Job Description
| Organization | United Nations Volunteers |
| Description of assignment title | Associate Communication Officer |
| Host Entity | UNHCR |
| Country | Sudan |
| Duty Station | Khartoum |
| Type | Onsite |
| Start Date | 08/01/2022 |
| Duration | 15 months |
| Volunteer category | International UN Volunteer Specialist |
| Advertisement end date | 04/18/2022 |
Details
Mission and objectives
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org). The UNHCR operation in Sudan serves different refugee groups, including people from South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, CAR, Chad, Yemen and Syria, but also internally displaced people, asylum-seekers and stateless individuals through a network of sub- and field offices as well as its Representation in Khartoum. UNHCR focuses on the protection and assistance to these groups in close coordination with national authorities and in partnership with UN and non-UN agencies as well as the civil society.
Context
Work in the communications unit and will be responsible mainly for developing, designing and producing multimedia con-tents and visibility items produced for UNHCR Sudan in support of social media channels and in line with the branding of the agency. The incumbent will liaise across the operation, especially with the Sub- and Field Offices to gather facts and content. S/He will also have regular contacts with relevant functional units at UNHCR HQ and the regional Bureau. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that UNHCR’s digital presence is reliable, has strong usability and uses best practice in design and structure. External contacts are predominantly with opinion-shapers, influencers, contractors, volunteers and other civil society and international organizations on matters of importance to the Organization. The incumbent will help increase the visibility of refugees and volunteers supporting them in different form and on different media platforms as well as support the positioning of UNHCR as authoritative voice and people agency with hands-on activities for solutions to displacement, including, but not limited to volunteerism for development, based on constant analysis of the political, economic and social con-text and of the debate around the humanitarian-peace-development nexus. To this aim and based on UNHCR’s Policy to work on solutions such as development from the onset of a crisis, s/he will advise on and help seize opportunities such as World Refugee Day, International Volunteer Day and other occasions in which civil society engagement or the work of UNVs among UNHCR staff in Sudan can be made visible, including on websites and social media, to promote volunteerism along with solutions for displaced people. This will be based on systematic networking and relationship management with local organizations, groups, individuals or local volunteering initiatives, be they formal or non-traditional partners of the organization.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of Communications Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Develop specific layout and graphic design for UNHCR Sudan documents, banners, sign-boards, posters and other visual and visibility materials
• Contribute to the development/management of content for the UNHCR Sudan social media channel and website, possibly including Arabic language version
• Analyse, design and implement appropriate publishing systems to enable regular and timely updating of content on UNHCR Sudan website and social media channels.
• Shoot and edit high-quality, fast-paced short packages for use in multimedia digital platforms and social media.
• Support in pitching feature stories and multimedia content
• Identify opportunities for content and go on periodic field missions to collect video and photo assets for production of video and use of photo for the refugee media platform.
• Ensure alignment with UNHCR’s global branding and messaging.
• Assist in content gathering also with the field (including coordinating multi-media production) for UNHCR’s and volunteer partner websites and social media platforms
• Support the designing and implementation of physical UNHCR/donors visibility.
• Consolidate information on UNHCR’s country operations and identify appropriate messages for campaigns and joint messaging with other agencies, including UNV.
• Support the organization of events and visits to field operations and mainstream AGD stand-ards as well as promotion as volunteerism for development wherever possible
• Assist in the dissemination of information to internal and external audiences, by keeping mailing lists up to date, and disseminating key documentation and information to support the country operation and corporate communication processes and priorities.
• Propose and develop, in close coordination with the Communications Officer and under the guidance of the Snr Ext Rel Off, innovative outreach formats, especially targeting local volun-teer initiatives and other civil society actors in Sudan.
Eligibility criteria
Age
27 – 80
Additional eligibility criteria
This assignment is funded by the Government of Spain and therefore specific criteria apply:
– Candidates must be Spanish nationals.
– Candidates who already served on a UN Volunteer Specialist assignment funded by the Government of Spain are not eligible.
– Candidates may apply to a maximum of three assignments and indicate the order of preference in the ‘Additional remarks’ field when filling in the application form.
– Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The selection will be done by the UN Host Entity at the level of the country of assignment. Interviews will be conducted by the UN Host Entity between 2 and 21 May.
– Application deadline: 18 April 2022
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Donor priorities
.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in
• Graphic design
• Video shooting, editing and production
• Photography
Area(s) of expertise
Communication, Arts and design
Driving license
–
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required Arabic, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
Required education level
Bachelor degree or equivalent in Journalism, Communications, International Relations, Political Science, or other relevant field .
Competencies and values
Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Commitment and Motivation Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication Creativity Ethics and Values Integrity Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Working in Teams
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
Khartoum is the capital and trading centre of Sudan and is situated in Khartoum State, at the junction of the Blue and White Nile rivers. Omdurman is also a suburb of Khartoum, giving the urban area a population of over 4 million. It has long served as a major communications centre between the Arab countries of North Africa and central African countries. Social life tends to be muted, especially because the alcohol ban (alcohol drinks are not allowed in Sudan). There are plenty of good restaurants, clustered in wealthier neighbourhoods and where lots of expats live. Generally heavy on the Middle Eastern/Lebanese, but there’s also good Korean, Malaysian, Thai and Chinese. Gyms and swimming pools abound for a variety of budgets. Supermarkets tend to be well stocked, however it is recommended to get six-month stock of medication. Security wise, Khartoum is one of the safest cities in Africa, especially considering its size. According to those who know the city from 2005, the level of crime has gone up since then, but it’s still negligible, and limited to the very occasional bag snatching, etc, at night. Khartoum is classified as a family duty station (C– in the UN system), there is an average to good level of services, accommodation, and facilities. There is always a risk of political instability, but here also, things are much calmer compared to, say a year ago. MORSS compliance is required. The cost of living may be high, depending on the standards, particularly for food and accommodation. If you intend to host parties or have guests of the opposite sex, clear that with your landlord beforehand so as to avoid unpleasant situations. Generally, the biggest problems are the heat, dust and electricity shortage (especially April through July and in particular in May-June).
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
