Background

UNDP supports stabilization, state building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels. UNDP has played a key role in the management of the Law and Order Trust Fund, which supports the Government in developing and maintaining the national police force and in efforts to stabilize the internal security environment. Major demobilization, disarmament and rehabilitation and area-based livelihoods and reconstruction programmes have taken place nationwide. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Position UNDP as a credible and trusted development partner and thought leader in the country by implementing a well thought out communications strategy for outreach at the national level.
• Supports business development efforts by ensuring that all UNDP communication products for development partners are well presented, results focused, informative, clear and concise.
• To ensure greater awareness about the organisation’s development approaches, its work in the country and the impact of its work, the Communications Analyst maintains contact with national media and contributes to the effective use of social media.
• To raise awareness about UNDP’s work and to ensure transparency and accountability: in the public domain the Communications Analyst supports the production of relevant and current project related information products and edits inputs from projects so that the CO’s website is regularly updated.

• Supports the implementation of the CO communications strategy in close consultation with the Communication Specialist and communication focal points to position UNDP as a trusted development partner in the Afghan development arena.
• Works proactively with programme and project teams to identify opportunities for capturing and sharing knowledge, and disseminating information about major progress and results.
• Identifies outreach opportunities at the national level around VIP visits, report launches and around other knowledge products.
• Contributes to the maintenance of a UNDP events calendar, ensuring that major events are identified early; supports senior management and relevant programme teams to develop and manage messages and information material to ensure the success of major events.
• Based on this, assists in the development of the Communications Unit annual work plan and budget to realize these opportunities in a timely manner.
• Makes adjustments in his/her work plan to include unforeseen opportunities as well as changes in programme work plans.
• Assists the Communication Specialist in positioning UNDP as a leader in the relevant joint advocacy initiatives of the UN Country Team through the UN Communications Group.

• Ensure communications products like information kits, UNDP Results Pages, donor brochures, posters, and project films are well presented, results focused, informative, clear and concise in Dari, Pashto and English.

• Develops and maintains contacts with key national and sub-national print and electronic media (including radio, TV, news websites and blogs) to supply them with newsworthy material about UNDP’s work in the country.
• Ensures that all outreach information material to be used by the media is written in a way that concepts and issues can be readily understood by the public;
• Works with local media partners in Kabul and the provinces to promote, pro-bono if possible, UNDP’s global advocacy campaigns.
• Researches and identifies human interest stories, writes and edits press releases, and feature stories within tight timeframes which consistently meet agreed corporate standards.
• Contributes to the use of CO’s website and social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to reach audiences with specially developed information material that is suitable and relevant for such sites in English, Dari and Pashto.
• Assists in the organization of press conferences and press briefings when required.
• Assists in the organization of project visits for media when required to see development results or actions taken in post crisis situations.
• Mentors and advises programme staff to ensure that media messages are on target.
• Monitors media coverage and provides senior management with a regular overview of relevant issues discussed in national media.
• The Communications Officer, in close consultation with the Communication Specialist, contributes to responding promptly to any adverse media reports about the organization and its work in the country.

• The Communications Analyst supports the production of relevant and current project related information products and edits inputs from projects so that the CO’s website is regularly updated.
• Contributes to video and b-roll productions and/or commissions films for capturing project results/issues for UNDP and other websites like YouTube. Also mentors programme staff to produce project videos and b-roll for external audiences.
• Responsible for updating country office factsheets for the website on a regular basis.
• Establishes and manages a system for translating corporate communication content into Dari and Pashto as required.
• Contributes to the maintenance of a photo database that contains images expressive of the issues, actions and results UNDP is working on in the country.
• He/she is responsible for the efficient use of the funds allocated for communication purposes. Serves as Atlas level 2 approving manager.

Impact of Results:

 The key results are aimed at boosting the ability of UNDP to engage key stakeholders to support and/or take forward efforts, leading to better results in terms of programme outcomes and outputs of UNDP in the country. The key results also have an impact on effective communication and dissemination of information about the role and impact of UNDP in the country. This helps UNDP in galvanizing resources and support for its work. The key results also have an impact on the ability of the Organization to meet its transparency and accountability requirements.

 

Competencies

• Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating

• Maintains a functioning network of contacts with a variety of stakeholders to promote a better understanding of UNDP’s mandate and to support advocacy efforts

• Maintains an established network of contacts for general information sharing and to remain up-to-date on partnership related issues.
• Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders
• Establishes and nurtures positive communication with partners
• Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things
• Documents and analyses innovative strategies and new approaches

• Understands and applies fundamental concepts and principles of a professional discipline or technical specialty relating to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks
• Analyzes the requirements and synthesizes proposals
• 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

• Promotes awareness of UNDP’s centrally to development through dissemination of information and materials
• Maintains networks and knowledge assets for use in visibility and image activities

• Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences
• Maintains a functioning network of contacts in the media, to promote a better understanding of UNDP’s mandate and to support advocacy efforts

• Researches potential solutions to internal and external client needs and reports back in a timely, succinct 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

• 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

• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

• Masters’ degree or Bachelors’ degree in communications, journalism, media and development studies, social sciences or a multi-disciplinary area relevant to the terms of reference.

• With Master’s degree 2 years and with Bachelor’s degree 4 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in the media, communications or advocacy.
• Solid understanding of development issues.
• Excellent English, Dari and Pashto writing and editing skills and a demonstrated ability to clearly communicate development ideas and experiences to different audiences.
• Experience in conceptualizing and managing the production of printed materials, including detailed reports.
• Experience in developing video materials in-house and in commissioning films.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing communication and/or media outreach strategies in support of overall corporate goals.
• Demonstrated experience in developing content that clearly communicates the impact of UNDP work in Afghanistan for traditional and social media, web, print production and audio-visual productions.
• Experience in overseeing translations work.
• Competent with office software packages, including power-point, excel, basic design software. 

Fluency in English, Dari and Pashto are required for the post.

Interested and qualified national Afghan candidates should apply on-line through the UNDP Jobs site at http://www.undp.org.af/Jobs/index.htm and please ensure that to fill up and upload Personal History Form-P.11 which is available at http://www.undp.org.af/Jobs/index.htm  in the relevant field of the on-line application

Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date (22 Feb 214) not be given consideration. Please note that only applications who are short-listed will be contacted.

For more detailed information about UNDP Afghanistan please visit our website at www.undp.org.af  

 The vacancy announcement is open only for Afghan national(s) applicants

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply