International UNV Specialist – Development Coordination/Communications Officer / Amman, Jordan

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Development Coordination Office (DCO) for Arab States, established in 2019 as part of the UN Secretary-General’s development system, plays a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness, coherence, and efficiency of the UN’s development efforts in the region. This reform was aimed at strengthening the UN’s ability to support countries in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a specific focus on providing strong support for UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams. At the regional level, DCO serves as first port of call for Resident Coordinators and their offices (RCOs). They also serve with UNDP and the Regional Commissions as part of the joint secretariats for the Regional Collaborative Platforms and ensure connectivity between global and country level initiatives. Given the unique challenges faced by the Arab States, DCO’s role extends to supporting countries during times of crisis, working in tandem with the humanitarian and peace-building arms of the UN. It also engages in advocacy and mobilizes partnerships with regional entities, civil society, and the private sector to advance the UN’s development agenda, working with a range of UN and non-UN partners, including the Department of Global Communications, at global, regional and country levels.

Context

The impact of DCO in the Arab States is evident in the more coordinated and effective UN responses to regional development challenges, the alignment of UN programs with national development priorities, and the enhanced capacity of UN Country Teams in supporting countries, especially those in crisis situations. DCO’s operations and strategies continually evolve to address the region’s changing needs and the United Nations development system’s shifting priorities.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Team Leader for ROAS the UN Volunteer Crisis Communications Officer will:

• Provide substantive support to the DCO Arab states Team Leader and RCOs, coordinating with partners to develop/adapt, as needed, key messages, public statements, talking points, press releases, and social media content.

• Provide support for RCOs and UNCTs in sensitive settings, as needed, with potential surge deployments to bolster strategic communication activities during high-demand periods/ This includes coordinating with key partners to develop crisis communications plans, drafting key messages, media lines (if asked) and weekly updates for the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General as well as ensuring cohesive communication coordination with senior leadership and participating in UNCG global and country crisis comms cells.

• Support to UN Communications Groups (UNCGs): at the request of RCOs, coordinate the development of common UN messages, drawing on UN entity mandates and areas of expertise, and joint statements to be used by UN country teams.

• Develop and update crisis communication strategies: support UNCGs at the country level to design and revise the Terms of Reference for their crisis teams and formulate comprehensive crisis communication strategies and plans.

• Build and maintain key relationships: establish and maintain close, ongoing relationships with communication and advocacy staff at RCOs, Headquarters, and regional UN entities, offering them strategic guidance on their work plans and activities.

• Media monitoring: conduct weekly traditional and social media monitoring with a focus on mis/disinformation and hate speech that could impact the work or reputation of the UN.

• Share knowledge and best practices: collect and disseminate best practices, and lessons learned on reputation/risk management and crisis communication initiatives across Arab State RCOs.

• Provide regional feedback and support to Department of Global Communications (DGC) HQ: provide constructive insights and substantial assistance to tailor global communication and advocacy priorities to regional contexts.

• Optimize online platforms: in collaboration with DGC/DCO in HQ, provide advice and best practices for effectively updating and utilizing UNCT websites and social media platforms, with a focus on their multilingual capabilities.

• Source and draft compelling stories: identify and develop human-interest stories, using multimedia and multilingual content, that resonate with local, regional, and global audiences, showcasing the impact of the UN’s work.

• Communications community of practice: support, along with the two co-chairs, the Arab State’s communications community of practice, including developing meeting agendas, training, online retreats, and following up on agreed priorities and regional communication and advocacy initiatives.

• Performs other related duties, as required.

Eligibility criteria

Age

27 – 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

3 years of experience in strategic communications, journalism, crisis communications, public information or related area is required.

Area(s) of expertise

Communication, Crisis and emergency response, Development programmes

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required Arabic, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level

Master degree or equivalent in communication, journalism, international relations, public information or related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Creativity • Technological awareness • Communications • Teamwork • Client Orientation • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Other information

Living conditions and remarks

Location: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is located in the Middle East. Bound by Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, Red Sea to the south and the Palestinian National Authority to the west. Weather: Jordan’s climate can be classified as semi-arid (Bsh) on the Koeppen-Geiger classification. It features a hot, dry climate characterized by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan’s location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area. January is the coldest month, with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C, and August is the hottest month at 20°C to 35°C. Daily temperatures can be quite hot, especially in the summer; on some days it can be 40°C or more, especially when a hot, dry southerly wind blows. Such winds can sometimes be very strong and can cause sandstorms. About 70 percent of the average rainfall in the country falls between November and March; June through August are often rainless. Rainfall varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is often concentrated in violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding, especially in the winter months. Safety and Security: Jordan is a relatively stable country. The potentials for internal or external armed conflict are considered very unlikely in the current political environment. Peaceful demonstrations, and sometimes road blockages, do occur in Jordan, motivated by domestic factors such as unemployment, deprivation of resources and development or for regional issues such as solidarity with the Palestinian cause or with the Syrian crises. Most of these events are driven by civil society unions and Islamic parties. Domestic tribal civil unrest sometimes turns violent, especially outside main cities, due to tribal disputes or socio-economic reasons. In all occasions law enforcement agencies usually manage to contain the situation rapidly. Road traffic accidents are the primary threat against UN personnel in Jordan. Poor road conditions and bad driving behaviours are the main reasons for the high rate of traffic accidents. Amman is a category A duty station with security level 1. Transportation and housing: Taxis as well as ride-hailing services (Uber and Careem) are abundant and affordable in Amman. Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Public minibuses are the most common form of public transport. They normally only leave when full, so waiting times of an hour or more are inevitable, especially in rural areas. The larger air-con buses offer a speedy and reliable service, departing according to a fixed schedule. Housing is readily available with rents for one- to two-bedroom apartments ranging between 500 and 800 JD (1 JD = 0.708 USD) depending on the location. Health Services: Medical facilities are generally very good, particularly in Amman where there are several modern, well-equipped public and private hospitals. Almost all doctors (and most pharmacists) speak English; many have studied abroad. Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken – especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled or have been educated abroad so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent. Learn more about Jordan from the Ministry of Tourism’s website: https://www.mota.gov.jo/Default/Ar

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy