Background

Raising awareness of UNDP’s role in the country, positioning the Organization as a trusted and credible development partner and mobilizing resources are important priorities for the Country Office. Under the guidance and direct supervision of the External Relations Advisor, the Communications Specialist implements the corporate communications strategy, designs, manages and facilitates the implementation of the Country Office communications and publication strategies with a view to influence the development agenda, to promote public and media outreach and to mobilize political and financial support for UNDP Iraq.

The Communications Specialist supervises and leads the communications staff of the Country Office and has a strong regular working relationship with the Regional Communications Manager. The Communications Specialist also works in close collaboration with the Business Development, Programme and Operations teams, staff of other UN Country Team in Iraq, UNDP HQs staff (Communications Office) and Government officials, international and local media, subject matter experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society ensuring successful UNDP communication strategy implementation.

A communications strategy tightly linked to program priorities helps position the Country Office in key development markets as a thought leader in ways that boost demand for various service lines and increase overall business opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures planning and design of internal and external strategies for communications and outreach focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Planning and elaboration of communications’ needs assessments for CO (projects, country programme and corporate change initiatives, etc);
• Elaboration of the CO communications and outreach strategy based on the corporate communications strategy;
• Constructive and timely advice on inclusion of communications components in programme formulations to integrate advocacy and communication strategies into all aspects of UNDP Iraq’s development programme.

Ensures elaboration and implementation of the CO publications strategy and plan focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Elaboration and implementation of the CO publications strategy and plan based on the corporate publications policy;
• Identification and development of storylines for publications and substantive articles contributing to debates on key development issues;
• Coordination and management of all CO event, publication and web activities, including content management, norms for photography, video production, publishing, design, liaison with printers and other suppliers to oversee production and supervision of publications dissemination.

Supervises the design and maintenance of the UNDP Iraq web site, CO intranet, CO web-based knowledge management system focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Design of the office web sites based on corporate requirements in cooperation with the ICT staff and New York Communications office;
• Supervision and preparation of the content for the web sites ensuring consistency and standard of the materials.

Supports the business development focusing on achievement of the following results:

Launches and campaigns:

• Creation and promotion of campaigns to local and regional media that position UNDP Iraq and influences the development agenda based on current programme and new initiatives;
• Management, promotion and dissemination of corporate advocacy materials for launching flagship initiatives and publications such as the Human Development Report;
• Creation, promotion and maintenance of public information campaigns on UNDP activities, results of MDGs, UN Reform, etc. in association with other staff from Programme Teams;
• Development of a UNDP events calendar, ensuring that major events are identified early and relevant programme teams’ messages and information material are focused and effective.

Outreach:

• Promotional activities to position UNDP Iraq as a leader within the development space;
• Increased coverage and understanding of the UNDP Iraq’s work in the country or practice area through development and maintenance of media contacts and providing newsworthy information to national public and donors;
• Formatting, packaging and submission of programme initiatives for donor review in close collaboration with programme staff;
• Development and maintenance of close contacts with government officials, civil society and private sector for implementation of the communications strategy, organization of roundtable discussions, press conferences, briefing sessions, interviews, launches, etc;
• Identification of outreach opportunities around VIP visits, global, regional and national report launches and around other knowledge products;
• Use of social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to reach audiences with specially developed information material that is suitable and relevant for such sites;
• Forging of a “one UN” image through publicizing the significance of local UN reform efforts, joint programme, and common services. Organization and implementation of joint UN information campaigns (UN Day, World Environment Day, etc.);
• Ensured access for journalists to subject matter experts;
• Regular newsletter to donors, donor reports, civic education and community awareness where appropriate to support projects;
• Support to CO resource mobilization efforts, including maintenance of updated donor profiles.

Public information:

• Effective responses to inquiries for public information materials;
• Innovative and creative solutions to sensitive or corporately strategic public communications issues;
• Advocacy and promotion of UNDP Iraq mandate, mission and purpose.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country goals and activities;
• Monitor practices, and project-specific news and developments in order to ensure guidance to the office that reflects the best and most current available information;
• Provides advice and support to UNDP inputs to CCA, UNDAF, CPD and other documents;
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories;
• Organization and provision of training, consultancy and advice to UNDP staff on communications.

Ensures effective management of the Communication Office and supervision of the Communications team focusing on achieving the following results:

• Effective management of the Communications Office, including preparation of the work plan, management of translations and contractual matters.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Building and promoting effective teams;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
• Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda:

• Creates effective advocacy strategies;
• Contributes to the elaboration of advocacy strategies by identifying and prioritizing audiences and communication means;
• Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

• Sensitizes UN Partners, donors and other international organizations to the UNDP’s strategic agenda, identifying areas for joint efforts;
• Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

• Understands more advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines;
• Continues to seeks new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;
• Excellent English writing and editing skills and a demonstrated ability to clearly communicate development ideas and experiences;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Creating Visibility for UNDP/Supporting UNDP’s Capacity to Advocate:

• Develops promotional activities based on monitoring/evaluation information identifying areas requiring higher visibility;
• Develops messages for use by UNDP staff when working with partners, internationally and nationally;
• Reviews documents and materials intended for use within and outside the organization in order to ensure consistency and validity of messages.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals:

• Creates effective global advocacy messages/strategies;
• Contributes to the elaboration of a global advocacy strategy by identifying and prioritizing audiences and messages.

Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise:

• Leverages different experiences and expertise of team members to achieve better and more innovative outcomes.

Client Orientation:

• Anticipates client needs;
• Works towards creating an enabling environment for a smooth relationship between the clients and service provider;
• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master's degree in communications, media relations, journalism, publishing, social science, economic development or related field.

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in journalism or in corporate communications;
• Solid understanding of development issues;
• Experience in conceptualizing and managing the production of printed materials, including detailed reports;
• Experience in developing video and photographic materials in-house and in commissioning films;
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing communication and/or media outreach plans in support of overall corporate goals;
• Demonstrated experience in developing content that clearly communicates development ideas and experiences for 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.

Language:

• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken).