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Personal P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications obtained and main achievments. Please provide the contact details (email and phone) of the Candidate, and contact details of the three latest referees (previous supervisors and peers). A cover letter  (maximum length:1 page) indicating why candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position. UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants: http://www.unevaluation.org/document/download/425 

The Rome Centre seeks an experienced Senior Communications Advisor to advise the Director and Leadership Team on all aspects of RCSD’s communications with a particular focus on Africa. S/he will drive forward the centre’s role as a solutions broker through excellent strategic communications including significant experience with Tier One international media. The Senior Advisor will significantly contribute to raising the profile of RCSD’s work program as well as highlighting the importance of Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Nature Protection. Working closely with our programs and research teams, the Senior Advisor will plan and execute ambitious communication strategies to share the work of the centre supporting to support Italy’s Presidency of G2O and other high level meetings taking place in 2021.

The Rome Centre for Sustainable Development (RCSD) was created by agreement of the Steering Committee of the Italian Ministry of Environment. Land and Seas (IMELS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2019. The Centre aims to facilitate, support and catalyze a growing range of activities within the IMELS-UNDP partnership in the broad field of environmental cooperation. 

The Centre shall have five broad functions:

• To serve as a facilitator and liaison point between IMELS and UNDP in respect of the full range of their cooperative activities, leveraging UNDP’s country presence to scale solutions and deliver impact. 
• To leverage wider partnerships with key actors on the international sustainable development agenda, including both international organizations and programmes and countries beyond the G7, starting with G20 countries.
• To serve as a centre for cooperation among Italian specialized institutions and research centres and those in other parts of the world to build capacities and generate action in support of the Centre’s thematic areas.
• To provide input to UNDP’s global policy development and deployment capacity.
• To serve as a source of knowledge, expertise and support services in respect of specific cooperative activities, including the use of the Centre’s facilities to host project-related events.

Within this broad frame, the Strategic Framework for the Rome Centre will focus particularly on three inter-connected strategic thrusts – Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Nature Protection.  These thrusts include, among others, also Renewable Energy, as a key component of the global decarbonization effort and, as such, central to the Climate Change effort leading into COP 26 – with Italy as a co-convenor – and beyond and Nature-Based Solutions that span both the Climate Change and Biodiversity agendas and are an important tool in the strategies being prepared for CBD COP 15.  Land and ecosystem restoration – central to the UNCCD agenda - are also key pathways both to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to reverse biodiversity loss. 

The Centre’s geographical scope embraces all areas of the globe in which UNDP is active and present, with particular focus on areas of priority to IMELS.  Its thematic scope is co-equal with that of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, with emphasis on the SDGs which, within the integrated context of the agenda, target the environment.  Within this expanded geographical and thematic scope, the Centre will be guided by the fundamental policy and strategic priorities of both IMELS and UNDP.

The outcome of the Centre’s work shall be to advance the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the SDGs by enhancing the coordination and targeting of Italy’s international cooperation activities on sustainable development in harmony with the global, regional and country activities of UNDP.  In pursuing this aim, the Centre shall, to the extent possible, encourage and benefit from partnerships with international organizations, private sector entities, academic institutions, and civil society organizations both in Italy and elsewhere. It will also contribute to the involvement of the parties in key global and regional processes that contribute to the implementation of the Agenda 2030.  

The Consultant will report directly to the Director and will carry out the following activities and deliverables: 

• Develop the RCSD multi-year communication strategy and its annual communications plan; 
• Develop and maintain the RCSD brand guidelines and style guidelines and oversee the implementation for all RCSD products; 
• Advise the Director and Leadership Team on RCSD’s all communications activities; 
• Work closely with program, research and other colleagues to produce materials and products to advance RCSD’s communications objectives and to achieve planned results;
• Proactively engagement with key international journalists and outlets to secure positive coverage for the RCSD and its work in Africa in Tier One press and African focused outlets; as well as international and global media channels. 
• Build and foster collaborative relationships with highest quality communication experts, editors and designers; 
• Manage reactive responses to requests from international journalists. 
• Managing the writing, editing and placing of opinion editorials and blogposts in high-profile international media outlets and specialist publications that reach intended target audiences; 
• Responsible for RCSD’s website. Lead the production and publication of new material for and updating of content for the website, design of new pages. 
• Manage the production of talking points and draft speeches for the Director’s external Engagements. 
• Coordinate the planning of all of RCSD’s external publications; 
• Manage the production of content for social media and update social media channels, and responsible for reaching audience growth targets;
• Managing the production of high-quality audio-visual, written (electronic and printed) non-technical marketing material for use at events and for stakeholders; 
• Oversee the implementation of brand guidelines and style guidelines for all RCSD products. 
• Provide editing and quality assurance of the RCSD’s external publications; 
• Contribute to project proposals by defining communication output; 
• Track and evaluate metrics of success and adapt activities to improve communication and outreach results; 
• Contribute actively to the recruitment and capacity building of employees and to the hiring of contractors, as necessary for the execution of communication activities. 

Work arrangement

• The consultant will be home-based;
• S/he should be available for meetings (appropriately socially distanced in accordance to prevailing Covid-19 guidelines for the time and place.
• The consultant will report to, and be directly supervised by, Director based in Rome,
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment; 
• The consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection; 
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, particularly with Government/UNDP, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones.

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Technical

• Ability to strengthen and maintain the capabilities of individuals, societies, organizations and governments to set and achieve development objectives overtime (Capacity Development);
• Knowledge of development planning processes and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations (Development Planning);
• Ability to productively share UNDP Knowledge and activities (Advocacy);
• Knowledge of sustainable development concepts, principles and issues and the ability to apply strategic and/or practical situations (Sustainable Development).

Functional

Communications

• Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism

• Capable of working in a high- pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;

• Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
• Exercises the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

Teamwork 

• Works well in a team;
• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
•  Focuses on results for the client; 
• Welcomes constructive feedback.

Education

Master's degree in communications, public relations, or a similar field

Experience

• At least 7 years of full-time relevant professional experience working in communications, public relations, journalism, with a link to climate or international development. (10 years or more experience is desirable).
• Extensive experience with Top Tier media and high-level events attended by internationally recognized leaders
• Demonstrable understanding of working with governments, multilateral institutions, especially in Africa
• Recognized expertise in emerging technologies such as blockchain and their possible implications for development in Africa
• Keen understanding of issues of equity and social entrepreneurship
• Demonstrated familiarity with UN system, especially UNDP Accelerator labs and its rules and regulations is required

Languages

• Excellent command of written and spoken English.