National Consultancy: Prepare and Conduct Media Engagement Training

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. 

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background and Justification

UNICEF Kenya seeks to increase the competency of key staff members in conducting media interviews in their area of expertise. Media requests often come to UNICEF Kenya for comment on complex subjects involving layers of cultural and political sensitivities. UNICEF staff need to be prepared to deal with these, so that we do not miss opportunities to raise the profile of UNICEF work and children’s issues.

The free flow of news and information is more essential than ever. As a trusted media source on matters that affect children and women, UNICEF Kenya plays an important role in bringing in credible experts, showing empathy with those affected, using appropriate language, and thoroughly and carefully explaining terminology to explain how children’s issues affects these vulnerable groups.

The vast knowledge and expertise of UNICEF Kenya staff is a resource that can be more actively shared with the media and the public. Media training should build the confidence of selected staff so that UNICEF Kenya is better able to deliver on interview requests and build the profile of UNICEF’s work in Kenya.

Purpose and Objective

UNICEF Kenya plans to organize and media training for key staff. This will be organized and led by the Communication team, but we need an experienced journalist to assist with this, especially to conduct mock interviews for the trainees.

This assignment therefore will support the preparation and conducting of one workshop-style training session on working with the media for selected UNICEF staff, so they can deliver clear and compelling answers that best represent UNICEF’s work for children.

Key outcomes of the training sessions include:

• Recognition of the importance of media interviews for the organization
• Understanding of the media interview preparation process with the Communication team, including short timelines and responsiveness
• Increased comfort of UNICEF staff with media interviews, including on sensitive issues
• Ability to develop key messages or a given subject and deliver these messages in a short-format interview, without using technical jargon
• Ability to deflect or avoid difficult/controversial questions.

The Consultant will be supervised by the Communication Specialist in collaboration with the Media Relations Consultant. The training session will be conducted between September and November 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, with in-person training at a date agreed with the selected consultant.

Scope of work

The training sessions can be structured according to the suggestions of the selected consultant, but a detailed agenda should deliver all the specific outcomes outlined in this document. This includes:

• Handling live radio and TV interviews
• Hand=ling print & digital media interviews
• Tips for online interviews (lighting & framing)
• Interviews during emergencies or breaking news
• Handling complex, sensitive issues and reputational risks
• Persuading and influencing with impact and authority.

The training should be highly interactive with lots of opportunities to practice. Activities should include mock interviews with recordings for analysis and feedback.

Qualifications and Specialized Knowledge/experience required.

• Significant and proven media experience
• Track record for media training
• Knowledge of African context and media
• Crisis communication and emergency experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency in training staff to deliver advocacy outcomes in media
• Working knowledge of English
• Experience with print and electronic media.

Work Assignment Overview

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, Media or any relevant field 
• Current or recent journalist with a major news organization in Kenya
• Experience across at least 2 of TV, radio, print and online.
• Experience of interviewing senior people for news and features
• Understanding of PR, Risk and Crisis Communication
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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:  

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.