Communications Associate

The Knowledge Project is a joint initiative between UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) established in 2008 and aimed at producing high-quality knowledge products and promoting knowledge sharing and dialogue. It builds on three Arab Knowledge Reports, the Arab Knowledge Index, the knowledge4all portal and mobile application, the Arab Reading Index, the Future of Knowledge Report series and the Global Knowledge Index (GKI). Moreover, the project has recently launched a three-year initiative to develop the skills of citizens in the Arab States region, which will be piloted in eight Arab countries providing 5,500 training licenses during the first year of its roll-out.

In 2023, the Knowledge Project plans to produce the GKI 2023, establish a skills development programme, enhance its knowledge4all portal and mobile application, introduce its pilot Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy, and implement an outreach and dissemination strategy to increase its impact of the project outputs.

•   The GKI offers a comprehensive roadmap of factors that drive knowledge competitiveness, focusing on six key sectors as the foundation of a knowledge society. These sectors encompass education at all levels, research, development, innovation, information and communications technology, and the economy, all supported by an enabling environment.
•   Regional Skills Initiative: Having contracted a MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) provider in 2022 to enhance its skills development offer, this year, the project plans to design and implement the regional skilling initiative to prepare citizens to effectively enter the job market. The skilling initiative aims to provide accessible and quality training to individuals, particularly youth and women, to develop the skills needed to secure quality employment opportunities. The initiative will focus on key areas such as soft, entrepreneurial and technical skills development. By developing these skills, individuals can enhance their employability, productivity, and income-generating potential, contributing to poverty reduction and economic growth. The skilling initiative aligns with the project’s overall mission of promoting knowledge societies and policies as transformative approaches to achieving sustainable development in the Arab States region and beyond.
•   The knowledge4all portal and mobile app serve as digital reference hubs for researchers, professionals, academics, stakeholders, and the general public. They offer Arabic and English resources on various knowledge domains, including reports, indices, publications, and events. The platform also includes tools in development, such as data visualization, an AI tool, and a GKI simulation tool.
•   The AI policy tool, that the Knowledge Project plans to introduce in 2023, will provide policymakers and stakeholders suggested policy recommendations to promote knowledge-based societies. As a pilot, the AI policy tool will only cover topics related to education. It will also provide information on best practices and case studies from around the world to help policymakers make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.
 

Accordingly, UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States is seeking the services of a Communications Associate to support in the planning, coordination and implementation of the project’s communications efforts and to ensure strategic and impactful outreach on the project’s flagship knowledge products.
 

Key Functions:
a)   Communications and advocacy:
•   Design and facilitate the implementation of a robust marketing and communication strategy aimed at increasing awareness about the project and its achievements among the target audience.
•   Produce and design various communication products, including press releases, briefing materials, fact sheets, videos, infographics, banners, and social media materials.
•   Facilitate the drafting of a regular newsletter, incorporating updates, achievements, and key learnings from the project.
•   Coordinate the organization of physical and virtual events and organize promotion and dissemination to raise awareness and visibility of the project.
•   Advise on the use of the project’s branding and adhere to the latest internal editorial guidelines in all communication and marketing materials.
•   Advise on various designs and layouts used for advocacy and communications tools and ensure quality.

b)   Stakeholder engagement and digital media management:
•   Manage the project’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube), ensuring they are frequently updated, improved, and maintained.
•   Stay up-to-date with the latest trends in communications, social media and algorithm changes to maximize outreach and engagement.
•   Utilize Google Ads and social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to boost visibility and engagement, planning and managing campaigns effectively.
•   Facilitate effective communication with a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, private sector organizations, academic institutions, civil society groups, and the general public.
•   Manage the knowledge community, encouraging interaction, and ensuring that the latest and most relevant information is shared.
•   Ensure that the project’s communication channels, such as the portal, event page, and social media accounts, are updated, improved, and maintained regularly.
•   Collect and categorize photos and pictures by theme for use across various communication platforms and materials.
•   Leverage collected and categorized content to enhance communication and storytelling, providing a visually appealing experience for the audience.

c)   Internal communications:
•   Facilitate contact with other projects, country offices and Regional Hub in Amman for communications- related matters, ensuring effective and timely internal communication.
•   Source, edit, review, and translate reports, press releases, presentations, or any other project document to ensure accurate and consistent internal communication.
•   Implement effective knowledge management practices, ensuring that key information and learnings are captured, organized, and made accessible for team members.
•   Facilitate the drafting of monthly reports reflecting analytics of the portal and social media accounts in coordination with the web editor.
 

d)   Evaluation and reporting:
•   Monitor media to analyse the effectiveness of the communications strategy, making necessary tweaks for continuous success of the visibility.
•   Draft monthly reports reflecting analytics of the portal and social media accounts in coordination with the web editor, ensuring all communications efforts are trackable and measurable.
•   Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy and communications strategies and adjust as necessary.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

The Communications Associate will be working under the general guidance of the Chief Technical Adviser/Project Manager and under the direct supervision of the Project, Research and Communications Specialist. Collaboration and coordination with the rest of the Knowledge Project team, Regional Bureaux and Country Offices as well as the Donor will be required.