UNV Jobs - 38621- Communications Assistant

Communications Assistant

Advertised on behalf of

UNV

Location :

Bonn, GERMANY

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

15-Jul-13 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

GS-5

Duration of Initial Contract :

1 year initially

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

18 months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

United Nations Volunteers Programme
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity.

UNV engaged 6,807 UN Volunteers in 2012, on a total of 6,912 assignments. With an average age of 38 years and the requisite professional skills and qualifications of some 5 to 10 years relevant experience, UN volunteers served in 127 countries in 2012 and came themselves from 159. The majority – 79 per cent – come from developing countries themselves. One third of UN volunteers served in their own countries, with the others carrying out international assignments. The financial equivalent of programme activities exceeds US$220 million annually.

UNV is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and has approximately 150 staff positions – with the majority in Bonn and some positions with different UN peacekeeping and political missions, and in other Headquarters locations (e.g. New York and Tokyo). The major organizational groups within UNV are:

The Office of the Executive Coordinator (OEC) comprising the Evaluation Unit (EU) and the Corporate Planning and Performance Unit (CPPU);
The Volunteer Programming and Management Group (VPMG) comprising the Peace Division (PD) and the Development Division (DD), Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section (VRRS), Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section (VKIS);
The Partnerships and Communications Division (PCD) comprising the Partnerships Section (PS) and the Communications Section (CS);
The Management Services Division (MSD) comprising the Information and Communication Technology Section (ICTS), Finance Section (FS), Human Resources Section (HRS), and the Administration Unit (AU). Additionally the Common Services Unit (CSU) provides support to the UN presence in Bonn.

Organizational setting:
The Communications Section focuses on clear and effective messaging to increase the visibility and impact of UNV. It documents the status of volunteerism and its contribution to development, raises awareness of volunteerism and its contribution to development among UNV stakeholders, encourages support of volunteerism for development, including observation of IVD, and produces and promotes materials (websites, annual reports, videos, etc.) to highlight UNV’s support for volunteerism for development and its contribution to partners’ development and programming objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief, Communications Section, the Communications Assistant supports the implementation of the communications strategy and its managerial project, Modern Corporate and Stakeholder Communications, of the Section to increase the standing and awareness of UNV with partners, the media and the public. The Communications Assistant promotes a client-oriented approach within UNV and with Field Units by supporting the service model for the Section.

The Communications Assistant works closely with Common Services and Administration Units to assist with all financial and procurement documentation and organization of administrative tasks.

Specific duties include the following:

1. Support to implementation of communications and advocacy strategies

Supports the implementation of the Communications Section annual work-plan and its managerial project entitled “Modern Corporate and Stakeholder Communications”.
Review of translations, contacts with printers and other suppliers to ensure production.
Maintains the Section and project work-plan timeline on an electronic calendar and project management software.
Prepares, updates and post, when needed, items and content to the corporate websites and social-media channels.
Maintenance of information database and photo library.
Assists in the preparation of presentation and briefing materials.
Assists with extraction and research of data from various sources- including follow-up with Field Units, in-house Sections/ Divisions and external stakeholders as requested.

2. Administrative support

Supports all administrative tasks of the managerial project – with special emphasis on procurement procedures, service and work-plan flows and administrative/ budget tools.
Budgetary support in Atlas as required, including creation of vendors.
Provides logistical support for missions, events and outreach for corporate communications of the organization.
Provides all other administrative support as required to the Chief, Communications Section and team.

3. Other related duties that may be assigned.

Competencies

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda

Supports in identifying opportunities for Communications Section and UNV corporate communications.

Building Strategic Partnerships

Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates same in own work
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Creating Visibility for UNV/Supporting UNV’s Capacity to Advocate

Collects and disseminates information on UNV focus areas

Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise

Responds positively to new approaches

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

Uses information/databases/other management systems

Client Orientation

Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines
Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients
Responds to client needs promptly

Core Competencies:

Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity
Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
Self-development, initiative-taking
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Creating synergies through self-control
Managing conflict
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Completed secondary education. Undergraduate university degree in administration or communications is desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

A minimum of five years of relevant communications, public relations and administrative experience.
Experience with social-media and web-site content is an asset.
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).
Experience in handling of web-based management systems.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in spoken and written English and good knowledge of German is required.

Applications should be submitted on line and include an up to date UNDP Personal History Form (P11) posted at http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The successful candidate will hold a UNDP letter of appointment.

This post is subject to local recruitment; therefore only candidates that have established residency in Germany are eligible to be considered. UNDP/UNV doesn’t provide any assistance for travel and relocation to Bonn.