Background
REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries) is a global policy initiative to address threats from climate change. The goal of REDD+ is to prevent forest degradation and deforestation, and promote forest conservation through results-based payments to developing countries.
The World Bank established the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) in 2008 to provide support to developing countries to prepare for REDD+ implementation. UNDP has been selected as a delivery partner for the implementation of the FCPF REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) project in Cambodia. The project document was signed by the Forestry Administration of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and UNDP in December 2013.
The FCPF project in Cambodia aims to develop and enhance the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) capacity to identify and address key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and to deliver concrete national actions on emission reduction by establishing a mechanism of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV). The Forest Administration (FA) as the lead executing agency will implement the project over a period of three years, from December 2013 until December 2016, under the National Implementation Modality (NIM) of the UNDP.
Duties and Responsibilities
The National Communications Officer will work under the direct supervision of the National Project Advisor and reports progress of work to both National Project Manager (NPM) in FA and the National Project Advisor (NPA). The National Communications Officer will be based at the FA and work closely with the REDD+ Taskforce Secretariat. The National Communications Officer will perform the following four key functions:
- Provide strategic guidance to the FCPF project and REDD+ Taskforce Secretariat (RTS) related to communications, consultation, and a participation strategy for the implementation of the Cambodia REDD+ programme:
- Ensure availability of and access to timely and adequate information on the FCPF project and the national readiness process
- Design and implement measures to ensure full and effective participation of all stakeholders in the FCPF project and the Cambodia REDD+ programme
- Support the FCPF Team in other relevant activities
1. Provide strategic guidance to the FCPF project and REDD+ Taskforce Secretariat (RTS) related to communications, consultation, and a participation strategy for the implementation of the Cambodia REDD+ programme:
- Work closely with different stakeholder groups to identify communication needs and gaps in fostering full and effective participation of stakeholders and to develop a comprehensive communication, consultation and stakeholder engagement strategy;
- Identify and utilise the most effective approaches and methods for meeting the communications requirements
- Develop mechanisms to map outreach activities of key stakeholder groups and provide inputs to enhance communications effectiveness of such groups
- Establish, maintain, and keep updated a REDD+ Information, Resource, and Documentation facility
2. Ensure availability of and access to timely and adequate information on the FCPF project and the national readiness process:
- Ensure that all relevant information is available and accessible in the national REDD+ website by regularly maintaining and updating the website;
- Maintain and regularly update the Cambodia REDD+ Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter account;
- Facilitate production of REDD+ newsletters to feature key status and progress of the national REDD+ readiness process;
- Develop communication materials appropriate for the context and requirements of stakeholder groups with and without access to internet on different issues (e.g. policy measures, safeguards, Measurement, Review and Verification (MRV), benefit distribution system);
- Provide regular updates on the programme progress to stakeholders at the sub-national, national and international level;
- Coordinate with other organisations and initiatives in the joint dissemination of information on the Cambodia REDD+ national programme;
- Coordinate media and act as a focal point for media engagement;
- Mainstream gender issues in the works of communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement; and
- Develop and ensure quality of outreach materials on key technical issues in forms of print, sound, video and web and promote them through various platforms including social media
3. Design and implement measures to ensure full and effective participation of all stakeholders in the FCPF project and the Cambodia REDD+ programme:
- Identify different ways in which stakeholder groups with particular attention to women and the most vulnerable can be engaged and the most appropriate approaches to sharing information, consultation and enhancing participation in the programme;
- Design and implement measures to mainstream gender concerns into REDD+ activities (e.g. support for the REDD+ gender group)
- Support full and effective engagement of stakeholders in the planning, implementation and reporting of key outputs and activities to increase national REDD+ readiness;
- Coordinate with partner Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and civil society organizations that work in the area of forests, climate change and IPs and/or minority rights to appropriately address concerns of IPs and civil society;
- Build the awareness and capacity of the Consultation Group, their constituencies (e.g. IPs, and local communities) and other relevant networks to ensure strengthened stakeholder participation in the planning and implementation of national REDD+ programme activities;
- Coordinate and cooperate with UN-REDD, Cambodia REDD (CAM-REDD) to support harmonized processes in ensuring full and effective engagement of stakeholders;
- Monitor progress towards achieving outcomes in the area of stakeholder engagement and REDD+ and report qualitative and quantitative results; and
- Coordinate expert inputs on technical issues associated with the engagement of stakeholders in national REDD+ readiness activities;
4. Support the FCPF Team in other relevant activities:
- Assist in preparation of work plans;
- Contribute and provide feedback on development of the project’s periodic reports such as quarterly, bi-annual, and annual reports, and mid-term and final evaluations
- Support the preparation of meeting minutes (e.g. project executive board meetings, REDD+ taskforce secretariat meetings and workshops) for wider circulation, and provide translation and/or interpretation support to international project staff and consultants as required.
Impact of Results
The National Communications Officer will have the following impacts:
- A broad range of stakeholders relevant to REDD+ are aware of the Cambodia REDD+ programme and the role of the FCPF project within the programme;
- Information on the FCPF project and Cambodia REDD+ programme will be accessible to the majority of stakeholders;
- Processes for stakeholder engagement will be consistent with principles of the REDD+ Roadmap and international guidelines;
- Stakeholders will be able to engage fully and effectively in the REDD+ readiness process; and
- Communications and consultation processes will be effectively coordinated with other REDD+ initiatives such as UN-REDD and CAM-REDD.
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
- Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking
Functional Competencies:
Advocacy / Advancing Policy Oriented Agenda: preparing information for advocacy
- Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate
- 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
Building Strategic Partnerships: Maintaining a network of contacts
- 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: Basic research and analysis
- 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
- Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing
- Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources
Job Knowledge and Technical Expertise: Fundamental knowledge of own discipline
- 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
- Identifies new and better approaches to work processes and incorporates the same in his/her work
- Analyses 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
- Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments
Creating Visibility for UNDP/ Supporting UNDP’s Capacity to Advocate: Research and data analysis
- 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
- Makes recommendations on the design and delivery of image activities
- Collects, analyses and disseminates information on UNDP focus areas
Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals: Preparing information for global advocacy
- 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 and civil society, to promote a better understanding of UNDP’s mandate and to support advocacy efforts
- Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP’s mandate
Conceptual innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise: Research and analysis
- Keeps updated in his/her area of substantive expertise
- Identifies opportunities for conceptual innovation
- Recognizes problem areas and identifies solutions
- Analyses ongoing trends, evolving needs and emerging issues to identify appropriate responses for capacity building
- Selects critical information from masses of data
Adaptation and Application of Knowledge / Innovations in Different Contexts
Integration in a Multi-Disciplinary Environment
Client Orientation: Establishing effective client relationships
- 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
- Actively supports the interests of the client by making choices and setting priorities to meet their needs Anticipates client needs and addresses them promptly
Required Skills and Experience
- Bachelor or Master's degree in media relations, communications, journalism, publishing or related field;
- Master's degree in media relations, communications, journalism, publishing or related field with 3 years of relevant work experience in communications, media relations, journalism, information management; OR Bachelor degree in media relations, communications, journalism, publishing or related field with 5 years of relevant work experience in communications, media relations, journalism, information management;
- Relevant experience at the national or international level in public relations, communications or advocacy in environmental related areas; experience in climate change and REDD+ is an advantage;
- Demonstrated experience in working across the communications spectrum including: media management, strategic communications management, communications research, monitoring and evaluation, print production, audio-visual production, and website content management;
- Experience in utilising communication tools to reach diverse audiences from rural communities, civil society organisations, the private sector, and international development partners
- Experience in working with a range of stakeholders to support and enhance their engagement and raise awareness of development programmes
- Experience in working with Government counterparts and with representatives from development agencies
- Excellent spoken and written English and Khmer.