Generation Equality Forum Communications Consultant

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Fourth UN World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), the international blueprint for gender equality and women’s empowerment. In that context, UN Women is convening the Generation Equality Forum (GEF), a global gathering for gender equality, co-chaired by France and Mexico, with the leadership and partnership of civil society.

Building on the Beijing+25 national and regional reviews and CSW64, and the organizational Generation Equality public advocacy campaign that was launched in May 2019, the Generation Equality Forum will kick off in Mexico in May 2020 and culminate in Paris on 7-10 July 2020. The Generation Equality Forum is a civil society–centred, multi-stakeholder, global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.

UN Women’s Communications & Advocacy Section, within the Strategic Partnerships Division, in collaboration with the Generation Equality Forum Secretariat housed within UN Women’s Civil Society Division, seek to recruit a Communications Consultant who will assist the Communications Advisor in the development and implementation of a Communications Strategy for the Generation Equality Forum, covering the period leading to the Forum, the Forum itself and the immediate aftermath (January-August 2020).

Duties and Responsibilities

Key Functions and Activities

1. Provide technical and coordination support to the development and implementation of the Generation Equality Forum’s communications strategy (January-August 2020)

• Assist the Communications Advisor with the development and overall implementation of Generation Equality Forum communications strategy.
• Provide technical expertise to UN Women Communications and Advocacy team, the GEF Secretariat and the Generation Equality Forum Communications Subgroup to ensure smooth implementation of the communications strategy, with special emphasis in social media, editorial and media activities.
• Help with steering the work of the Generation Equality Forum Communications Subgroup and provide coordination, administrative and technical support as needed.

2. Assist the Generation Equality Forum public mobilization and engagement and digital platform

• Technical support in the recruitment of the advertising/PR company responsible for the Forum’s global public mobilization in coordination with GEF procurement team to ensure timely on-boarding of the company.
• Support the coordination and management of the work of the advertising/PR company to ensure compliance with agreed deliverables in consistency with the agreed GEF messaging, branding and the overall GEF communications strategy
• Provide technical support for GEF’s public mobilization and engagement by drafting content and facilitating communications between different parties involved, including at discussion and other relevant tools. 

3. In coordination with the UN Women Communications Section, contribute to positioning the Generation Equality Forum in traditional and social media channels, in the period leading to, during and immediately after the Forum in Mexico (May 2020) and Paris (July 2020)

• Identify opportunities for media placement and interviews to showcase the Generation Equality Forum and pitch them to journalists and editors, in close collaboration with the UN Women media team and the Communications sub-group.
• Assist media outlets and answer inquiries in the lead up to the Forum and facilitate its participation in situ during the Forum in Mexico (7-8 May) and Paris (7-10 July), including questions regarding registration.
• Draft messaging and briefing notes regarding the Generation Equality Forum for senior officers in UN Women, the Forum co-hosts and civil society members to be used in interviews and press activities.
• Contribute to draft and pitch op-eds, and other written, digital, and broadcast commentaries related to the Forum.
• Support as needed in the management of media opportunities such as press conferences and media interviews of senior officials.
• Work alongside the Web and Social Media Consultant to produce and curate content that reflects communications priorities and key messages for the Generation Equality Forum.

4. Manage the Generation Equality Forum digital platform in close collaboration with the GEF Web and Social Media Consultant

• Plan, manage and proofread new content produced for the Generation Equality platform, with support from the Web and Social Media Consultant.
• Provide technical advice on lay out and new pages or subsections and post updates.
• Liaise with the Editorial Team in the UN Women Communications Team to ensure cross posting of content from the Generation Equality public campaign and the monthly packages.
• Work with the Branding Specialist at UN Women and the GEF Communications Subgroup to ensure branding alignment.
• Provide technical support in devising a strategy for GEF’s digital platform maintenance following the Forum’s conclusion in July 2020.

Deliverables

• Inputs provided to communications and public mobilization strategies for Generation Equality Forum;
• Technical and coordination support provided to the implementation of the communications and public mobilization strategies for Generation Equality Forum;
• Coordination facilitated between UN Women teams on all communications and public mobilization aspects;
• Technical and coordination support provided for Generation Equality Forum wide coverage by media, social media and across platforms and channels, including online and offline;
• Briefing notes, talking points, articles, social media posts, press releases and other communications products developed.

Supervision

The Consultant will be supervised by the GEF Senior Communications Advisor, and work very closely with the Web and Social Media Consultant and Generation Equality Communications Subgroup.

Competencies

Functional competencies

• Excellent communications skills working across platforms and channels, online and offline.
• Ability to form and maintain meaningful working relationships with various members of the media.
• Ability to communicate the value of a product or service.
• Excellent organizational skills, including experience in managing conflicting demands, meeting deadlines and adjusting priorities.
• A positive attitude and flexibility in managing work tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Good inter-personal and diplomacy skills.
• Able to lead, manage, work independently and in a team.
• Adheres to a human rights approach in engaging with all persons.

Core values and guiding principles

• The consultant will adhere to the United Nations' core values, integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, as well as its core competencies related to communication, teamwork, planning and organizing, creativity, commitment to continuous learning and technological awareness.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications and experience required

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Communications, Journalism, Media, Advocacy or similar is required.
• At least 5 years of experience in strategic communications, campaigns, advocacy, at the international level.
• Experience in implementing global communications strategies and campaigns.
• Strong knowledge of women’s rights and gender equality issues.
• Experience in writing, editing, content production and dissemination for online and offline audiences at the international level.
• Experience working with civil society is an asset.
• Experience working with the UN is an asset.

Languages

• Written and oral fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an asset.