UNDP Jobs - 52543- Communications Analyst

Communications Analyst

Location :

Kathmandu, NEPAL

Type of Contract :

TA International

Starting Date :

16-Feb-2015

Application Deadline :

28-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

P-2

Duration of Initial Contract :

7 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

The Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium (NRRC) is an innovative structure that brings together a wide range of Governmental, development and humanitarian partners, including Ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, donors and international financial institutions. In the absence of approved structures and policy for disaster risk management (DRM), the NRRC aims to support the Government of Nepal in developing a long-term Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan to address the high risk of natural disasters, both large and small in scale, which Nepal faces. With such a wide and diverse group of members targeted and timely communications are a critical function of the NRRC.

The NRRC is a focus of international interest including the Political Champions for Resilience which invited Nepal to be a Champion country in 2013 implying strong support from other Political Champions for action within Nepal designed to strengthen resilience. This profile is important for both the RCO and UNDP nationally and globally. The NRRC Steering Committee is supported by a small Secretariat which sits in the RCO office and provides technical, policy, communications, and administrative support. The Analyst will form part of the Secretariat team.

Programmatically, the NRRC comprises five priority areas, or Flagships, each of which is led by a Government Ministry and coordinated by an international organisation. Above the flagship programmes sits a Steering Committee made up of senior officials from Government, donors, UN agencies and key flagship partners, designed to oversee the Flagships by providing strategic guidance, fundraising support, monitoring and evaluation to NRRC members.

The Steering Committee commissioned a Review of the NRRC in June/July 2013 . It is acknowledged in the Review that many of the NRRCs original goals will not be met by 2015, but it states that this should not be taken as indicative of failure. These goals were acknowledged from the outset to be ambitious. On the contrary, the Review felt that the enthusiasm and ambition of the mechanism is worth nurturing. This ambition reflects the fact that, not only does the NRRC demand the complex coordination of actors and budgets, but it also must retrofit key infrastructure on an unusual, even unprecedented scale. The Review recommended that the NRRC should continue in its current formulation (and with current allocated roles) until the end of 2015.

The next 18 months are a critical period for the NRRC. Following the Review, the Steering Committee has asked the Secretariat to lead a process of strategic thinking about risk reduction in Nepal. The Steering Committee accepted the Review recommendation to task the Secretariat to commission a countrywide risk assessment in 2014 to set a baseline for a review of Flagships and priorities for the period 2016-2020. The ambition would be that the process of agreeing a national risk assessment and collective priorities would lead to cross-Government ownership and influence key Government Ministries cross-sectorally. Simultaneously the NRRC is tasked with developing a monitoring framework for the NRRC, the preparation of the evaluation of Phase 1, while also overseeing donor conferences for other Flagships and preparing for Phase 2, and supporting the Government of Nepal is preparing for the 2015 World Conference on DRR in Sendai. Currently the Secretariat consists of one Coordinator, a Policy Advisor, and one Administrator. Previously a Communications UNV was also in post but there is currently no Communications capacity. The case for additional capacity is clear hence the creation of the Communications Analyst post.

The Communications Analyst will support the NRRC Coordinator and NRRC Policy Advisor in fulfilling the strategic objectives set by the Steering Committee and also participate in the capacity building of a national UNV Communications Officer. The period of the appointment would be from December 2014 to July 2015 initially as funding for the second half of the year is yet to be confirmed (but is expected shortly). The NRRC is a complex working environment and the post holder will be required to work closely across Government and across the international architecture in Nepal. This post requires appropriate contextual and technical background, together with facilitation, negotiation, conceptualization, and coordination skills. Excellent writing skills in English are essential. The post holder must be in place to support the NRRC Steering Committee’s preparations for Sendai in March 2015 hence an ability to take up the position rapidly is essential.

The structure of Phase 2 of the NRRC is still unclear but the current assumption is that the NRRC Secretariat will remain based in the RC office. It has been agreed with the RCO that over the next year, the NRRC will provide support to the RCO on communications, information and social media management related to disaster management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Communication;
Reporting and research;
Support to RCO.

Communication:

Serve as a focal point for targeted communications and information on NRRC activities to pre-agreed audiences and stakeholders;
Liaise with partners to ensure coherent communications and information provision on programme activity;
Assist the Government focal point and NRRC Coordinator in leading the NRRC Communications Group and support the implementation of the draft NRRC Communications Group Strategy;
Assist the NRRC Coordinator and NRRC Policy Adviser in their work to ensure a coherent NRRC presence at the global HFA2 meeting in Sendai in March 2015. This will include finalizing the presentation of all necessary briefing documents, reports, speeches, and promotional materials required.

Reporting and Research:

Update the NRRC Flagship Reporting Framework based on feedback from Flagship Leads and the guidance of the NRRC Policy Adviser;
Support the NRRC Policy Adviser in preparing Policy Briefs for the NRRC Steering Committee;
Assist the NRRC Policy Adviser in the process of consultation and data collection to inform the development of a public/private partnership strategy and a national risk assessment.

Support to RCO:

The post holder will work closely under the supervision of the Head of the RCO and provide support to achieve the following results:

When requested, support the RCO in communications, information, and social media management related to disaster management. This includes providing input on the development of communications materials, situation updates, social media monitoring, and strategy;
When requested, support with the development of graphic presentations using data available on RCO database to aid modern outreach and communications.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda

Identifies and communicates relevant information for a variety of audiences for advocating UNDP’s mandate.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

Assesses project performance to identify success factors and incorporates best practices into project work;
Researches linkages across programme activities to identify critical points of integration;
Monitors specific stages of projects/programme implementation;
Analyzes country situation to identify opportunities for project development;
Participates in the formulation of project proposals and ensures substantive rigor in the design and application of proven successful approaches and drafts proposals accordingly.

Building Strategic Partnerships

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.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

Generates new ideas and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
Documents and analyses innovative strategies/best practices/new approaches.

Resource Mobilization (Field Duty Stations)

Analyzes information/databases on potential and actual donors;
Develops a database of project profiles. Identifies opportunities for project proposals for presentation to donors.

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.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

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;
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.

Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNDP’s Goals

Identifies and communicates relevant information for advocacy for UNDP’s goals for a variety of audiences;
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for advocating for UNDP’s mandate.

Client Orientation

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;
Anticipates client needs and addresses them 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:

Advanced University Degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public policy, international relations, disaster risk reduction, political science or related area is required.

Experience:

A minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible experience in communications for a coordinating agency is required;
Experience working in the field of disaster risk reduction is desirable;
Experience working in the Nepal context with a wide range of government, international and national agencies is desirable;
Experience in the private sector is desirable;
Experience of managing and designing research projects would be an advantage.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required.