Background

The UN Resident Coordinator (RC) provides leadership to the Pacific Joint UN Country Team and the UN’s programming work, as outlined in the UN Pacific Strategy, in support of national priorities. The RC has a team composed of national and international staff, forming the Fiji RC Multi-Country Office (RCO), and is based in Suva, Fiji. The RCO Fiji oversees 10 Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS or PSIDS), namely Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Twenty-six resident and non-resident UN entities are signatories to the UNPS and members of The Pacific Joint UN Country Team.

The RCO fulfils ten core coordination functions, namely strategic analysis and planning; oversight of the UN country programming cycle; representation of and support of UN Secretariat and UN agencies (incl. non-resident agencies); support to national coordination systems and processes; development and management of shared operational support services; crisis management preparedness and response; external communication and advocacy; human rights and development; joint resource mobilization and fund management; general UNCT oversight and coordination; and coordinate Communications Support on TC Yasa for RCO.

Strategic Communications Consultant will be based in the RCO Fiji and will work under the direct supervision of the Resident Coordinator and in close coordination with RCO Team Leader. The Communications Consultant works in close coordination with UN Communications Group and other stakeholders, internal and external clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant is expected to support the following activities:

  • With a focus on the implementation of sustainable development programmes in the Pacific, takes the lead in strategy, planning, development and implementation of large, complex communications strategies and campaigns with both traditional and social media components.
  • Works UN Communications Group (UNCG), to develop and implement system-wide campaigns and to incorporate the campaign message and themes into all relevant events and products;
  • Provides advice and expertise to the RC and the UN Country Team (UNCT) on a range of communications and public affairs issues, methods, and approaches; anticipates and resolves communications/public relations issues/problems, to include the provision of an effective crisis communications support;
  • Supports the work of the UN Communications Group (UNCG) and development of the joint UNCG annual workplan including establishment of the communication performance indicators;
  • Develops and coordinates strategic partnerships with key constituencies, including members of the UNCG, to elicit support for and maximize impact of promotional objectives.
  • Develops of a diverse range of information and communications products in support of major campaign initiatives.
  • Prepares official briefing materials, talking points, speeches, statements, op-eds and presentations as necessary.
  • Drafts complex material for traditional and social media platforms, to include website, official social media accounts, newsletters, periodicals, reports and books, etc.;
  • Evaluates results and impact of communications activities; reports on developments, trends and attitudes regarding the UN;
  • In collaboration with the UNCG, and in coordination with the RCO colleagues supports results reporting and prepare the annual communication plan to publicize and communicate results with a focus on the UN’s development impact.
  • Supports the day-to-day operation of the RCO including participating in coordination of substantive and administrative activities of the office related to communications and advocacy.
  • Performs other related duties, as required.
  • coordinate Communications Support on TC Yasa for RCO.

 

Deliverables

  • Monthly progress reports detailing achievements across key areas of work.

 

Location:

Consultant is expected to be based in Suva, Fiji during the duration of this assignment.

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will physically work from the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and will report directly to the Resident Coordinator 

Competencies

Competencies

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
  • Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
  • Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Comprehensive knowledge of Fiji printed and social media
  • Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
  • Positive, constructive attitude to work;

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Minimum Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism,

international relations, public information or related field. A first-level university degree in

combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the

advanced university degree

 

Experience

  • A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public information or related area is required
  • Two years of experience developing and implementing strategic, multimedia and public information campaigns for a diverse audience is required
  • Two years of experience interacting with and managing relations with the media is required

 

 

Technical Criteria – Maximum 70 points

  • Criteria 1 – Advance university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, public information or related field. 5%
  • Criteria 2 -   A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public information or related area is required - 20%
  • Criteria 3 -   Two years of experience developing and implementing strategic, multimedia and public information campaigns for a diverse audience is required - 15%
  • Criteria 4 - Two years of experience interacting with and managing relations with the media is required - 15%
  • Criteria 5 - Excellent writing, planning, research, communication and reporting skills and demonstrated ability to perform well in a multi-cultural environment- 10%
  • Criteria 6 - Fluency in English, excellent oral and written communication skills and outstanding interpersonal skills- 5%

 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology. The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  1. responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation: Technical Criteria 70% (as indicated above in Experience and Qualifications section) and Financial Criteria 30%.
  3. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

 

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II).
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
  • Technical proposal:
    • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment
    • A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
  • Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II)

 

Annexes

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to Mr. Dale Kaciv to procurement.fj@undp.org

All applications must be clearly marked with the title of consultancy and submitted by 5:00pm, 20th May 2021 (Fiji Time) online via UN Jobs website https://jobs.undp.org/ or etenderbox.pacific@undp.org