Communication Assistant, (GS-5), Montevideo, Uruguay, #115218

Under the close supervision of the Communication Officer, NO-B, the Communication Assistant (Digital) GS5 will support the implementation of the Uruguay Country Office social media strategy and will be in charge of the day-to-day management of the Country Office digital platforms

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a future

UNICEF has been present in Uruguay since 1992. Since then, it has provided technical cooperation and financial assistance to the Government and to the society in different areas to promote the rights of children and adolescents and generate opportunities for all of them to achieve the full development of their abilities. UNICEF work is based on a cooperation program that is agreed with the government every five years. A new cooperation program between UNICEF and Uruguay's Government started in March 2021.

UNICEF provides technical assistance and advice for monitoring, supporting and promoting children's rights on the following areas within the country:

• Support policies to reduce levels of poverty affecting children with special focus on early child development.
• Prevention of non-communicable diseases on children under five.
• Improve graduation rates in upper secondary education.
• Guarantee the access of children with disabilities to inclusive education.
• Reduce the number of children and adolescents living in institutional care.
• Prevention of violence against girls and boys.
• Empower adolescents to participate in decision making processes.
• Improve alternatives to deprivation of liberty for adolescents in conflict with the law.
• Raise awareness about child rights among Uruguay's general public and the engagement of the private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs) and academic institutions in promoting, protecting and monitoring child rights.

How can you make a difference? 

Since 2014 UNICEF has embraced a digital first approach to communication, which was ground-breaking and featured the rollout of the digital transformation project to establish the organization's leadership in digital communication in favor of children's rights. In the last years Uruguay CO has consolidated a social media presence that contributes to increase brand awareness, sustain programmatic and advocacy goals and support fundraising initiatives.

This has increased the channels and interaction with UNICEF’s diverse audiences. The issues that UNICEF positions on social media generate more conversation within the digital community, which requires a stronger follow-up and risk mitigation, considering the reputational risks that permanent exposure implies.

Under the close supervision of the Communication Officer, NO-B, the Communication Assistant (Digital) GS5 will support the implementation of the Uruguay Country Office social media strategy and will be in charge of the day-to-day management of the Country Office digital platforms.

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Within the delegated authority and under the given supervision of the Communication Officer, the incumbent may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

Support the design and implementation of the Digital Communication Strategy

• Collaborate in the digital implementation of communication campaigns and advocacy strategies for segmented audiences. Suggest innovative ideas to implement in the digital field to contribute to the achievement of the defined objectives.
• Ensure a coherent and consistent digital presence of UNICEF by the implementation of an integrated strategy that combines programmatic objectives with fundraising needs.
• Maintain close collaboration with supervisor, Communication team, Programme team, PFP and Regional and HQ key stakeholders for an effective overall collaboration in the implementation of the Country Office digital strategy.
• Keep updated and research on the latest trends in digital platforms and user behavior.
• Ensure on-going assessment on new and different practices and their application for an evolving and innovative strategy that contributes to UNICEF's positioning in digital.
• Identify new opportunities to continually improve UNICEF’s digital presence that strengthens digital ecosystem.
• Carry out the operational role of social media. Manage and refine day-to-day content and activities: drafting, moderation, and evaluation.

Create and implement the Content strategy for Country Office platforms

• Manage UNICEF’s day-to-day digital presence and content in several social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, etc.) and institutional website.
• Implement a weekly and monthly content plan and editorial calendar based on the defined work plan, which suggests the platforms to be used for each topic and adapts the content- to each social network’s characteristics.
• Define and monitor the editorial calendar, generate specific messages for each platform, coordinate the production of multimedia digital content, carry out digital coverage of events.
• Liaise with vendors on the production and design of images, infographics, videos, animations, gifs and any visual materials to be used as input for any of UNICEF’s digital communication platforms.
• Keep updated on the office events to integrate all public interest activities and messages to a unique calendar and give coverage to all relevant issues.
• Adapt institutional, programmatic, and fundraising contents to accurate formats to reach desired audiences in social networks profiles and institutional web, ensuring valuable but accessible information and consistent message from UNICEF across all platforms.
• Assist in the development and management of content for the institutional website, keep it updated, suggest innovations and improvements to increase the number of visits and prepare reports on its performance.
• Include the mailing channel in the content management plan. Use thematic contact lists to reach CO target audiences with campaigns, events, publications, or office launches.
• Coordinate the digital component of local communication campaigns: adapt content to generate specific materials for each network.
• In coordination with the fundraising section, support the strategy for lead generation and data collection digital campaigns: centralize the content review of this communications.
• Detect ad investment opportunities in different platforms, assist in the development of investment plans for those campaigns that are defined as priorities and require greater reach among audiences.

Community management and social media listening

• Update and apply the defined Q&A guidelines to manage social media interactions that arise from organic and paid posts.
• Moderate organic interaction and promote digital engagement amongst digital communities.
• Maintain and systematically grow UNICEF’s current on-line community across all platforms, keep it engaged and interact with them by answering their questions and managing the flow of information.
• Keep in close contact with interactions amongst UNICEF communities, to understand the mood, tone, and reactions the different contents generate in the audience.
• Monitor digital conversations on different topics of UNICEF concern to use as evidence and basis for content strategy generation and detect opportunities.
• Assist in the development of the digital component of local communication campaigns: contribute to response manuals to possible comments, foresee possible risks and propose mechanisms to mitigate them.
• Manage and moderate interactions that arise from digital fundraising campaigns and anticipate potential crisis. Report all relevant information to the fundraising operation as well as to UNICEF’s reputation.
• Identify influencers on programmatic issues that have a public interest component. Generate new relations and strengthen pre-existing liaison.

Support performance monitoring and reporting of digital communication efforts

• Reporting: Monitor and report on a monthly basis the performance of all digital communication platforms, according to the KPIs defined by the global communication strategy, as well as the indicators defined locally.
• Apply to all communication campaigns and initiatives the specific tracking of digital key performance indicators. Monitor engagement and impact and success and propose ideas of opportunities for improvement and on-going refinement of the indicators and strategy. Ensure results reporting at the end of each campaign.
• Follow up on the optimization of fundraising digital campaigns.
• Liaise with the digital marketing agency on the implementation and monitoring of the paid social media component. Choose together the best indicators to measure the objectives defined.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education is required with university studies in communication, marketing or specific complementary studies in digital communication.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in digital communication, community management, brand content production or interactive digital platforms.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish and Working Knowledge of English is required.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
• Experience in international organization or non-profit sector is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. 

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.