Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

UN Women maintains a large presence throughout Europe and Central Asia region, covering 14 countries, with programme presence in Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244), Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine; country offices in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova; and remaining countries are covered through a multi-country office in Almaty that covers Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), and the fact that countries have to harmonize national legislation with the EU’s acquis as part of the accession process, has created an opportunity to step up UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office’s (ECA RO) capacity to bring a regional perspective to human rights-based programming in relation to regional and international agreements, and the European Union (EU) normative frameworks for accession countries related to gender equality discrimination, and more particularly, on ending violence against women in Western Balkans and Turkey.

“Implementing norms, changing minds” is a UN Women regional programme, which aims to support a reduction in discrimination and violence against women and girls in Turkey and six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia), anchored in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Istanbul Convention, and also in alignment with European Union accession standards. The programme supports the development of an enabling legislative and policy environment on eliminating violence against women and all forms of discrimination; promotes favorable social norms and attitudes to prevent gender discrimination and violence against women; and pursues empowering women and girls (including those from disadvantaged groups) who have experienced discrimination or violence to advocate for and use available, accessible, and quality services. The programme will channel its interventions through and for women’s organizations, with an emphasis on those working with women from disadvantaged groups.

Under the supervision of the Regional Programme Manager, and in close collaboration with the UN Women ECARO Regional Communications and Advocacy Specialist based in Istanbul, and the programme field-based Technical Coordinators, the Communications Associate is responsible for implementing  the communications and visibility plan for the Programme ¨Implementing norms, changing minds¨, and support the implementation of the Programme communications and advocacy related activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Implement and monitor the Programme’s Communication and Visibility plan
2. Production and promotion of high-quality communication products
3. Support advocacy work
4. Knowledge building and management

Description of Functions:

1. Implement and monitor the Programme’s Communication and Visibility plan

• Support the finalization, implementation and monitoring of the Programme Communications and Visibility Plan, which will aim at making known the programme objectives, activities, and achievements, and to support the implementation of the programme communication and advocacy related activities;
• Liaise with the programme team in the participating countries to ensure the programme visibility and expected results of the programme’s advocacy activities and initiative;
• Produce an annual communication workplan for the programme, aligned to the communication and visibility plan;
• Support development and dissemination of the Programme’s key messages, communication product and deliverables;
• Support the development of tools, guidelines, and templates to the communication plan;
• Support programme’s partners to address communication’s needs and implement communications and advocacy related activities;
• Take the lead in organizing media outreach; arrange media contacts, press briefings, and interviews; provide talking points and other materials as needed for senior staff; respond to media inquiries quickly and effectively;
• Build information networks; plan and oversee maintenance of publicly accessible information material on the programme; plan and develop outreach activities;
• Assist the programme team in holding conferences, events, and workshops to assist in the delivery of programme-related communication and visibility actions.

2. Production and promotion of high-quality communication and advocacy products

• Support the programme’s team to identify and develop key external communication materials, including thematic briefs, brochures, posters, films, etc.;
• Coordinate the production and ensure quality assurance of audio, video and print communication materials in support to the programme (newsletter, brochures, fact sheets, presentations, information leaflets, knowledge products, videos, etc.);
• Design a strategy for delivery and dissemination of communication products to the different audiences in a timely manner;
• Undertake media and communication work, including producing and delivering press materials, press release, media advisories, situation reports, case studies;
• Explore opportunities if relevant for use in social and digital media;

3. Support advocacy work

• In support to the programme manager, and in cooperation with the programme team, explore and identify opportunities and different communication channels for promoting the programme, programmes’ results, advocacy, key targets, messages, and channels;
• Work in complementarity with other UN Women programmes to ensure high quality, time effective, and evidence-based communication and advocacy work;
• Liaise and work with various partners under the programme to implement advocacy and outreach activities;
• Develop strategic partnership with relevant partners and stakeholders to elicit support for and maximize impact of advocacy results;
• Liaise with media, civil society, governmental bodies, and regional organizations, in relation to communication and advocacy activities.

4. Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing

• Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme outcomes and activities;
• Contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories;
• Carry out other duties as may be assigned by UN Women or unplanned activities that would be required to be taken.

Impact Results:

The key results have an impact on creation of effective communication and dissemination of programme activities and outcomes, effective implementation of programme communication and advocacy initiative, as well as enhancing the visibility of UN Women’s contribution to ending discrimination and violence against women in the geographical area covered by the programme.

Competencies

Core values and Guiding principles:

Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism:  Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:  Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

Ethics and Values:  Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity

Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment

Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative

Work in teams: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence: Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others

Conflict Management: Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making: Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Funcitional Competencies:

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Demonstrates excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to extract, interpret, analyze data and resolve problems;
• Ability to supervise and train support staff;
• Demonstrates excellent presentation skill;
• Uses Information Technology effectively as a tool and resource.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience;
• In-depth knowledge of development issues;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside UN Women;
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Leadership and Self-Management

• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree in communications, journalism, public relations, social sciences, international relations, or a related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of experience in communications or related relevant field at the national or international level.
• Experience in the following areas would also be considered an asset: formulation and implementation of internal and external communications and advocacy strategies and related plans;supporting the compilation of communication packages, supporting publication and dissemination of communication materials, and supporting knowledge management, preferably in the field of gender equality and violence against women;social media and related communication; andproof-reading, writing and editing briefs, reports, guidelines, articles, web-content and similar texts for various audiences.
• Demonstrated experience in the use of computer applications and software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and social media platforms is required.
• Familiarity with web-based platforms and content manager;
• Good research and writing skills;
• Experience with the communications/media environment;
• Experience in working with international organizations and supporting similar programmes is an asset.
• UN Experience is an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Turkish, both verbal and written, is required.