Communications Analyst

Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP:  we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

“UNDP’s mission as part of the UN system is to achieve sustainable development and fight poverty

wherever it is greatest.  This requires the very best of us, world-class collaboration, innovative thinking,

resilient-based strategies, and continuous learning. UNDP’s competitive advantage as a development

partner of choice comes from having the trust of developing countries, owing to our impartial character,

transparency, and longstanding presence and commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable. We offer

opportunities to make a lasting difference to the more than 170 countries where we commit our support

and expertise.

UNDP support’s the Government’s vision for a sustainable, peaceful Iraq through an approach

that strengthens societal resilience to better deal with social, economic, environmental, and political

shocks and stresses.

Guided by the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2020-2024, UNDP supports four interlinked, inclusive

and holistic development pathways. Underpinned by a resilience-based strategy that addresses the needs

of the most vulnerable communities, the four pathways in the CPD are as follows:

• 1. Strengthened stabilization; 
• 2. Diversified pro-poor economic growth for sustainable livelihoods; 
• 3. Improved governance with accountable institutions that protect the rights of vulnerable groups and pave the way for citizen-state trust; and 
• 4. Decreased fragility to climate change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work 

1.Effective and efficient management of relevant media and advocacy activities

• Create and promotes campaigns to local and regional media that position UNDP and influence the development agenda based on current programme and new initiatives.
• Supports development, promotion and implementation of public awareness campaigns issues and activities related to social cohesion in Iraq
• Manage, promote and disseminates advocacy materials for launching initiatives and publications such as the studies and assessments.
• Facilitate use of contemporary communication channels and platforms for citizen engagement, linking UNDP with stakeholders, experts, sponsors or champions.
• Facilitate engagement with traditional development actors through supporting blogging, social media, and development of digital content.
• Support packaging and production of communication products to strengthen UNDP’s collaboration with citizens, CSOs, NGOs, and local level leaders.
• Supports packaging and submission of programme initiatives for donor review in collaboration with social cohesion portfolio staff.
• Maintain increased coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country through local and global media stories as guided by the UNDP External Communications Action Plan, provision of newsworthy information to national public and, where possible, donors.
• Ensures effective responses to inquiries for public information materials.

2. Development of new ways of doing business when communicating, including innovation and advocacy

• Facilitate and promotes recognition of the strategic importance of communication for programme delivery among social cohesion portfolio teams
• Enable portfolio teams to communicate effectively with their partners, stakeholders and external audiences through application of established and innovative communication approaches.
• Prepare and conducts communications needs assessments for projects, country programme and corporate change initiatives, etc);
• Develop portfolio communications and outreach strategy, in close cooperation with the CO Communication and Advocacy Unit  
• Analyze requirements and develops actions to integrate innovation and advocacy into communication day to day activities.
• Provide portfolio team with communication services on issues such as photographing, videoing, blogging, tweeting, working with the press), analysis, strategic positioning advice, equipment and editorial support.
• Support the design of Behavior Change Communication (BCC) interventions addressing the priority social issues and tension drivers, aiming at enhancing community acceptance, reintrgration, and social cohesion. 
• Provide Technical support and technical assistance and supervision to develop and implement Government-Led Communication Strategy For Improving Community Acceptance and Social Cohesion both at national and local levels. 
• Provide support and capacity-building to field staff, community members, and partners to improve their communication skills and understanding of BCC principles.
• Coordinate with the implementing partners of the Social Cohesion programme to identify and develop human success stories that should highlight the impact of programme on enhancing social cohesion and community stability in the targeted areas. 
• Liaise and work with Social Cohesion program teams in detailing the need for communication and integrating the C4D approach within the programme planning and implementation.
• Engage communities, local leaders, government authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure that communication interventions are appropriate to the culture and sensitive to the context.
• Provide quality reports, press releases, social media, and multi-media content displaying the progress of the programmes such as human-interest success stories, and lessons learned.

3. Communications and Partnerships

• Maintain regular communication and coordination with relevant partners, to implement activities in a timely manner. 
• Facilitate a good working relationship and collaboration between key government partners and UNDP.
• Support to strengthen partnerships between government entities and civil society organizations, including through improved planning.
• Support to facilitate coordination efforts with other implementing partners providing support for social cohesion in the target locations. 
• Work with the relevant UNDP Technical and Communications colleagues to develop the required advocacy messages, strategies and materials
• Establish in collaboration with CO, promotes and ensures adherence to internal communication norms on frequency, look and feel, messaging, etc.
• Increase coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country through development and maintenance of media contacts, facilitation of provision of information to the public, communities, and donors

4. Knowledge building and management 

• Ensure synergies with/between UNDP programmes/projects/ other areas of Programming, to ensure strengthening the achievement of integrated results.
• Facilitate knowledge-building and management. 
• Ensure that project lessons learned, and best practices are captured, documented and periodically shared with relevant stakeholders.
• Analyse results and lessons learned and recommend strategies for improved delivery of project activity results and outputs.
• Support a regular review of risks that impact upon the social cohesion programme and identify mitigation measures

5. The Communications Analyst is the focal point for the  Social Cohesion programme, which works in main areas that include:

1. Strengthening the national frameworks for peace and social cohesion, 
2. Strengthening inter-linking community infrastructures for social cohesion at multi-levels 
3. Supporting and strengthening  capacities and resources of academia and research institutions and actors to lead social cohesion
4. Community-based reconciliation and reintegration in Iraq for displaced persons and mainly ‘families perceived to be affiliated  with ISIL’
5. Working with media institution and media professionals to improved advocacy and public awareness.

6. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Reporting directly to the Team Leader, Strategic Partnership and Communications, The Communication

Analyst is responsible for effective communications and advocacy efforts.

The Communications Analyst will work closely with UNDP Iraq programme managers to develop

advocacy, information, and promotional materials, publications, website/social media networks and

other innovative means of communication. 
 

Competencies
Core
Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements 
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible 
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Thematic Area Name Definition

Partnership management 

Relationship management

• Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

Business Management Customer Satisfaction/Client Management

• Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. 
• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. 
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

Business Management Communication

• Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
• Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels 

Business Management Digital Awareness and Literacy

• Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.

Business Direction and Strategy  Strategic thinking

• Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP Iraq’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities; linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions

Communications

Brand & quality management 

• Ability to position a UNDP brand and uphold it to a high level of quality 

Communications

Advocacy strategy and implementation 

• Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change 

Required Skills and Experience
Min. Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in communications, media/ journalism or social sciences , or related field is required, OR
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Min. years of relevant work experience 

• Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. 
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international level in public relations, communications, social media or advocacy. 

Required  skills 

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP."

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

• Advanced knowledge of and experience with blogging and social media will be an asset.
• Working experience with UN/UNDP is an asset.
• Working experience in post conflict context such Iraq is an asset.

Required Language(s) 

• Fluency in English with effective writing skills required. 
• Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

Professional Certificates N/A
Disclaimer
Important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders) 
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment. 
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.  
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status. 

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