Communications Analyst

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Job Description

“UNDP’s mission as part of the UN system is to achieve sustainable development and fight poverty wherever it is greatest. This requires the very best of us, world-class collaboration, innovative thinking, resilient-based strategies, and continuous learning. UNDP’s competitive advantage as a development partner of choice comes from having the trust of developing countries, owing to our impartial character, transparency, and longstanding presence and commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable. We offer opportunities to make a lasting difference to the more than 170 countries where we commit our support and expertise.

UNDP support’s the Government’s vision for a sustainable, peaceful Iraq through an approach that strengthens societal resilience to better deal with social, economic, environmental, and political shocks and stresses.

Guided by the Country Programme Document (CPD) 2020-2024, UNDP supports four interlinked, inclusive and holistic development pathways. Underpinned by a resilience-based strategy that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable communities, the four pathways in the CPD are as follows:

Strengthened stabilization;
Diversified pro-poor economic growth for sustainable livelihoods;
Improved governance with accountable institutions that protect the rights of vulnerable groups and pave the way for citizen-state trust; and
Decreased fragility to climate change.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Effective and efficient management of relevant media and advocacy activities

Create and promotes campaigns to local and regional media that position UNDP and influence the development agenda based on current programme and new initiatives.
Supports development, promotion and implementation of public awareness campaigns issues and activities related to social cohesion in Iraq
Manage, promote and disseminates advocacy materials for launching initiatives and publications such as the studies and assessments.
Facilitate use of contemporary communication channels and platforms for citizen engagement, linking UNDP with stakeholders, experts, sponsors or champions.
Facilitate engagement with traditional development actors through supporting blogging, social media, and development of digital content.
Support packaging and production of communication products to strengthen UNDP’s collaboration with citizens, CSOs, NGOs, and local level leaders.
Supports packaging and submission of programme initiatives for donor review in collaboration with social cohesion portfolio staff.
Maintain increased coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country through local and global media stories as guided by the UNDP External Communications Action Plan, provision of newsworthy information to national public and, where possible, donors.
Ensures effective responses to inquiries for public information materials.

Development of new ways of doing business when communicating, including innovation and advocacy

Facilitate and promotes recognition of the strategic importance of communication for programme delivery among social cohesion portfolio teams
Enable portfolio teams to communicate effectively with their partners, stakeholders and external audiences through application of established and innovative communication approaches.
Prepare and conducts communications needs assessments for projects, country programme and corporate change initiatives, etc);
Develop portfolio communications and outreach strategy, in close cooperation with the CO Communication and Advocacy Unit
Analyze requirements and develops actions to integrate innovation and advocacy into communication day to day activities.
Provide portfolio team with communication services on issues such as photographing, videoing, blogging, tweeting, working with the press), analysis, strategic positioning advice, equipment and editorial support.
Support the design of Behavior Change Communication (BCC) interventions addressing the priority social issues and tension drivers, aiming at enhancing community acceptance, reintrgration, and social cohesion.
Provide Technical support and technical assistance and supervision to develop and implement Government-Led Communication Strategy For Improving Community Acceptance and Social Cohesion both at national and local levels.
Provide support and capacity-building to field staff, community members, and partners to improve their communication skills and understanding of BCC principles.
Coordinate with the implementing partners of the Social Cohesion programme to identify and develop human success stories that should highlight the impact of programme on enhancing social cohesion and community stability in the targeted areas.
Liaise and work with Social Cohesion program teams in detailing the need for communication and integrating the C4D approach within the programme planning and implementation.
Engage communities, local leaders, government authorities, and other stakeholders to ensure that communication interventions are appropriate to the culture and sensitive to the context.
Provide quality reports, press releases, social media, and multi-media content displaying the progress of the programmes such as human-interest success stories, and lessons learned.

Communications and Partnerships

Maintain regular communication and coordination with relevant partners, to implement activities in a timely manner.
Facilitate a good working relationship and collaboration between key government partners and UNDP.
Support to strengthen partnerships between government entities and civil society organizations, including through improved planning.
Support to facilitate coordination efforts with other implementing partners providing support for social cohesion in the target locations.
Work with the relevant UNDP Technical and Communications colleagues to develop the required advocacy messages, strategies and materials
Establish in collaboration with CO, promotes and ensures adherence to internal communication norms on frequency, look and feel, messaging, etc.
Increase coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country through development and maintenance of media contacts, facilitation of provision of information to the public, communities, and donors

Knowledge building and management

Ensure synergies with/between UNDP programmes/projects/ other areas of Programming, to ensure strengthening the achievement of integrated results.
Facilitate knowledge-building and management.
Ensure that project lessons learned, and best practices are captured, documented and periodically shared with relevant stakeholders.
Analyse results and lessons learned and recommend strategies for improved delivery of project activity results and outputs.
Support a regular review of risks that impact upon the social cohesion programme and identify mitigation measures

The Communications Analyst is the focal point for the Social Cohesion programme, which works in main areas that include:

Strengthening the national frameworks for peace and social cohesion,
Strengthening inter-linking community infrastructures for social cohesion at multi-levels
Supporting and strengthening capacities and resources of academia and research institutions and actors to lead social cohesion
Community-based reconciliation and reintegration in Iraq for displaced persons and mainly ‘families perceived to be affiliated with ISIL’
Working with media institution and media professionals to improved advocacy and public awareness.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communications, media/ journalism or social sciences , or related field is required, OR
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Min. years of relevant work experience
Applicants with Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international level in public relations, communications, social media or advocacy.

Required skills

Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), database packages, and web-based management systems such as ERP.”
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
Advanced knowledge of and experience with blogging and social media will be an asset.
Working experience with UN/UNDP is an asset.
Working experience in post conflict context such Iraq is an asset.

Required Language(s)