Communications Advisor

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York.  The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism to implement the project activities on behalf of the UNOCT. 

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and its Under-Secretary-General are mandated to provide stronger leadership, enhance coordination and coherence across the system, mobilize political will and robust partnership and strengthen capacity building support – including through the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT)—to ensure a balanced implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. One of the key elements of the mandate is to improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for counter-terrorism efforts.

In order to strengthen the Office’s strategic communication on key counter-terrorism priorities, and to better showcase the activities undertaken by UNOCT/UNCCT supporting the efforts of Member States to prevent violent extremism and counter terrorism, UNOCT is to increase its outreach activities and to build on strong brand online and off-line including through the development of impactful communications products in accordance with its communications strategy.

This position is homebased and may require international travels. 

This position in UNOPS requires close coordination with the UNOCT. The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

The position supports the work of Knowledge Management and Coordination Section and will be responsible for the following:

• Draft and/or review high-quality statements and remarks in English language for the Secretary-General, the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and his Deputy, on issues related to counter-terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

• Prepare and/or review presentation materials for the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism and his Deputy.

• Provide advice and support for the preparation of communication products in relation to the organization of high-level regional conferences, the second counter-terrorism week at the United Nations in June 2021, and other high-level meetings as assigned, such as drafting and/or reviewing and editing press releases, Q/A for media stake-outs, reports.

• Provide advice and support for strategic communications initiatives and deliverables, such as op-eds, to draw Member States and public attention to key counter-terrorism issues, and highlight the profile of UNOCT and the UN’s role on counter-terrorism 

• Sound advice on production process of materials specified above.

• Coordination of activities, timelines to ensure timely delivery of outputs

• Perform other related duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

  
  

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Number of statements and speeches produced or reviewed; feedback on quality and timeliness;

• Number of presentation materials produced or reviewed; feedback on quality and timeliness;

• Number of other deliverables drafted or reviewed, e.g. press releases, op-eds, reports; feedback on quality and timeliness;

• Proposals for strategic initiatives and deliverables;

• Sound advice on production process of materials specified above.

• Tracking of activities, timelines to ensure timely delivery of outputs.

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

*CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY


 Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in political science, international relations, international security, journalism or another relevant field is required. 

• A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience related to the activities of the position is required.

• Experience drafting statements and speeches for senior officials is required.

• Experience drafting policy briefs, op-eds, reports, is required.

• Experience on counter-terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism conducive to terrorism policy is required.

Desirable experience (the following experience is optional, candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• Experience with the United Nations or other International Organizations is an asset.

• Experience in project management is an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in oral and written English is required. 

• Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an asset.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) 
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (I-ICA 1) 
Contract duration: Open-ended (renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance)

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

• 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
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• 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.