Background

UNDP Country Programme (2013-17) is aligned with the Government of India’s Twelfth Plan priorities and seeks to improve the effectiveness of national programmes and policies for disadvantaged regions and groups especially women, Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes, minorities, displaced persons and persons with disabilities.  UNDP’s partnership with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) under “Governance and Accelerated Livelihoods Support” aims to strengthen the effectiveness of key Ministry programmes by providing (a) technical assistance to the state government and NGOs in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha to improve sustainable livelihoods with linkages to Panchayati Raj Institutions for governance in focus districts; (b) policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and the state governments to help improve the efficiency, accountability and inclusiveness of National Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme; and (c) policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and state governments to help “green” select schemes.

According to Census 2011, India has 55 million potential workers between the ages of 15 and 35 years in rural areas. At the same time, the world is expected to face a shortage of 57 million workers by 2020. This presents a historic opportunity for India to transform India rural youth into a powerful demographic dividend that can help realize the nation’s ambitious target of skilling 500 million by 2022 and contribute to its economic growth agenda. The Ministry of Rural Development, GOI is a critical partner to this national agenda and aims to contribute to the same through the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY).

The DDU-GKY, a part of the National Rural livelihood Mission” (NRLM ), was restructured in September 2014  and launched with a revised focus on building skills of rural youth benchmarked to global standards. The DDU-GKY is a part of a long and pioneering history of skill development which saw the origin of placement-linked skill training programmes to the launch of the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana-Special Projects in 2004-05 and its evolution to DDU GKY in 2013 and its further revision to DDU-GKY.

UNDP, under the GOALS Project, provides technical support to NRLM for efficient and inclusive implementation through (a) positioning professional managers and domain experts to improve implementation at the state level; (b) strengthening the social mobilisation in favour of women from persistently excluded groups; and (c) developing and testing of context-specific, market-led, livelihood strategies that will enable institutions of the poor women to secure their role in markets and supply chains and ensure higher and sustained returns.

As part of this support, UNDP is looking for a dynamic individual for the position of Manager, Communications.

Summary of Key Functions

The Manager, Communications, work under the guidance and supervision of the Head – IEC and Programme Analyst, UNDP.  The incumbent will be primarily responsible for supporting DDU GKY in devising communication strategies, fulfilling pre- and post-communication research, facilitating and/or creating multi-media communication content and all other activities that will help to  establish DDU GKY as an aspirational brand amongst its various stakeholders including corporates, skill training and placement agencies, government , political parties, donor agencies ,  and centrally the rural youth who are the target of the programme.   The incumbent will work towards attainment of the results envisaged by DDU GKY to the required standards of quality and within the constraints of time and cost.

For this, s/he will ensure that DDU GKY:

  •  Delivers on its objectives; and
  •  Achieves its goals at state and district levels.

 S/he will undertake any other task assigned by DDU GKY and UNDP.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Manager Communication Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) will be will play a key role in ensuring that DDU GKY is recognised as a benchmark programme in the skilling sector and maintains high reputation/visibility amongst its partners and stakeholders.

Thematic Responsibilities:

  • Support the continual development and execution of a strong and effective communication and outreach programme to meet the objectives of DDU GKY;
  • Build demand for DDU GKY amongst the rural youth of poor families and amongst employers and skilling and placement partners;
  • Facilitate content creation, design and management in all of DDU GKY communication channels including digital, print, multi-media  and social media;
  • Create and manage production of all types of communication materials such as brochures, newsletters, presentations, briefing notes for senior officers , media releases and others;
  • Plan and manage research interventions including recruiting of research professionals/teams to investigate and report on the efficiency and efficacy of various programmatic actions;
  • Be the custodian of DDU GKY knowledge repository;
  • Liaise and coordinate with all teams at HQ and states to prepare periodic knowledge works  , communication and marketing materials including collation of Best Practices;
  • Provide support to the partnership team;
  • Organize Events, meets , workshops and participate in meets to promote DDU GKY;
  • Also help develop plans to facilitate smooth internal communication including use of effective online collaboration tools for dispersed teams as well as learning and development initiative of internal teams;
  • Other tasks that may be assigned from time to time. 

Operational Responsibilities:

  • Facilitate or support development of strategic and annual action plans for the Unit as well as resource plans;
  • Develop and maintain adequate databases of relevant stakeholders to facilitate thematic delivery of DDU GKY;
  • Develop TORs and procurement documents for contracting communication and marketing agencies;
  • Supervise timely and effective deliverables from contracts;
  • Provide technical support to state  and national teams through knowledge sharing reports, organising  events and workshops;
  • Plan and implement research interventions/pre- and post-communication interventions;
  • Ensure timely and effective preparation of Budgets for the Unit, monitor budgets and related financial reporting;
  • Design, develop and disseminate related outreach materials;
  • Fulfil reporting requirements of the programme for the unit;
  • Any other related matter.   

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

  • Knowledge about media planning, research, optimization and implementation programmes;
  • Knowledge about research strategies, methodologies, tools & techniques – in both off-line and on-line context;
  • Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and  different  communication media;
  • Good communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, with an ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
  • Ability to work independently and also effectively with in teams.

Building Strategic Partnerships:

  • Peoples’ orientation and the ability to work with people;
  • Establish, build and sustain effective relationships, partnerships and alliances, advocate effectively and communicate sensitively;
  • Strong networks across diverse sectors at leadership levels;
  • Result-orientation and ability to develop strategic approaches;
  • Identifies problems and propose solutions;
  • Demonstrates extremely strong influencing and facilitation skills.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

  • Generates new ideas and approaches, researches best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
  • Builds staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
  • Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Self-Management:

  • Demonstrates/safeguards ethics and integrity;
  • Works as a team member;
  • Ability to work independently and under pressure;
  • Schedules activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources; monitors performance against development and other objectives and corrects deviations from the course;
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Graduate degree in Mass Communication, Journalism and other specific IEC (market research, advertising, etc.) fields.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 4-5 years of experience in mass media and/or communications.  Similar experience in education/occasional training/skilling sector would be an asset;
  • Minimum one year’s experience in managing a sustained communication programme in branding in any sector;
  • Experience in handling PR / marketing events;
  • Proven experience in design and development of communication content for newsletters, brochures, presentations or website;
  • Experience in orienting / training / counselling of students and prospective clients;
  • Experience in internal communication strategies and activities;
  • Experience of IEC in development sector would be an asset.  

Language:

  • Fluency in English and Hindi is essential;
  • Knowledge of regional language(s) would be an asset.

Travel:

  • Willingness to travel.

Remuneration package is Rs. 60,005/-  per month (taxable). UNDP also offers additional benefits which include medical insurance coverage and limited pension reimbursement for contract holder and encourages work life balance.

UNDP strives to have a workforce which reflects diversity and gender balance, and applies an equal opportunities approach. UNDP does not solicit or screen for information in respect of HIV or AIDS status. All selection is on merit.