Consultancy: Communications – Gender Equality Req.#568674

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, LOVE

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Consultancy: Communications – Gender Equality

Section/Division/Duty Station: Gender Equality Section – PG – NYHQ

Duration: 1 February 2024 – 31 January 2025

Home/ office Based: REMOTE

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The Communication Consultant is accountable to develop, facilitate, network, implement and monitor an advocacy and communication strategy and associated products and activities, with the objective of promoting brand awareness, understanding, and support for gender equality as a key driver for children’s and women’s rights as supported by UNICEF’s mission, priorities and programmes in the country/regional offices and at a global level.

Half of the Communication Consultants time will be focused on communication outputs developed for audiences, specifically on advancing the adolescent girls’ agenda, including in relation to the Adolescent Girls’ Programme Strategy implementation and the adolescent girls targeted priorities in the Gender Action Plan 2022-2025, including the Skills4Girls portfolio. 

Scope of Work:

1. Communication strategy and workplan: The consultant will ensure that Programme Group (PG) Gender Equality has a clear and dynamic communication strategy and associated work plan to advocate for gender equality as a key driver for children’s and women’s rights.
2. Networking and partnerships: Effective working relationships with UNICEF, broader UN, and other key external communication counterparts (especially within the gender equality ecosystem) are developed, maintained and enhanced.
3. Influencing global priorities and campaigns: The consultant will support UNICEF’s global communications priorities, campaigns and partnerships, including the development of messages and assets, and event coordination, for key flagship annual events such as International Women’s Day and International Day of the Girl.
4. Capacity building and support: The consultant will provide PG Gender Equality and broader UNICEF teams with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of advocacy and communication as related to the strategy and workplan as required.
5. Facilitate engagement and coordination with communications vendors: The consultant will liaise with communications vendors and assist in reviewing a range of communication assets produced for quality assurance.
6. Adolescent Girls’ agenda, adolescent girls’ targeted priorities and the Skills4Girls (S4G) portfolio: Dedicated communication support is provided (externally and internally) on the adolescent girls’ agenda, including in relation to the Adolescent Girls’ Programme Strategy implementation and adolescent girls targeted priorities in GAP 2022-2025, with particular focus on the Skills4Girls portfolio, girls’ empowerment, and leadership.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. A communication strategy and implementation work plan including key priorities, product pipeline, specific existing partner comms activity and evaluation metrics are developed by 31 Jan 2025
2. A targeted outreach plan to connect with internal stakeholders and external organizations, networks, and influencers to outline key areas of collaboration and to amplify the visibility of gender equality efforts is developed and implemented

Networking and partnership contact list is compiled by 31 Jan 2025

3. At least 40 content updates on the UNICEF Gender Equality webpage.

At least 40 UNICEF’s Gender Equality webpage new content updates.

At least 30 meetings and coordination calls including key GCA 2024 planning meetings are attended and supported with inputs to the key deliverables

12 progress reports detailing the comms strategy, work plan and outreach plan implementation including impact of visibility efforts, challenges faced, and proposed adjustments

At least 7 events are supported with content and communication plan related to key flagship annual events and other advocacy moments by 31 Jan 2025

4. A comprehensive documentation system for all visibility activities, including media coverage and internal communications undertaken in 2024 for use in preparation of the UNSWAP report in Jan 2025 is established and maintained by 31 Jan 2025
5. At least 11-15 communication products/assets (i.e. quarterly newsletter, blogs, ICON stories, video assets, slide decks) are drafted and produced through engagement and coordination with relevant stakeholders

At least 36 communication assets (i.e. reports, speeches, articles, blog posts, etc.) reviewed  for quality assurance and written inputs integrated to strengthen gender equality messaging

At least 50 social media posts, including Yammer, Twitter and LinkedIn are developed and posted by 31 Jan 2025

6. A set of key strategic messages related to the adolescent girls’ agenda is developed for incorporation into the comms strategy and other comms asset

Adolescent girls including S4G specific comms assets developed:

• At least 3 slide decks are developed
• At least 2 ICON stories
• At least 2 external stories for UNICEF blog
• At least 2 video assets
• At least 24-36 social media posts (internal and external), including Yammer, Twitter and LinkedIn
• Communications and advocacy products for at least 3 key global events (IWD, IDG, Youth Skills Day), such as concept notes, talking points, social media packs, invitations.
• Develop at least 10 case studies and/or human-interest stories (HIS) on adolescent girls and S4G in collaboration with Cos
• Develop at least 10 partner specific communication products to support partners, PFP, PPD, COs and ROs related to the S4G portfolio.
• Develop S4G-focused communication assets (at least 2 blogs/articles, updating web content, at least 3 HIS published)
• At least 40 web-page content updates and maintenance to the S4G website (external) and communication site (internal).
• Updated resource library of approximately 200 products with abstracts and metadata

by 31 Jan 2025

Qualifications

Education:

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, related other

Work experience:

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, advocacy, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
• International work experience, experience with public and private sector, expertise in international development and humanitarian response, and/or the gender equality ecosystem are strong assets.
• Past experience with UNICEF in children’s rights, women and girls’ empowerment, gender rights is an advantage.
• Must demonstrate excellent writing skills with specific experience writing on gender related issues and knowledge products.
• Experience in work environment of an international agency, UN, or international institutions is desirable; prior experience in UNICEF is an asset.
• Experience in developing country contexts and an understanding of development challenges from the field perspective is desirable.

Competencies/Knowledge:

• Be able to work independently as well as with a team in an international, multicultural, and interdisciplinary environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Excellent computer skills (MS Windows, MS Office applications, SharePoint and TeamSite management).
• Knowledge of UNICEF/UN systems is an asset.
• Ability to communicate sensitively to different audiences.
• Ability to work within tight deadlines.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.