Organization Mission

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children”s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children”s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.

The United Nations Children”s Fund (UNICEF) has been present in Brazil since 1950, supporting the most important changes in childhood and adolescence in the country. UNICEF participated in major immunization and breastfeeding campaigns; the mobilization that resulted in the approval of Article 227 of the Federal Constitution and the drafting of the Child and Adolescent Statute; the movement for universal access to education; programmes to combat child labour; among other great advances in guaranteeing the rights of Brazilian girls and boys.

In recent decades, Brazil has promoted a strong process of inclusion of children and adolescents in public policies. However, a significant portion of the population remains excluded. Therefore, in its cooperation programme with the Brazilian Government for the period 2024-2028, UNICEF focuses its efforts on the most vulnerable and excluded girls and boys, with a special focus on children and adolescents who are victims of extreme forms of violence. These children and adolescents in situations of greater vulnerability are spread throughout Brazil, but they are more concentrated in the Amazon, in the Northeast and in large urban centers. Through the UNICEF Seal, UNICEF promotes commitments to guarantee the rights of children and adolescents in the Northeast and in the Amazon regions in Brazil. In large cities, UNICEF works with a focus on reducing intra-municipal inequalities, through the #AgendaCidadeUNICEF.

Context

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is present with 10 offices across Brazil, including one national office in Brasília and 9 Field Offices. UNICEF is in process of implementing the Country Programme in Brazil for the period 2024- 2028 in cooperation with the Brazilian government, which focuses on the most vulnerable and excluded girls and boys, with a special focus on children and adolescents who are victims of extreme forms of violence. Through the UNICEF Seal programme, UNICEF promotes child and adolescents` rights through the commitment of over 2,000 municipalities in the Semi-arid and the Brazilian Legal Amazon, while in large capital cities UNICEF works with a focus on reducing intra-municipal inequalities through the Agenda Cidade

The Communication Section plays a crucial role by raising public awareness on child rights issues, creating visibility for UNICEF”s initiatives, and collaborating with local communities to foster behavioural changes and advance children”s rights. The Communication Team is distributed between Brasília and zone offices. Within the Northeast Region, the Recife Zone Office is responsible for the states of Pernambuco, Alagoas and Paraiba.

The UN Volunteer will support UNICEF in achieving outcomes not only related to communication and public advocacy, but also community-driven initiatives related to Social and Behaviour Change (SBC).

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Field Office, in coordination with the Communication Specialist, the UN Volunteer will support the Communication Team in implementing communication, advocacy and SBC strategies, undertaking the following tasks:

Advocacy

• Support the regional Communication Specialist and the Chief of Field Office and other local colleagues in outlining and implementing local advocacy strategies.
• Map and identify strategic audiences and opportunities for local advocacy.
• Coordinate the development of key messages, presentations, briefings and other contents and materials for advocacy opportunities.
• Monitor the appropriate and timely dissemination of advocacy and communication materials to target audiences and participate in the evaluation of their impact.
• Ensure good quality data collection, analysis, evaluation and reporting to ensure effective advocacy strategies .

Social & Behaviour Change (SBC)

• Support the design and implementation of SBC strategy and participation mechanisms related to health, nutrition, education, WASH, child protection and social policy, in both development and humanitarian contexts (if applicable).
• Provide operational and technical support to the design of SBC strategies in liaise with programme colleagues, to ensure maximum outreach and impact on behaviour and social change of target audience, recommending operational strategies, approaches, plans, methods and procedures.
• Assess and recommend potential contacts, networks, resources and tools to support the maximum outreach of SBC initiatives.
• Collect and assess information for budget planning and management of programme funds, monitor/track and report the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organisational guidelines.
• Build and maintain partnerships through networking and proactive collaboration with national and international civil society organisations, UN agencies and public authorities to reinforce cooperation through engagement, empowerment and self-determination of target vulnerable groups.
• Coordinate capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders/ partners across programme sectors in SBC.
• Develop training materials for training activities and revise them periodically for improvements and updates.

Content & Media Relations

• Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media.
• Develop and maintain close collaboration with media, as well as with groups and organizations whose support is essential to the achievement of advocacy and communication objectives.
• Monitor and evaluate the use and effectiveness of media materials.
• Maintain a library of coverage (clippings, coverage etc.)
• Draft and edit articles, press releases, human interest stories and other advocacy/information materials in all media formats, as appropriate.
• Prepare background communication and promotional materials for briefing and visits of media and other special interest groups.
• Collaborate with the media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
• Support the regional Communication Specialist and the Communication Section in Brasília in compiling a daily media monitoring report that analyses UNICEF’s presence and topics of interest for advocacy and fundraising in the media.
• Coordinate, review and ensure quality control of communication and visual materials prepared by the Recife Field Office, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s branding, visibility and advocacy guidelines.
• Support the development of content for media outlets such as videos, human interest stories, content for social media and products co-created with local partners as part of the implementation of the Communications Strategy in Recife Field Office.

Required Skills and Experience

At least 7 years of professional experience, of which at least 3 years of proven experience in communication, advocacy is required.

• Experience with design software, such as Canva, InDesign and related programs.
• Experience working in or with the press is an asset
• Excellent writing and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with the UN system or international organizations is an asset.
• Ability to design and implement communication strategies based on data analysis.
• Knowledge of social behavior change communication principles.

Core Competencies

UNICEF”s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS). All UNICEF competencies are required and expected for this post.

Integrity and professionalism; demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership;

Accountability; effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner;

Teamwork and respect for diversity; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;

Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently.

Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement; and commitment towards the UN core values.

Living Conditions

Recife is the capital of the state of Pernambuco. Surrounded by rivers and with numerous bridges, it is the oldest capital in Brazil at 488 years old. With a population of 1,625,583 (one million, six hundred and twenty-five thousand, five hundred and eighty-three) people, it is the third most densely populated urban area in the country, behind São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The city boasts a blend of colonial architecture and contemporary buildings, with notable landmarks such as the historic Recife Antigo district, which showcases 17th-century buildings and cobblestone streets. Recife is also famous for its beautiful beaches, including Boa Viagem Beach, renowned for its clear waters and bustling promenade. HDI (Municipal Human Development Index) and a vibrant culture influenced by these origins.

As a cultural hub, Recife hosts various festivals throughout the year, including the famous Recife Carnival, which features vibrant parades, music, and dance. The city”s cultural scene is further enriched by its numerous museums, theatres, and art galleries. Recife plays a significant role in Brazil”s economy, with a diverse industrial base, including port operations, technology, and finance. Its strategic location as a major port city enhances its importance in regional and international trade. In terms of education and research, Recife is home to several prominent universities and research institutions, contributing to its reputation as an academic center. In 2021, Recife was the sixth most unequal capital in the country, with a Gini index of 0.556. On the other hand, the city prides itself on its cultural diversity and titles such as the third largest gastronomic center and one of the largest technological centers in the country.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has pointed out that the capital of Pernambuco is the 16th most threatened city in the world by environmental changes. The causes of these changes are varied, such as pollution, global warming, the wrong disposal of solid waste, excessive use of environmental resources, overpopulation, flat terrain, the region”s insufficient drainage network, the proximity of urban buildings to the coastline, among others. Most of these are anthropogenic actions, i.e., caused by humans.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.

Brazil is security level 3 (moderate). United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, is very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning.

All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance.

Information on entitlements at the duty station is available at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos