Communications Senior Officer

The Kampala-Jinja Expressway (KJE) project is one of the five grand infrastructural development projects earmarked by the Government of Uganda to spur socio-economic transformation. The 95-km highway is part of the northern trade corridor from Mombasa that is expected to boost trade between Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. The construction is expected to affect over 100,000 people with the bulk of the people to be affected and displaced to create right of way (ROW) coming from Kasokoso, Kinawataka informal settlements and Nakawa Market.

Cities Alliance is leading a consortium comprising of Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban development, Slum Dwellers International (SDI), Platform for Vendors Association (PLAVU) and Association of Volunteers in International Service (AVSI) to implement an 24- months project with funding from European Union (EU). The project’s aim is to facilitate a smooth relocation of affected communities from the Right of Way (ROW) of the Kampala Jinja Expressway (KJE) in accordance with global safeguard standards as described in the Resettlement and Livelihood Restoration Plan (RLRP) for lot 1 of the Kampala – Jinja Expressway (KJE) and the Kampala Southern Bypass (KSB). The project aims to achieve this through 4 purposes, namely;

• Purpose 1: Secure tenure, household and business plans are agreed between government and community stakeholders to support identifying alternative sites for housing and markets relocated households and businesses re-integration.
• Purpose 2: The most vulnerable households are identified and empowered to adapt to the new situation caused by the impact of the KJE construction.
• Purpose 3: Households presently dependent on the informal economy for their livelihood and impacted by the ROW are empowered with new space, skills and finance to either continue their enterprise or adapt to a new opportunity.
• Purpose 4: The sustainable rehabilitation of the Kinawataka wetland by transforming neighbouring communities into champions of the wetland.

The Cities Alliance seeks to recruit a Communication Senior Officer to work with the CA Secretariat and the Uganda Country Programme team and partners to oversee effective project implemenation.  The Communication Officer will be responsible for the effective communication of project activities, and promote positive publicity for its results, achievements and outcomes. He/she will be a member of the project management team reporting to the Project Manager. 

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Communications Senior Officer will be responsible for efficient and effective management of communication activities. He/she will play a lead role in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of communication activities, while ensuring full compliance with the donor’s visibility requirements and guidelines, with objective to raise awareness of target audiences about activities, results and impact of the project.

The Communications Officer will undertake the following activities/responsibilities:

• Ensure wide publicity of the project in all areas of significance in line with budgets and annual work-plans approved by the Project Steering Committee.
• Manage the communication channels including media and any stakeholders in relation to the project brand and image of the funders and client;
• Support in the development and subsequent management of the website of the Project with events (upcoming and completed), activities and major related partnerships, etc.;
• Develop and update the Project Communication Strategy with a communications plan for the project that includes all activities that are to be covered in the project;
• Ensure development, operationalisation and maintenance of an on-line website and portal for the Project, with frequent regular updates on key elements like events, partnerships etc.;
• Manage the social media platforms for the project and make responses accordingly;
• Develop and roll out communications products such as tweets, posts, blogs, press releases, etc;
• Coordinate communication on the project with counterparts in the partner implementing organisations including with regard to capacity building to have project information well disseminated for advocacy to different stakeholders;
• Maintain effective information flows between the the project management team, implementation partners, Cities Alliance, government and other stakeholders.
• Provide input into the project and Cities Alliance/UNOPS advocacy programmes and in this respect work closely with the Project stakeholders.
• Support the development of partnerships with relevant stakeholders to roll out the communications plan
• Take charge of the periodic publication of reports, audio and visual outputs of the project; and
• Undertake any other functions related to the successful implementation of the project as may be requested by the Project Manager.

Education

Minimum Bachelors Degree  in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Relations or a related field is required; a relevant postgraduate qualification will be an added advantage;

Experience

• At least 4 years of relevant experience in management and dissemination of communication or advocacy.
• Demonstrated experience in communication with stakeholders is required. 
• Experience in communication with social media is required. 

1. Contract type : Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
2. Contract level : Local ICA Specialist Level 9
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.