Project Officer (Communication & Advocacy)

OVERVIEW

Post Number : 1CAUIS0094PA

Grade : P-3

Parent Sector : UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Duty Station: Montreal

Job Family: Communication and Information

Type of contract : Project Appointment

Duration of contract : 1 year

Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 07-JUL-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

Duration of contract: initially one (1) year, with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Background
Established in 1999, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) serves as UNESCO’s statistical agency for its 193 Member States (MS) and 12 Associated Members. The UIS agenda focuses on delivering cross-national comparable data for global, regional, and development agendas, covering the fields of education, science, culture, and communication and information. The UIS provides technical support for Member States to produce transformative data based on the three pillars: standards and methodologies; data production; brokering and outreach. The UIS’s vision, described in its 2022–2029 Medium-Term Strategy, is to ensure that countries’ policies and decision-making are informed by sound statistical information; that they can benchmark progress towards national and international goals; and learn from the experiences of others. The UIS seeks to build a management team that will lead the successful implementation of this vision.

The UIS plays a pivotal role in shaping global education by providing essential data, technical expertise, and leadership in learning outcomes. It actively addresses challenges related to AI and machine learning, establishing a strong foundation for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through collaborations with UNICEF, the World Bank, OECD, and the GEMR, the UIS fulfills emerging data requirements. Its joint efforts in conducting the Joint Survey on national education responses to COVID-19 demonstrate its commitment to addressing immediate priorities. The data generated through these initiatives inform global, regional, and funding mechanisms for education, including platforms like the UN Transforming Education Summit, the Global Education Cooperation Mechanism (GCM), G7, G20, and the GPE results framework. Furthermore, in partnership with the GEMR, the UIS has successfully adopted an SDG 4 benchmarking process, becoming a leading authority in data and monitoring within the GCM. This process serves as a vital tool for countries to set and monitor targets, positioning the UIS and the GEMR at the forefront of supporting countries in achieving improved education outcomes. Recognizing the significant influence of AI and machine learning, the UIS actively engages in this domain by providing critical data and technical inputs. This proactive involvement ensures that education systems are well-equipped to leverage the potential of AI and address associated challenges through informed decision-making and policy development. 

Purpose

The Project Officer, under the authority of the Senior Executive Officer, is responsible for implementing communication strategies to enhance the Institutes visibility. This involves creating a corporate branding strategy, promoting the use of UIS data with innovative content and online services, establishing outreach channels for key stakeholders, and facilitating fundraising efforts. The broader plan seeks to strengthen UIS as the preferred source for statistical data by defining key stakeholder messages, developing branding guidelines, aligning teams with stakeholder priorities, using customer satisfaction surveys to improve outreach, and creating advocacy materials for social media dissemination. Additionally, the plan includes developing new products and online services, expanding communications with governments, donors, and partners, identifying effective messaging channels, enhancing stakeholder engagement through social media, improving relationships with partners, and exploring opportunities to integrate UIS data into larger initiatives, particularly those linked to the SDGs.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• Support the development, implementation, and monitoring of communication strategies focused on priority issues to establish UIS as the trusted source of statistical data and promote the use of UIS data.
• Coordinate diverse projects within the team related to public-facing materials in collaboration with United Nations System organizations, donors, NGOs, and agencies as needed. Provide programmatic and substantive reviews of materials prepared by UIS teams for presentation to internal and external bodies, ensuring high-quality standards and clarity.
• Draft and edit media materials, such as press releases, articles, Op-Eds, Q&As, key messages, and other major corporate communications materials for both internal and external audiences.
• Supervise the production of all team materials in multiple languages.
• Manage international, regional, and national launches of UIS reports and events, including setting strategic direction, conceptualizing high-profile launch events, and overseeing the work of consultants organizing these events.
• Prepare reports and proposals related to UIS report advocacy and outreach.
• Supervise staff and consultants in the Communication and Advocacy Section.
• Undertake additional activities as necessary to support the UIS mandate.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

-

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Communication, Journalism, or Public Relations.
• A first university degree in a relevant field combined with two (2) additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience 

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in communication, advocacy, print, broadcast, and/or new media, especially demonstrating creative and ambitious brand building, and powerful and engaging storytelling for internal and external audiences, especially using social and other web media. 
• Experience in designing interactive data visualization products and other products designed to engage users in statistical storytelling.
• Experience with the production and distribution of multilingual publications, and management of websites.
• A strong track record of crafting clear, inspiring, and persuasive stories about complex concepts. Excellent verbal communication, and perfect (error-free) writing and editing skills are required.
• Visual design skills and excellent attention to detail, necessary to make visually appealing communication materials including websites, social media, newsletters, and other platforms, are required.

Skills/Competencies

• Excellent analytical, diplomacy, and advocacy skills, in particular the ability to collect, synthesize, and analyse information from various sources and convey messages.
• Ability to develop communication strategies and manage the implementation of public information campaigns with various promotional and publicity techniques.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively, and creatively across different constituencies.
• Strong understanding of production, graphic design, and photography standards.
• Strong knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach.
• Strong oral and written communication and editing skills.
• Strong communication, networking, and advocacy skills.
• Ability to provide advice and be strategic and analytical.
• Knowledge of media strategy development.  

Languages

• Excellent knowledge (written and spoken) of English and French.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience

• Experience in the production of content on statistical issues related to UNESCO's fields.    
• Experience in the production of content in the field of education.
• Experience in development contexts.
• Experience at the international level within public and private sector, expertise in international development and humanitarian response, and/or the innovation ecosystem strong assets.
• Experience in statistical publishing with a specific focus on the production and promotion of data visualization products, analytical and technical reports, and other data products related to UNESCO's fields of competence.

Languages

• Knowledge of another UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is an asset. 

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 95,839 US $.

For full information on benefits and entitlements, please consult our Guide to Staff Benefits.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Footer