Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

 

Office/Unit/Project Description

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to inclusive finance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. It can provide seed capital both grants and loans as well as technical support that will improve poor peoples’ lives.

The UNCDF digital agenda for migration and remittances falls within the organization’s broader global strategy, set forth in 2019, of “Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era.” This vision is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use services daily that leverage innovation and technology and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. Through a market development approach, UNCDF continuously seeks to address underlying market dysfunctions. The Programme contributes to, and benefits from, this overarching corporate mandate. The Programme is administered by UNCDF with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, or SDC, and Sida, the Swedish International Development Agency.

UNCDF’s Migration and Remittances for Development Programme, or the Programme, aims at contributing to sustainable development by making remittances more accessible and affordable, while helping build resilience for migrants and their families. For both sending and receiving countries, the Programme seeks to increase the share of migrant remittances flowing through formal channels, thereby giving policymakers at both ends greater visibility into the true picture of inbound and outbound financial flows. For remittances service providers, the Programme seeks to build the capacity to understand the financial needs and preferences of migrants and their families, and to design and deliver responsive products accordingly. For migrants themselves, the Programme aims not only to lower the costs and increase the safety and convenience of sending money, but also to link remittances to a broader suite of financial services—including insurance, savings, pensions, investments, and credit—that can help them reach their goals. The Programme recognizes digitization as the key to achieving these objectives.

 

Institutional Arrangement

The direct supervisor of the Media and Outreach Specialist will be the Strategic Communications Specialist, Migration and Remittance portfolio at UNCDF.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

  • Create and operationalize a media strategy including in the preparation/facilitation of media interviews, press releases/news notes, op-eds, etc.
  • Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials, pitching stories etc;
  • Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media as well as continually develop, maintain and update contact lists of journalists, editors, producers and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, photo etc;
  • Identify and cultivate relations with key influencers to strengthen the outreach and visibility of the UNCDF’s Migration and Remittances portfolio
  • Work with UNCDF’s team members and contractors to produce original audio, video, written and visual content for different campaigns and then ensure the content is disseminated to relevant media.
  • In collaboration with the digital communications specialist, support the dissemination of content through the digital communications channels including social media, newsletter and new innovative methods to amplify the migration and remittance portfolio of UNCDF messages and success stories from partners beyond the financial inclusion and development communities;
  • Others: undertake other key responsibilities as required.

Competencies

Core

 

Achieve Results:

LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 2:   Facilitate   conversations   to   bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management

NA

 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area

Name

Definition

Communications

Multi-media production

Ability to create and combine images, text and audiovisuals to produce multimedia content

Communications

Media Relations

Ability to develop media relations across all aspects of media work including relationships with media and preparing media materials such as messages

Communications

Writing and Editing

Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages.

Digital and Innovation

Digital Inclusion

Knowledge of how digital inclusion works, opportunities and challenges for governments and society

Digital and Innovation

Story telling

Ability to empathize with people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly. Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilize resources, talent or action. Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements

  • A Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in journalism, communications, international relations, public relations or related field is mandatory. (A first university degree with 2 additional years of relevant professional experience may be considered)

Min. years of relevant work experience

  • Minimum 5 years of successful professional experience in an international setting in journalism, public and/or private communications or advertising, of which at least 2 years working on digital financial inclusion and digital payments.
  • Minimum 5 years of superior communication skills in professional writing and a demonstrated ability to develop, pitch and secure feature coverage in top-tier media is mandatory.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience with digital platforms, including organizing, managing and developing web articles, blogs, outreach and social media materials is mandatory.

Required skills

  • Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to communicate with diverse audiences, including governments, policymakers and regulators, and the media.
  • Knowledge of general public relations and marketing practices and procedures including websites, social media, outreach collateral and press releases.
  • Proven technical competence in producing content for various print formats – print, audio, video, web etc.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

  • Track record in developing media strategies for high-profile international organizations and/or companies
  • Knowledge of current theories and practices in communications and the role of mass media

Required Language(s)

  • Excellent writing and editing skills in both English and  in French is required

Professional Certificates

  • NA