Associate National Communication Officer (Education)
OVERVIEW
Post Number : 6ZMED 0030PA
Grade : NO-B
Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)
Duty Station : Lusaka
Job Family: Education
Type of contract : Project Appointment
Duration of contract : 1 year
Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 27-02-2025
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
(Only nationals of Zambia can apply for this position.)
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
The position falls under the overall authority of the Regional Director and UNESCO Representative to Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, as well as the Regional Advisor for Health and Education. It is directly supervised by the Senior National Programme Officer and Team Leader in Zambia.
The Associate National Communication Officer will be responsible for the effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of communications related activities at the Lusaka Antenna Office, specifically for the “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future” (O3) Programme, the “Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future” (O3 Plus) Programme, the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF), and other Education sector-supported projects in the country.
Working closely with the UNESCO Education for Health and Well-being (EHW) Country Team and the Regional Communication Officer, the incumbent will be tasked with developing and implementing an advocacy and communications strategy, as well as monitoring the impact of communication efforts to enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.
Long Description
The Associate National Communication Officer shall perform the following tasks:
(i) Advocacy and communications strategy;
• In consultation with Regional Communication Officer and the Lusaka Office, support the development, implementation and monitoring of the Education for Health and Well-being advocacy and communication strategy at country level
• Contribute to the development and implementation of advocacy campaigns
• Spearhead the production of campaign materials, including both print, digital and multimedia materials, and the strategic dissemination of these assets.
• Contribute to the production of communication products to support country and regional communication efforts, including liaison with external service providers as required
• Liaise with journalists from relevant media outlets around key advocacy and communications opportunities
• Conceptualize, maintain and create updated content for all communication platforms, including newsletters, publications, website and social media
(ii) Report writing and design;
• In consultation with the Country project team, assist on preparation of publications, including the quarterly and annual reports
• Support the Regional Communications Officer to conduct interviews with relevant stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, government officials etc) and collect/draft human interest stories that tell the story of UNESCO’s impact in-country.
• Support the documentation of best practices and lessons learned for the Education for Health and Well-being programme
• Contribute to design, content development and revision of donor reports, as required
• Provide support on other office/sectors communication needs, as required
(iii) Website and social media;
• In consultation with country project team and the Regional Communication Officer, support country inclusion of country specific stories and articles into the UNESCO Website.
• Develop special interest stories through the blog and other social media channels
• Manage translation services and validation before uploading new content to the UN country-based website and sharing to the regional responsible officers.
• Leverage relevant UN international days – World AIDS Day, International Women’s Day, International Youth Day, etc. to develop content for engagement. This includes graphic designing and developing the posts.
• Maintain an updated repository of good quality photos with relevant captions and tags, to be used in donor reports, social media posts, the website etc, as required.
• Generate and distribute a monthly project related articles and contribute on generation of UNESCO newsletter
(iv) Partner Relations;
• Form linkages with communications personnel from other institutions - within the Zambia UN Communication Group and other partner organizations)
• Guide partner organizations in ensuring brand management and in UNESCO’s overall visibility
• Prepare country EHW Programme communications materials, as relevant, for different audiences i.e. presentations, newsletter, opinion pieces etc
• Maintain and update a database of key stakeholders and media contacts list
• Organise press briefings and conferences to raise awareness around specific issues or events
• Any other duties as may be reasonably required by UNESCO.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field in Social Sciences.
Work Experience
• At least two (2) years of relevant professional experience in the communications field.
• Experience in working with diverse institutions, such as civil society, multilateral agencies, and non-government organizations.
• Experience working with both traditional media (print, radio, television) and social media.
Languages
• Fluency in written and oral English.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Work Experience
• Strong writing skills and ability to produce compelling press statements, position papers and information materials
• Proven knowledge in communicating around health education (including HIV, gender-based violence, comprehensive sexuality education, sexual reproductive health and rights), and/or public health in general;
• Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, website management software)
• Experience in gender-sensitive communication – including in graphic designing and story-writing.
• Credibility and confidence to work with high level representational partners including relevant Ministries, UNAIDS Co-sponsors, donors and civil society.
• Experience working with diverse institutions, such as civil society, multi-lateral agencies, and non-government organizations, to strengthen their capacity and opportunities to engage in dialogue/advocacy with policymakers.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, tact and diplomacy, ability to multi-task, prioritize and deliver to deadline, as well as work under pressure.
• Experience in supporting the conceptualization and roll out of campaigns will be an added advantage
Languages
• Proficiency in local language is an added advantage
BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS
UNESCO’s salaries consist of a basic salary and other benefits which may include if applicable: 30 days annual leave, family allowance, medical insurance, pension plan etc.
The approximate annual starting salary for this post is 967,861 Zambian Kwacha .
For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.
SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.
UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.
Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.
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