Communication Specialist, P3, Abuja, Nigeria #00127693, Temporary Appointment (Not for Nigerian Nationals)

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, Advocacy

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.

Organizational Context and Purpose for the Job

Nigeria has made significant strides in the fight against polio, yet the journey towards complete eradication poses persistent challenges. Factors such as vaccine hesitancy, harmful social and gender norms, low political support, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, population movement, security concerns, and weak health systems continue to impede progress. In collaboration with the government, UNICEF is committed to catalyzing transformative change and action by reinforcing community engagement, fortifying healthcare infrastructure, enhancing surveillance and response mechanisms, and securing increased funding and political commitment.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direction of the Chief of Communication, Advocacy, and Partnership, the communication specialist will lead, and coordinate advocacy efforts aimed at driving change and action through enhancing political commitment, refining advocacy, and communication strategies, engaging local partners, and addressing misinformation, particularly in the focal states of Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Lead Political Advocacy: Take the lead in engaging political and influential leaders at federal, state, and local government levels, leading high-profile initiatives to secure concrete commitments to respond quickly and effectively to outbreaks while implementing good-quality polio immunization advocacy campaigns.
• Media Engagement and capacity strengthening: Engage and update traditional media and social influencers on the latest developments in polio eradication.
• Documentation of best practices: highlight health workers and/or policymakers who are doing great work; communities or leaders who have taken ownership, etc. through documentaries and write-ups.
• Drive Public Support and Engagement Initiatives: Spearheaded comprehensive initiatives to generate political awareness and interest while creating public discussion and demand as key efforts to ensure an enabling environment for polio eradication. This involves design of U-Report polls and influence platforms to assess public awareness and support, as well as coordinate field visits to hard-to-reach areas led by UNICEF champions, celebrities, and the media.

• Track and Counter Misinformation: Collaborate with the Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) team for effective crisis communication to track and manage misinformation, ensuring timely and effective responses through digital engagement while engaging religious and traditional leaders in the process.
• Enhance Communication Strategies: Work on developing, supporting, and delivering polio and immunization advocacy and communication strategies, particularly focusing on the use of digital and traditional media, working closely with UNICEF-engaged media teams across the states. Work with the SBC and technical polio teams to ensure timely integration and effective coordination of advocacy and communication strategies, segmented messages, and activities, as well as evidence gathering, documentation of lessons, and information sharing, including feedback back to communities.
• Monitor and Evaluate Campaign Launches: Oversee and monitor national, state, and LGA-level campaign launches in sub-national geographies, ensuring high-profile attendance, media engagements, and good-quality events, including the follow-through of commitments made.

• Work closely with WHO, NPHCDA, and National EOC to ensure polio advocacy and communications are coordinated and aligned.

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

• An advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Or an undergraduate degree plus at least 12 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations, advocacy, and/or corporate communications.)
• Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
• Fieldwork experience is an asset.
• Background/familiarity with Emergencies is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Nigerian languages will be an asset.

For every Child, you will demonstrate…

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

• The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
• Builds and maintains partnerships (II)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (II)
• Drive to achieve results (II)
• Innovates and embraces change (II)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (II)
• Thinks and acts strategically (II)
• Works collaboratively with others (II)
• Nurtures, Leads, and Manages People (I)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.