REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Temporary

Org. Setting and ReportingThe UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) Regional Office for Africa, based in Addis Ababa, was established in July 2019 to operationalize UNGA resolution 72/279. DCO Africa supports 53 Resident Coordinators (RCs) and UN Country Teams (UNCTs) in helping Member States deliver on national priorities, the 2030 Agenda, SDGs, and African Union Agenda 2063. Strengthened communications and advocacy are essential to share SDG progress, highlight opportunities and challenges, and present a unified UN voice for greater impact. DCO Africa provides strategic and operational support RCOs and integrated UNICs to enhance joint UN communication and advocacy and amplify policy messages and successes from the ground at regional and global levels. The Communications and Advocacy Officer leads regional campaigns and partnerships that advance DCO strategic corporate priorities, including on UN@80, Pact for the Future implementation, youth engagement, information integrity, and innovation and systems thinking. The Officer develops and implements integrated communications and advocacy strategies, applying UN policy and guidance to ensure coherence and impact across the region. They plan, organize, and coordinate campaigns and advocacy activities in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, producing creative content and materials to position DCO strategic corporate priorities, and mobilize external stakeholders to advance the SDGs. The role requires building and sustaining strong partnerships, both internally, with management, other communications specialists, and Crisis Management teams, and externally, with UN agencies, government officials, civil society, digital influencers, and media. These relationships support building and amplifying campaigns, ensuring consistent messaging, coordinating outreach and events, strengthening information integrity, and advancing the UN’s advocacy objectives. The Officer contributes to Information Integrity by monitoring and responding to online and offline threats and supporting prevention, mitigation, and crisis communications. They collaborate on the development of guidance materials, including communications and design templates, to empower staff to communicate and advocate systematically and effectively, particularly during crises and emergencies. The Officer also designs and delivers tailored training and workshops to equip internal and external stakeholders with tools to strategically communicate and advocate for the UN’s role and priorities, ensuring a holistic, inclusive, and impactful approach across communications and advocacy efforts. Responsibilities• Contribute to the development and implementation of 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. • Serve as focal point on policy and reporting and prepare inputs for strategic communications in the context of regular reporting to governmental bodies. • Participate in the development of campaign strategies to raise awareness among target audiences, mobilize support and resources in line with the organisation's policies and regulations, and drive action in support of the UN’s objectives and initiatives. • Contribute to coordination and collaboration with internal teams to identify external communications partnership opportunities that align with organisational goals and priorities. • Support the development of creative campaign concepts, content, and materials, including digital and print assets, social media posts, email communications, and multimedia content. • Promote campaigns, events and collaboration with stakeholders by organizing media engagement and coverage. • Monitor and evaluate campaign performance, providing regular reports and insights to inform future strategies and initiatives. • Support the building and maintaining relationships with existing and potential partners that can help amplify the organisation’s advocacy messages at local, national, regional, and/or international levels. • Participate in the development and coordination of strategic communications partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to reach target audiences and maximize impact. • Support coordination with partners to plan and execute joint initiatives, events, and campaigns that drive collective impact and achieve shared objectives. • Contribute to the coordination and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to develop and deliver joint outreach and advocacy activities to advance UN priorities. • Identify and maximize joint communication opportunities with partners and stakeholders. • Contribute to the identification and cataloguing of incidents and patterns of information threats. • Contribute to the development and implementation of communication and/or advocacy strategies to promote and strengthen information integrity, including through monitoring, analysing, responding to misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, hate speech, and threats across the online and offline environment, and the development of relevant partnerships with various actors. • Provide insights and analysis from traditional, social, and digital media monitoring, including public narratives and areas of reputational risk to inform communications strategy. • Contribute to crisis communications and strategic planning efforts to prepare for and respond to potential information risks. • Participate in information integrity related coordination groups and communities of practice. • Participate in the development of media lines, including in crisis situations and on sensitive issues. • Contribute to the creation and updating of policy, guidance and/or training related to strategic communications, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. • Collaborate on the production of guidance materials, including communications and design templates to empower staff to communicate in a systematic and effective way, especially during crises and emergencies. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: Demonstrated critical thinking skills. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices. Demonstrated knowledge of risks to information integrity - misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and threats in fragile, post conflict, and crisis environments. Demonstrated knowledge of Media Monitoring tools. Demonstrated knowledge of Digital Design. Demonstrated knowledge of current and emerging digital media platforms, their principles and technologies. Demonstrated knowledge of data protection and privacy standards. Demonstrated project management skills. Demonstrated knowledge of crisis communications and reputational risk management. 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. 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. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, digital communications 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 five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, international relations, or other relevant areas, is required. Ability to develop and implement communications strategies is required Skills in developing creative content are required Knowledge of Digital Design is required Ability to write for digital platforms, such as social media or websites, for an international organisation is required Skills to communicate complex and technical matters to diverse audiences are required Knowledge of crisis communications and reputational risk management is required Knowledge of risks to information integrity - misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and threats in fragile, post conflict, and crisis environments is required Ability to use media monitoring tools is required Ability to develop and implement communications partnership strategies is required LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French 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).