Digital Communication Officer, (P-2), Education Cannot Wait (ECW), UNICEF Hosted Funds, New York, USA #109497, REQ#573616

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is seeking a dynamic Digital Communication Officer to broaden the outreach and brand impact through compelling storytelling and strategic messaging across various digital channels, fostering valuable relationships with stakeholders. Report to the Advocacy and Communications Chief, the incumbent will contribute to the online communication strategy, content production, and the development and implementation of global advocacy campaigns. Join us to make a meaningful impact on a global scale!

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Education

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) is the global fund for emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations system. It was launched in 2016 during the World Humanitarian Summit by international humanitarian and development aid organizations, along with public and private donors, to help reposition education as a priority on the humanitarian agenda, usher in a more collaborative approach among actors on the ground and foster additional funding to ensure that every crisis-affected child and young person is in school and learning. 

Based on the recognition that continuous access to quality learning is a priority for children and families affected by armed conflicts, forced displacement, climate-induced disasters and protracted crises – and that no single programme nor organization can do it alone – ECW brings together public and private partners eager to work together differently and mobilize the funding required to deploy immediate and sustainable solutions. 

ECW’s mandate is articulated around two strategic objectives outlined in its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan: 

1. Increased and better funding for Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises (EiEPC)
2. Stronger EIEPC capacities and systems

ECW’s Advocacy and Communications support the achievement of ECW’s two strategic objectives as a cross-cutting function. 

ECW’s day-to-day work is managed by a lean Secretariat that is hosted and administered by UNICEF and that has its headquarters in New York City. 

As a UNICEF-hosted fund, ECW is administered under UNICEF’s financial, human resources and administrative rules and regulations, while operations are run by the Fund’s own independent governance structure that provides strategic guidance and oversight to its investments. ECW’s day-to-day activities are carried out by the secretariat’s team under the direction of the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait. 

The ECW Secretariat continues to strengthen its overall communication, global advocacy and fundraising efforts. Content production, advocacy and digital engagement play an important role in continuing to position ECW as a breakthrough global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, expanding financial and political commitments and engagement around education in emergencies, and disseminating knowledge of best practices in the field.

ECW’s digital presence and timely content dissemination strengthen its brand and expand its reach with target audiences enhancing the ability of ECW fulfil its mission. ECW’s website up-to-date contents meet the information needs of ECW’s audiences, including its partners and grantees, supporting the roll out of ECW investments, the promotion of an evidence-based policy agenda in the education in emergencies sector, and ECW’s transparency and accountability.

How can you make a difference? 

The Digital Communication Officer role seeks to broaden ECW’s outreach and brand impact through compelling storytelling and strategic messaging across various digital channels, fostering valuable relationships with stakeholders. Reporting to the Advocacy and Communications Chief, the incumbent will be accountable for contributing to the online communication strategy, content production, and the development and implementation of global advocacy campaigns.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

1. Digital Communication Strategy:

• Provide support to ensure ECW’s digital/social media channels are up to date, following applicable corporate guidelines and taking into account ECW branding.
• Identify key digital influencers and partners that can help amplify ECW’s voice and engage with them on regular basis through digital communication.
• Ensure all ECW digital media channels and platforms are “on message”.
• Support online reputation management.
• Ensure timely distribution, wide dissemination and cross-promotion of ECW’s digital contents.
• Support the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of ECW’s communication strategy, with a focus on content creation for digital media platforms, campaign implementation and website content updates.
• Support the maintenance and updates of ECW contact lists/database.

2. Content Production:

• Support production of advocacy and communication materials (e.g. infographics, videos, photo galleries, social media packages, factsheets, presentations, reports, publications, etc.) for digital platforms, printing, etc. while meeting ECW standards.
• Prepare relevant content/research for social media cards, factsheets, publications, infographics, publications and other ECW communication materials.
• Collaborate with global strategic partners to draft content, including press releases and blogs .
• Draft and edit content for social media that meets ECW standards.
• Support maintenance of up-to-date ECW media assets library including photographs/videos.
• Share relevant material with ECW’s internal and external partners on demand.
• Participate in the development and implementation of digital communication campaigns.

3. Human Interest Stories: 

• Lead in the identification and development of compelling human interest stories, in close collaboration with global partners.
• Coordinate with partners to gather and verify information for accurate, impactful storytelling.
• Write and edit stories to ensure alignment with ECW goals and stakeholder interests.
• Manage the adaptation of existing stories to meet specific needs of diverse stakeholders and media outlets.
• Ensure archiving of high-resolution photos, videos and other assets received alongside stories.
• Support the sourcing, production, sharing and archiving of high-quality digital media assets for ECW, including advocacy videos, infographics, GIFs, photos, with a special focus on human interest stories.

4. Website Content Administration:  

• Develop, upload and maintain content on ECW’s website in a timely manner.
• Draft contents for custom web pages and microsites for ECW campaigns in short-time frames.
• Ensure relevant documentation and information is accessible to ECW’s partners/ grantees.
• Contribute to developing and applying best practices in the ECW website content management system.

5. Champions, partners and special events:

• Lead ECW youth engagement initiatives and advocacy efforts.
• Develop and implement strategies to amplify youth voices for ECW and EiEPC .
• Help organize and generate public support for special events and activities to promote ECW goals.
• Assist in developing and maintaining close collaboration with groups and organizations whose support is essential to the achievement of advocacy and communication objectives.
• Support the visibility of ECW constituents, champions, donors, partners and other special interest groups.
• Support the organization of ECW special events, including preparing information materials, assisting in the planning, logistics and administrative arrangements, and ensuring digital communication when required.
• Travel to the field may be required.

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

Minimum requirements:

• A first-level university degree (i.e. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in communication, arts and humanities or another relevant field or discipline is required.
• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible work experience at the national and international levels in digital communication with a humanitarian or development aid organisation, including managing social media and digital platforms.
• Proven experience in using content management systems (including Drupal and WordPress) is highly desirable.
• Field experience in a humanitarian crisis context is desirable.
• Familiarity with the United Nations system would be a strong asset.
• Diplomatic communication and coordination skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships for achievement of objectives and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to engage and collaborate with global partners, youth, and other stakeholders to amplify advocacy efforts and gather content.
• Competence in sourcing, archiving, and maintaining a library of digital media assets, such as photographs and videos.
• Strong research and writing skills to draft and edit various types of content, including press releases, blogs, social media posts, and human interest stories.
• Demonstrated proficiency in website content updates, development and maintenance.
• Flexibility to adapt content and strategies to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders and media outlets.
• Proven track record in leading cross-team coordination, content collection efforts, and supporting the development of new platforms and campaigns.
• Fluency in English is required and knowledge of another UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

1. Builds and maintains partnerships
2. Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
3. Drive to achieve results for impact
4. Innovates and embraces change
5. Manages ambiguity and complexity
6. Thinks and acts strategically
7. Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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

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

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.