Communications Officer

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

Background Information – Cambodia Multi-Country Office

Project Background 

The European Union (EU) has provided financial support to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC - also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal) for a number of years and is one of the biggest contributors to the ECCC. The EU decided to channel all funds through one entity which shall be UNOPS to implement the ‘EU Contribution to ECCC’  project (hereinafter ‘the Project’) with three deliverables as follows. 

1. Facilitate and effectuate the payment of personnel costs for the international component of the ECCC;

2. Facilitate and effectuate payment of personnel costs for the national component of the ECCC; and

3. Management of grants under the Awareness and Education on Khmer Rouge era programme(s).

For the first two components, UNOPS is responsible for the financial management, financial oversight and reporting requirements from both, the national and international sides of the ECCC. Included into this project is a genocide education component, under which grants are providing to CSOs/NGOs through a competitive selection process. As a result, two grantees, including Kdei Karuna Organisation and Legal Aid of Cambodia, are selected to implement the grant actions for the periods between 18-20 months. UNOPS aims to expand the visibility of the Project to a wide range of audiences and stakeholders in the way leverage their understanding about the Khmer Rouge history and relevant topics.

Specific roles

Working closely with the Project Manager and Project Management Team, the Communications Officer will be coordinating the revision and implementation of the Communications and Visibility Plan. Taking into consideration EU’s requirements for Communications and Visibility, the Communications Officer will also initiate innovative communications by supporting both development and dissemination of internal/external communications relating to the project’s activities, events and engagements in order to facilitate greater exposure of the project as well as to support the enhancement of community engagement, in particular youths (high school and university student and community youths).

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Communications Officer will be supporting  all communications aspects of projects in close cooperation with the Project Board, Project Management Team and grantees. She/he will also actively liaise internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of the project communications in a way to bolster cohesiveness and internal knowledge sharing.

More specifically, the incumbent will be required to perform the following duties and responsibilities:

Support to Stakeholder Management

• Support the Project Manager in maintaining relationships with the partners of the project, including but not limited to development partners, grantees, government ministries, NGOs/CSOs, media and the other interest groups. 
• Coordinate linkages  with the key national, regional and local media
• With inputs and guidance the Project Board and Project Management Team, collate and develop reports and presentations in a professional way, in line with UNOPS internal communications guidelines. 
• Assist  the UNOPS Focal Point for the United Nations Country Communications Group (UNCCG) in Cambodia.
• Collaborate with other Communications focal persons at the Multi Country Office, regional offices and headquarter and other country offices to share knowledge and impact of the project and the MCO and introduce innovative and efficient communications ideas.
• Lead the content development and effective management of ‘UNOPS Cambodia’ Facebook pages, websites and other online resources. 
• Identify key gaps of communications and propose innovative ideas to address the gaps, with the principle of ‘value for money’ and ‘do-no-harm’.

Support to delivery and performance:

• Support the review and updating of the Communications and Visibility Plan for the Project and make its alignment with the MCO’s Communication Strategy.
• Support in the effort to ensure timely development and implementation of activities  related  to  the  communication  strategy  to  publicize  priority  issues  and/or  major  events, coordinating  efforts, monitoring  and reporting on progress, taking appropriate  follow-up actions, and analyzing  the  outcome. 
• Assist in and support the coordination of all event activities in relation to the project from inception  to implementation and evaluation. 
• Work  in  close  collaboration  with  the  Project  Manager  to  monitor  and  analyze  current  events  and  produce  news  and  news  media  writing  and  proofing.  Gather  content and coverage of relevant efforts to further promote the project and UNOPS activities. 
• Contribute to produce and manage the production of all information communication products (editorial  writing,  news  writing,  proofing,  pitching,  placement,  branded  items etc.). Support the development and production of appropriate information and communication materials  for use in media and other communication activities. 
• Support  the preparation and release/dissemination of project related information and so that it can be carried out in a timely, message- and audience- appropriate and consistent manner. 
• Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverages and TV footages and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
• Provide regular (quarterly) qualitative and quantitative analysis of project communications reaches and/or media coverage.
• Support the graphic designers’ work on visibility/promotional material and ensure or enhance the quality and relevance of Project and country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages for sharing with partners.
• With the support of other colleagues, produce fact sheets as well as  success stories for the Project and UNOPS services in Cambodia.
• Contribute to the maintenance of a media contact database and media coverage pertaining to the project.
• Contribute to the updates of  UNOPS website and social network accounts;  ensuring that they are systematically updated and maintained.
• Support the UNOPS communication focal point in the development of  key messages on UNOPS programming in the region, including for partners, local and international media.
• Ensure a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts) for purposes of communication.
• Ensure gender mainstreaming , gender equality and diversity principles and practices are incorporated into the communications products, in accordance with the UNOPS and the Project objectives; and
• Prepare briefing materials, reports, analysis of political, socio and economic trends relevant for UNOPS Cambodia upon the request. 

Support to Procedures:

• Ensure respect of project management, procurement and communications requirements/procedures.
• Ensure efficient and effective management of the communications budget and compliance with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations (FRR). 
• Ensure that communications and visibility are in line with the approved legal agreement on communication and branding for the Project.
• Contribute to identification and assessment of risks and implement mitigation measures in accordance with the UNOPS Risk Management Approach and the Project Communications & Visibility Strategy.
• Contribute to planning activities and timely delivery of approved work, procurement, and financial plans for the communications activities. 
• Provide accurate and quality inputs needed for monitoring of the projects’ performance, outputs , benefits and reports. 
• With the guidance of the Procurement Officer, support preparation of  tenders for the publicity and communication material (including print, graphics, web, audio and video). 
• Share communications knowledge within UNOPS Cambodia MCO upon the request.

Knowledge management:

• Participate in the UNOPS communities of practice /contribute to the knowledge management and active sharing in Currents;
• Contribute to identification and sharing of lessons learned and the best practices; and
• Close interaction with Programme/Project staff to share information and knowledge as related to projects and communications.

• Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in communications, journalism, public relations, international development, social sciences, business administration, international relations or other related fields.
• A first-level university degree (bachelor or equivalent) in combination with required qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Minimum one year of relevant experience in communications, public relations, journalism or similar roles.
• Experience in research and analysis, reporting, external relations, communications, advocacy,  business administration, and/or outreach in international organizations is desired. 
• Experience in producing analytical reports and communications products is desired.
• Experience in the humanitarian and/or development sector is an asset. 
• Experience in international organizations is desirable.
• Excellent understanding on the intersection of technology, web design, editorial, digital, social media and multimedia platforms is desirable.
• Knowledge of digital media, visual communications and interactive storytelling methods is desirable.
• Ability to analyze online communications using performance indicators is desirable.

• Fluency in both written and spoken English is desired.
• Fluency in Khmer (official writing and translation) is desired.

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement (LICA)
• Contract level: LICA 8 / ICS 8
• Contract duration: On-going and subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance.
• Duty station: Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Phnom Penh is a family duty station. 
• 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
• 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.