Associate development coordination Officer

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator – the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level – support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs.  The position is located in the United Nations Resident Coordination Office (RCO) in Lao PDR and reports to the Head of Office HoO.  The position also maintains a close working relationship with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC), which sets the communications and advocacy priorities of the United Nations around the world and includes a second reporting line to DGC.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties: 

CONTRIBUTES TO STRATEGIC ADVOCACY AND PROGRAMME COMMUNICATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE UNSDCF: 

• Provides substantive support to the Resident Coordinator (RC) and UN Country Team (UNCT) in designing, implementing and monitoring the UN joint advocacy and communication strategy, promoting the UNSDCF as the primary instrument for the planning and implementation of UN development activities in the country, in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Prepares inputs for the RC and UNCT on strategic advocacy and programme communications for the 2030 Agenda and to boost impact of programmatic objectives under the UNDSDCF.
• Contributes to the promotion of advocacy and communications as a tool for a participatory approach to UNSDCF implementation and monitoring, reflecting the views and priorities of people, including those left farthest behind.
• Monitors and analyzes the media in the areas related to the UN’s mandates and programmes in the country, as well as other issues relevant to the UN brand and positioning.
• Prepares inputs for the RC and UNCT on public messaging and media outreach, and assists in managing reputational risks or crises around sensitive issues.
• Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT, the UN Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning  Team and Results Groups on potential issues, concerns and risks related to communications and advocacy, and suggests corrective actions.
• Supports HoO in co-chairing the UN Communications Group throughout the stages of the UNSDCF cycle.
• In collaboration with the UN Communications Group and the UN Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Team, and in coordination with the RCO colleagues responsible for data management and results reporting, contributes to the annual communication plan to publicize and communicate results with a focus on the UN’s development impact.
• Assists the RC and UNCT in projecting UN’s image effectively and accurately as well as promoting transparency and accountability.
• Provides substantive support to identify, incorporate, monitor and report on communication performance indicators throughout the UNSDCF cycle.

ASSISTS IN PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND MEDIA RELATIONS: 

• Assists in the engagement of key traditional and non-traditional partners, including government, civil society, private sector, development partners and others new as well as traditional actors on the collective 2030 Agenda and the related role and impact of the UN’s work in country. • Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT in significantly expanding public outreach on the 2030 Agenda and the UN’s role and impact in country.
• Supports public engagement on the UN’s role and work in country, including through programme visits showcasing the UN’s development impact.
• Contributes to regular liaison with other partners for content development, information exchange, collaborative communication efforts, and innovative communication and advocacy tools, as assigned.
• Compiles, analyzes, categorizes and summarizes communication experiences for use in sharing findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit the UN’s communication work.
• Assists in maintaining close working relationships with the media, including editors and journalists in key national and international news outlets; develops, maintains and updates media relations contact list/database.
• Prepares official briefing materials, talking points, speeches, statements, op-eds and presentations as necessary. 

PROVIDES SUBSTANTIVE SUPPORT FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS: 

• Maintains external and internal digital communications platforms such as the UN country team website, official UN country team social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), Intranet and on-line collaboration platforms, etc..
• Assists in the development and implementation of a digital content strategy and contributes to the development of key communications and advocacy products (e.g. human-interest stories, multilingual and multimedia content, etc.).
• Provides support to exercises exploring the applicability of new and emerging tools and techniques to digital communications and advocacy activities to reach a wider, younger audience. 

SUPPORTS PUBLICATIONS AND BRANDING MANAGEMENT:

• Provides substantive support to the RC and UNCT on joint UN publications, maintaining high quality standards and the correct application of the UN branding guidelines and the UN publishing standards.
• Drafts inputs for the RC and UNCT on the use of the UN joint brand at country level across UN content and products, both offline and online.
• Provides substantive support to launch events for joint UN publications, coordinating with other entities in the UN country team and relevant local partners, including host country authorities, media representatives, members of academia, etc. to ensure high visibility and impact. 

CONTRIBUTES TO THE LOCAL PROMOTION OF UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ADVOCACY PRIORITIES ON THE WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN OTHER KEY THEMATIC AREAS:

• Contributes to providing substantive support to the United Nations Department of Global Communications in adapting and localizing global communications and advocacy priorities promoting the work of the United Nations in key thematic areas.
• Assists the Resident Coordinator on possible sources of funding and in-kind support and partnerships that could be leveraged for promoting localized global campaigns, galvanizing local, regional and global support as relevant.
• Supports the evaluation of results and impact of communications and advocacy initiatives promoting the work of the United Nations in key thematic areas other than development, reporting the outcome to the Resident Coordinator, the UN country team and the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
• Contributes to the collection and analysis of data and identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Documents requirements and background information used for data analysis.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) communication, journalism, international relations or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certification in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage.

Work Experience

• A minimum of two years of progressively responsible experience in programme communications and advocacy in the context of development is required.    Experience managing some resources, including personnel and budget, to support communications and advocacy activities in a local context, is desirable.    Work experience of one (1) year or more in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in written and spoken English and Laotian is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.  NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/229238?language=en