This includes targeted engagement with government counterparts, local communities, UN agencies, and international partners to position the UN as a trusted and effective partner on the ground. Chairing and working in close collaboration with the UN Communications Group (UNCG), the Communications Officer will ensure coherent and aligned messaging across the UN system—complementing humanitarian communications while strategically amplifying efforts on resilience and sustainable development. The role also supports the DGC-led UNCG Crisis Communications Cell for Ukraine and strengthens media engagement at national, regional, and international levels. Anchored in the principles of UN 2.0, the incumbent will drive communications that go beyond visibility—enabling policy influence, strengthening public trust, and supporting resource mobilization. By linking data and results to compelling storytelling, and integrating foresight and behavioral science where relevant, the role reinforces multilateralism and showcases the UN’s value add as a trusted partner on the ground. Responsibilities• Provide analysis and advice to the management and/or UN colleagues on strategic communications issues such as opportunities for proactive communications, building support, managing crises and reputational risks, and strengthening information integrity. • Provide insights and analysis from traditional, social, and digital media monitoring, including public narratives and areas of reputational risk to inform communications strategy. • Develop and implement communications strategies that raise awareness, drive engagement, build support and have measurable impact with target audiences. • Draft compelling narratives and messaging on the work of the UN that engage target audiences across different channels and platforms. • Develop media lines, including in crisis situations and on sensitive issues. • Draft and produce communications products, such as press releases, press statements, web stories, reports and infographics. • Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver joint outreach and advocacy activities to advance UN priorities. • Serve as focal point on policy and reporting and prepare inputs for strategic communications in the context of regular reporting to governmental bodies. • Collect and analyse data to identify trends and or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning decision-making, presentation and reporting. • Manage and coordinate the activities of the team, including hiring, training, assigning tasks and responsibilities, evaluating performance and ensuring that deadlines are met. • Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture. • Advise on public narratives to support senior management decision-making and to steer the communications strategy. • Monitor developing events to identify emerging crises and reputational risks. • Manage insights and analysis based on the monitoring of traditional, social, and digital media, including on risks to information integrity such as trends in mis and disinformation. • Manage the coordination of the crisis communications response with the communications stakeholders at the local, regional, and global levels, including the crisis communications cell and UN Communications Group in country. • Support the development of policy, guidance and training on crisis communications and reputational risk. • Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies. • Create and manage compelling and relevant content for websites, create and moderate engaging and platform-optimized content for social media channels, including live content tailored for digital platforms to advance digital communications priorities and campaigns. • Develop approaches to analyse, monitor and report social media, web, and other digital content to measure results, inform content creation and adjust ongoing initiatives. • Develop and implement social media strategies that measurably raise awareness of UN work with target audiences. • Oversee development and maintenance of the organization's website, ensuring it remains up-to-date, user-friendly and accessible. • Draft and edit clear, concise business intelligence and insights reports on communications outcomes and trends for key stakeholders, including on reputation risks and crisis communications. • Develop recommendations on digital media content and engagement strategies for key stakeholders based on data insights. • Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies. • Coordinate and promote feedback mechanisms that capture staff views and sentiments including surveys, polls and discussion forums, in coordination with management and subject matter experts. • Support management in fostering a safe working environment and a constructive workplace culture, through targeted campaigns and awareness- raising, team building and facilitation. • Develop and implement media relations strategies to shape public perceptions of the UN, its work and impact. • Manage the development of news-driven, authoritative and accurate content to lead the organization’s narrative, such as press releases, statements, op ed, and articles. • Prepare talking points, key messages, and data for media interviews to shape public perceptions of the UN work and its impact. • Monitor, analyse, and report on communications approaches, activities and strategies to assess their performance and effectiveness. • Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver joint outreach and advocacy activities to advance UN priorities. • Develop creative campaign concepts, content, and materials, including digital and print assets, social media posts, email communications and multimedia content. • Build and maintain relationships with existing and potential partners that can help amplify the organization's advocacy messages at local, national, regional and or/international levels. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: Demonstrated experience in communications, public information or journalism at the international level. Demonstrated ability to write for digital platforms such a social media or websites for an international audience organization. Demonstrated skills in developing creative content. Demonstrated Knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices. Demonstrated skills to conduct research such as systematic data collection and analysis of information from various sources. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and proficiency in 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. LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. 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. TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent or significant comparable professional practice) in communications, journalism, public information, international relations, or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public information, or journalism, including at least five (5) years at the international level, is required. Demonstrated experience working in politically sensitive and crisis-affected settings is required. Demonstrated skill in developing creative content is required. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices is required. Experience in conducting research, including systematic data collection and analysis from various sources, is desirable. Demonstrated ability to give constructive feedback is desirable. Demonstrated knowledge of the current and emerging digital media platforms, their principles and technologies is desirable. Demonstrated skills to communicate complex and technical matters to diverse audiences is desirable. Demonstrated critical thinking skills are desirable. Demonstrated ability to write for digital platforms such as social media and websites targeting national and international audiences is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Russian is desirable. 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).