Consultancy -Production and Copy Editor, Media and Communications Branch, Division of External Relations, UNFPA

Consultancy duration: 11 months, full-time, New York-based

Job description

The Production and Copy Editor position is located in the Media and Communications Branch (MCB) of the Division of External Relations and works under the direct supervision and overall guidance of the Senior Editor.

The incumbent will manage and coordinate production of the organization’s flagship reports, including the State of World Population report and the UNFPA Annual Report, and other corporate materials. This work includes writing, curating and developing content, photo research, and conceptualizing the design for both print and digital editions, as well as the approach for related content such as video(s).

The incumbent will also: manage and coordinate the translation process among all five languages of these reports; coordinate the hiring of writers, researchers, fact checkers and proofreaders; oversee the production of promotional materials related to the report; manage coordination between departments to gather all required data and assets to be published; oversee the shipment and distribution of printed copies to regional offices and partners, and organize repositories for all documents related to the report.

In addition, the incumbent will serve as secretariat for the Publishing Group (an interdivisional group that implements the Publications Policy). The incumbent will also support  the implementation of the organization’s brand strategy and visual identity across corporate publications and other print materials, as well as promotional items, managing the sourcing, procurement and production of these.

The incumbent will also support the team with other editorial projects and tasks, as needed.

Scope of work
(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

Consultant will support in the following areas:
●    Contribute substantively to all phases of developing the State of World Population report and Annual Report, including:
○    Engaging consultatively with other units, branches and divisions during the brainstorming and initial drafting phases
○    Conduct research into, and support the hiring of, researchers, authors, artists, etc. Also assess and secure design, editorial, print vendors and other creative services, following UNFPA’s procurement protocol
○    Drafting text, as needed, for the print and interactive versions of the publications
○    Developing a visual approach to the reports that creatively illustrates the ideas in the report, while ensuring diversity and sensitivity in execution. This could include generating creative briefs, mood boards, research into trends around the world, and ultimately commissioning and directing the development of original artwork as needed
○    Manage print and digital production schedules to meet tight deadlines, coordinating the work of authors, editors, artists, designers, fact-checkers, proofreaders and translators, as well as other units, divisions and offices
○    Work closely with the web team to design and produce digital versions of reports in multiple languages
○    Work with all stakeholders to ensure accuracy, rigour, accessibility, sensitivity and adherence to UNFPA style, as well as adherence to design and brand guidelines 
○    Work closely with regional and country-level colleagues to facilitate/gather of feature story content and secure reviews of translated materials 
○    Collaborate with report authors and programme directors to revise manuscripts
○    Obtain/manage files of original data sources from authors/researchers to be worked on by the designer; edit/reformat data lists and technical notes to provide to the designer and shepherd graphics through edits and revisions 
○    Work closely with various in-house departments including the web team, multimedia team, social media team, finance unit, Programme Division and the Executive Office, as needed, to ensure all deadlines are met
○    Communicate with designers/editors/production managers/art dept/managing editors/legal dept/authors as needed
○    Track publications expenses to stay within budget and ensure transparency
 
●    Supports all aspects of the report launches, including:
○    Working closely with the social media team to develop social media content 
○    Develop ideas for creatively promoting reports’ findings and policy proposals
○    Create and produce promotional materials including pamphlets, key messages, print-ready files
○    Liaise with partners and stakeholders developing their own promotional products, ensuring quality and alignment with messaging
○    Support preparation for report launches, including the organization and translation of key messages, launch statements, pre-launch technical briefings, and other related products and events 
●    Engage with editorial and content stakeholders to recommend best practices, ultimately helping to align UNFPA’s editorial practices and guidelines with that of other  UN agencies. This includes:
○    Monitoring and updating the UNFPA Editorial and Style Guide
○    Routine consultation with interagency publication, editorial and communication groups to address emerging issues, changing practices
○    Collecting and analysing user/reader feedback through surveys, post-launch assessments, metrics analysis, desk reviews and more
○    Assess existing KPIs, investigate new metrics and target setting amid the world’s rapidly changing digital and legal environment, providing actionable recommendations to measure impact
●    Serve as secretariat for the Publishing Group, with responsibilities including:
○    Monitoring and tracking new submissions, collating feedback from group members and sending responses to applicants
○    Reviewing submissions and performing spot checks on pre-press documents
○    Exploring new solutions to organizational challenges, such as quality assurance, impact monitoring, legal and copyright issues, etc.
●    Manage production of non-publication-related promotional materials to support the organization’s brand, including design, procurement and dissemination, in consultation with the Editorial and Content Adviser.
●    Assist the Senior Editor with other tasks, as needed

Requirements
Qualifications / Education:
●    University degree in Communications or a similar field; advanced university degree in a relevant field is an asset
●    Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language; other languages are an asset
●    At least 2+ years working in the field of publications/communications, with experience in production editing, copy editing, proofreading, digital publishing or equivalent roles
●    Exceptional line-editing, proofreading and fact-checking skills
●    Proven ability to manage the production of complex publications and/or communication projects, including tracking and implementing edits from a wide range of reviewers
●    Experience creating and/or executing a design brief is desirable; this includes the ability to distill complex ideas into a coherent visual approach for artists, photographers, graphic designers, etc. Knowledge of graphic design and a strong sense of design are an asset in this work 
●    Exceptional organization and communication skills needed to multi-task and manage multi-step assignments while remaining detail-oriented and focused
●    Ability to collaborate with an international creative team of writers, graphic designers, and others
●    Basic knowledge of legal issues involved in publishing, such as libel, copyright, licensing and plagiarism
●    Experience working with international organizations is a plus

Duration of contract:
Contract Type: Full-time consultancy renewable (11 months)
How to Apply
Please send a motivational cover letter, CV and links to a sample of your work to mcb.office@unfpa.org with “Production and Copy Editor” in the subject line by 16 January 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Please indicate your role in producing each of the work samples (i.e., working with designers, managing production schedules, editing/copyediting, etc.). Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.