Communications Analyst (nationals only) Re-advertised
Accra
- Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
- Location: Accra
- Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
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Occupational Groups:
- Communication and Public Information
- Closing Date: Closed
Background and Organizational Context
The UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2026 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to helping countries find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and rising inequalities pose significant challenges on our path to achieve the 2030 agenda of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UNDP Ghana Country Office has initiated several strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring its readiness to deliver innovative solutions aligned with the world's challenges. Some of these new initiatives include addressing climate change, implementing the Youth African Innovates (YAI) Programme, and leveraging digital tools in healthcare. Digital tools has gained increasing relevance, during the COVID-19 pandemic but has also brought forth new challenges for countries like Ghana, highlighting the need to invest in infrastructure and enhance capacity among healthcare workers.
The role of the Country Office Communications Unit is to adopt UNDP’s global communication strategy to a local context and the Country Office development priorities. Through the production of high-quality communication materials and innovative use of relevantly targeted communication channels (internal and external), the communications team works collaboratively to position UNDP as a leader in the development arena, promote visibility of UNDP program outcomes/development results, mobilize support for Sustainable Development Goals in the country, and practice delivery as one UN.
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Representative (with support from Deputy Resident Representative), the Communications Analyst will implement the corporate communications strategy, as well as provide inputs to the design, management and implementation of the Country Office communications and publication strategies, which are geared to influence the development agenda, promote public and media outreach, and mobilize political and financial support for UNDP. Communication Analyst will be the partnerships focal point at the Country Office that will include coordination and tracking of all partnerships and resource mobilization efforts in the office.
The Communications Analyst will supervise and lead the communications staff of the country office and maintain a regular working relationship with the Regional Communications Adviser. The Communications Analyst should work in close collaboration with the Programme and Operations teams, staff of other UN Agencies, UNDP Communications Region and HQ staff, government officials, international and local media, subject matter experts, donors, and civil society to ensure successful implementation of UNDP’s communication strategy in the Country Office.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Develop and implement internal/external communication strategies and outreach as well as UNDP’s campaign initiatives to engage different stakeholders (i.e., government, donors, media and public).
- Prepare and conduct communications needs assessments for the country office (e.g., for projects, the country programme, and corporate change initiatives).
- Draft and edit the country office communications and outreach strategy based on country office strategic priorities and the UNDP External Communications Action Plan.
- Provide communication input during the project and programme formulation stage to integrate communication needs and strategies in all aspects of UNDP development program.
- Maintain increased coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country or practice area through local and global media stories as guided by the UNDP External Communications Action Plan.
- Provide support in implementing country office digital communication strategy.
- Generate content for the web site and other social media platforms to ensure consistency and better outreach.
- Promote and maintain public information campaigns on UNDP activities.
- Collect and package information for donor review in collaboration with programme staff and supervisor to support campaign and advocacy initiatives.
- Organize roundtable discussions, press conferences, briefing sessions, interviews, launches to engage stakeholders.
- Support “One UN” agenda in line with UNDP’s Campaign and Advocacy agenda.
- Ensure access of journalists to subject-matter experts and UNDP spokespeople; and provide newsworthy information to the national public.
- Identify and develop storylines for publications, and draft substantive articles that contribute to and generate conversations on key development issues.
- Coordinate and manage the country office publication activities, such as content management in line with corporate guidelines.
- Liaison with and maintain a database of contact details for journalists.
Promote CO partnerships and business development
- In close coordination with Programme colleagues and direct guidance of SMT, lead on partnership management in the CO including keeping a good and timely track record of all fundraising opportunities in of the office, following up on due diligence of the new partners as well as other activities related to effective management of UNDP partners in the country.
- Packaging and submission of programme initiatives for donor review in collaboration with programme staff and UNDP senior management.
- Promotion and maintenance of public information campaigns on issues including UNDP activities and Sustainable Development Goals.
- Promotion and dissemination of corporate advocacy materials for launching flagship initiatives and publications such as the Human Development Report as well as any other reports.
- Maintenance of increased coverage and understanding of the UNDP’s work in the country or practice area 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.
- Ensure access to journalists to subject-matter experts and UNDP spokespeople.
- Drafting/production of regular updates to donors.
- Preparation of donor reports, civic education and community awareness where appropriate to support projects.
- Effective responses to inquiries for public information materials.
Facilitate effort of country office’s knowledge management and dissemination.
- Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country goals and activities.
- Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories.
- Provide training, consultancy, and advice to UNDP staff on internal and external knowledge management.
- Maintain UNDP’s Intranet on country office activities for internal knowledge sharing; and share relevant knowledge products with external stakeholders through corporate website.
- Work with the Programme teams to ensure all knowledge products are captured, updated, readily available and in the right order, as and when necessary.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Will supervise the Communications staff in the Country Office.
Core
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
People Management
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
- System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Management:
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Communication
- Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
- Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
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Portfolio Management:
- Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity;
- Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.
Communications
- Digital Asset Management: Ability to use digital asset management (DAM) systems to effectively store, share and organize digital assets such as images, videos and other media.
- Multimedia Writing/Editing: Ability to create and/or edit written content for multimedia.
- Social Media Management: Ability to represent and promote the UNDP brand in virtual communities and networks.
- Writing and Editing: Ability to create and/or edit written content in different UN languages.
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Communication, Journalism, International Relations, Public Administration, or related field is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
- Minimum of 2 years (with masters degree) or 4 years (with bachelors degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in public relations, advocacy, or communications.
- Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.). and advanced knowledge of web-based management systems such as ERP is required..
- Experience and knowledge of publishing, graphic design, video editing, and social media tools is an advantage.
- Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system
- Demonstrated IT skills
- Professional editing and copywriting skills, including articles, reports, social media content, press releases
- Effectively promote CO partnerships and business development (fundraising opportunities, collaborate on programme submissions, engage in public information campaigns, disseminate advocacy materials)
- Excellent time management skills
- Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Computer literate in standard software applications and ability to use current social media and web 2.0 tools.
Language Requirements
- Fluency in English of duty station is required
- Fluency in the national language of the duty station is required for local staff
- Knowledge of another UN language is desirable
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Non-discrimination