Consultancy: Advocacy and Communications Specialist (Education) – DOC, NYHQ – Requisition# 535916

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, #Education

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does – in advocacy, in programmes, and in operations. UNICEF delivers change through the collective efforts of headquarters, regional and country offices by advocating for high-quality programmes at scale, harnessing innovation and collecting evidence, in partnership with governments, other United Nations partners, civil society, the private sector, communities and children. It uses these strategies to leverage wider change nationally and globally through advocacy, communications and campaigning. UNICEF also wins the support of decision makers and the public around the world to drive change, volunteer, advocate and mobilize resources for the cause of children, and works with partners to achieve an even greater impact.

How can you make a difference?

This advocacy and communications specialist will support the Division of Communication education advocacy lead in developing and implementing the global advocacy strategy on education. This will build on UNICEF’s COVID-19 education advocacy which is currently focused on two key priorities:

1. The need to keep schools open for the learning, well-being and safety of students, particularly in the face of the ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 transmission; and
2. The global advocacy priority around every child’s right to access quality learning, with a focus on digital learning.

Advocacy outcomes (to be further defined during strategy development process): 

• Increase the number of countries that are investing in digital connectivity and quality digital learning for every child;
• Of those countries, ensure that the most vulnerable children are prioritised;
• Increase the number of countries that are protecting their education budgets; and
• Leverage new evidence on the learning crisis and digital learning and ensure that evidence reaches decision-makers.

Scope and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Thematic Advocacy Lead, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

1. Support the Thematic Advocacy Lead to develop and implement the global advocacy strategy on education

• Coordinate with key divisions to collectively craft the education advocacy strategy, including development of strategic policy advocacy goals, targets, tactics and messages;
• Lead on developing policy briefings, commissioning data and preparing other advocacy resources at the global level;
• Project management the development of assets and content as required, including videos and infographics;
• Support global high profile communications and advocacy moments or activations.

2. Support country office colleagues to develop and advance national advocacy strategies on education

• Work with cross-divisional colleagues to identify 4-5 priority countries to support in their advocacy strategy development and execution from 2021-2025;
• Work with Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative team to identify gaps and build capacity in country teams, securing necessary cross-office buy in to implement advocacy strategies.

3. Steer the work of the DOC education project team to ensure smooth operations and delivery against the work plan

• Support the implementation of the workplan, including directly managing specific bodies of work under the advocacy strategy;
• Facilitate logistics around campaign team meetings (setting up calls, minute-taking, follow-up of action points, etc.).

4. Ensure proper information flow and coordination with internal and external stakeholders

• Manage the internal communication tools related to the advocacy priority area, such as the education advocacy teamsite, intranet, internal websites, etc.
• Working in collaboration with relevant teams, oversee education-related content in the external global website;
• Build and foster relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including the Global Partnership for Education; the Education Commission; Save our Children and other civil society organizations to help implement strategy at global, regional and national levels. Maintain open flow of communication; and
• Prepare key materials to introduce the advocacy strategy and its specific initiatives to internal and external stakeholders (i.e. toolkits and guidance for country offices, presentations at key events, proposals to be presented to potential donors and/or allies, etc.).

5. Liaise with Global Advocacy Priority senior team

• Make sure that all requested materials are submitted to the Senior Management Team on a timely basis for meetings and regular oversight. This includes core advocacy materials, calendar updates, budget tracking, M&E mechanisms, etc.

6. Advocacy strategy monitoring and evaluation

• Keep track of the activities implemented as part of the advocacy strategy at global, regional and national level, including if necessary the creation of specific mechanisms or tools for that purpose.
• Submit the agreed KPI to the Global Advocacy Priority senior team and facilitate them to the project team for discussion and learning.

7. Track advocacy budget and expenditure

• Track and monitor the use of the funds allocated to the thematic advocacy area, working with the correspondent colleagues within PFP.

8. Manage specific bodies of work within the advocacy strategy

• The advocacy specialist can be tasked by the Lead to manage specific projects or activities within the strategy work plan. This could include development of assets with other internal or external stakeholders and liaising with National Committees and country offices on strategy implementation.

Timeframe:   Start date: 1 December 2020                              End date: July 2021

Location :  NYHQ, onsite preferred (depends on situation around COVID)

DELIVERABLES	DURATION	DEADLINE	PERCENTAGE
Advocacy strategy developed and shared with all stakeholders and focus countries	2 months	31 December 2020	15%
Priority countries develop advocacy strategies on education for 2021-2025	8 months	July 2021	25%
Internal and external communication tools regularly updated and used by stakeholders	8 months	July 2021	10%
Documents and information requested by the Global Advocacy Priority senior team are provided in a timely way and with all the requested content and quality	8 months	July 2021	15%
Advocacy M&E system in place and information adequately submitted to Global Advocacy Priority senior team	8 months	July 2021	10%
Advocacy budget is available, up-to-date and regularly monitored to ensure its full execution	8 months	July 2021	10%
Advocacy strategy projects and activities executed as planned	8 months	July 2021	15%
			100%

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Bachelor’s Degree in social sciences, international relations, public policy, international development, public relations, communication or a related field.
• At least five years experience in advocacy and campaign strategy development and execution, preferably on both a global and national level.
• Experience in developing clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.
• Experience in strategic public engagement activity, based on an understanding of the target audience.
• Strong track record in writing engaging campaign narratives and delivering creative campaign tactics.
• Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring of results.
• Experience in operating independently at a senior level and in providing expert advice and support on advocacy and campaigns.
• Knowledge of education policy is an asset.
• Field experience preferred; knowledge of the United Nations system or other international organisations.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN language is an asset.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Knowledge of international development, humanitarian issues and children’s rights.
• Experience working for an advocacy or campaigning organization e.g. international or national NGO, UN or other multilateral organization. 

 Skills and attributes

• Demonstrated strong communication, presentation and writing skills are essential – a clear, concise, compelling writing style which is adaptable for difference audiences, including mainstream public.
• Strategic thinking and critical analysis.
• Commitment and drive, with a clear focus on results.
• Positive, proactive, ‘can-do’ approach.
• Solutions-focused.
• Ability to juggle competing priorities, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.
• Creative and innovative.

Languages

• Fluency in English (both written and verbal) is required.  UN Languages are considered an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

2. Core Competencies

• Communication [II]
• Drive for Result  [II]
• Working With People [II]

3. Functional Competencies

• Formulating Strategies and Concepts [II]
• Analyzing [II]
• Applying Technical Expertise [II] 
• Planning and Organizing [III]
• Relating and Networking [II] 

 

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

 

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.