Communications Senior Officer

Cities Alliance, which is hosted by UNOPS, is a global partnership promoting the role of cities in poverty reduction and sustainable development. Managed by a Secretariat based in Brussels, it is a unique partnership with a diverse membership which has come together to strengthen both impacts and coherence in urban development. Cities Alliance is a global leader with a strong track record in grant-making, which supports strategic city planning, slum upgrading strategies and national policies designed to make cities more inclusive and sustainable. Through UNOPS, the Cities Alliance operates a Multi-Donor Fund supported by an efficient, flexible grant-making mechanism with global reach.

Project Information

Starting in 2024 for a period of 48 months, Cities Alliance (UNOPS) will be responsible for the indirect management of the “Sustainable Urban Integration of Displacement-Affected Communities” (SUIDAC) in Sub-Saharan African cities – financed by the European Union. The Action will address the nexus between forced displacement and urban development in five Sub-Saharan countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.

The Action aims to:

1. Improve social cohesion and self-reliance of Displacement-Affected Communities (DACs) in urban and peri-urban areas and expand legal protection (e.g., access to rights, documentation), with specific attention to forcibly displaced populations (refugees, returnees, and IDPs) and including persons with specific needs.

2. Strengthen local authorities’ capacities to adopt integrated approaches to forced displacement management in urban contexts and promote political and evidence-based policy dialogue at regional, national, and local levels to improve policy frameworks and influence future policy discussions on urban forced displacement.

The Action target beneficiaries are Displacement-Affected Communities (DACs), as well as their hosting cities. Cities are a new environment for the implementation of EU forced displacement programs. SUIDAC will be the first urban displacement program financed through the 'Neighborhood, Development and International Cooperation instrument – Global Europe' ('NDICI-Global Europe') in the SSA region.

The Action builds on and expands the EU Trust Fund program “CRRF: Inclusive Urban Development and Mobility” ending in 2023. Moving forward, SUIDAC will help tackle the challenges arising from sudden and/or sustained forced displacement currently happening in the secondary cities targeted by the Action.

Under the direct supervision of the SUIDAC Programme Coordinator and the secondary supervision of the Cities Alliance Communications Officer, the Communications Senior Officer will ensure the SUIDAC Programme maintains a consistent flow of high-quality communication products. The Communications Specialist will gather content to produce, store, and maintain a regularly updated repository of materials. 

This position requires regular travel to the SUIDAC project sites.

Functional Responsibilities:

• Support the public visibility of SUIDAC’s work.
• Support the communication of  SUIDAC’s work, including its activities and results, through key products and events.
• Assist managing the  SUIDAC’s communication resources.
• Support the SUIDAC Management Team in key communication tasks, including:

• Initiating, updating, and adapting the communications plan for SUIDAC.

• Supporting the Communications Officer with ensuring the e SUIDAC online program page and the information on the Cities Alliance website is kept up-to-date.

• Identifying and producing feature stories, videos, photography, and other materials related to SUIDAC.

• Developing key messages and positioning SUIDAC on the topic of cities and migration.

• Ensuring the production of high-quality images and videos, possessing technical knowledge to manage, format, edit, and produce visual assets, and providing assistance to others as needed.

• Establishing a system and process for regularly adding photos to a drive accessible to the Cities Alliance and the EU, including filing, organizing, and providing training and support to relevant staff.

• Supporting the Programme Coordinator g with project stakeholders updates (including grantees, governments and beneficiaries) on the latest stories to be shared.

• Providing edits and proofreading for the publication of stories from SUIDAC grantees and beneficiaries to be uploaded on the Cities Alliance website.

• Prepare, edit, and review materials such as save-the-date notices, agendas, and SUIDAC-related presentations for events, including regional and national dialogues.

• Coordinate with the Program Coordinator and the Cities Alliance Communications Officer to determine key messages for SUIDAC and refine those messages over time based on evidence.

• Support Developing and reviewing high-quality written content for social media and the project website for every event organized by the Program.

• Support learning events, workshops, and international days to showcase and share knowledge, including writing event reports for the EU that include pictures, quotes, and key messages.

• When required, provide support for writing applications to regional and international events.

• Under the supervision of the SUIDAC Programme Coordinator, support the Cities Alliance Communications Officer with donor coordination and their regional focal points to ensure that the communication and visibility requirements of the SUIDAC Programme are understood and met.

• Assist the Program Coordinator to liaise with the SUIDAC team members in order  to stay updated on the latest resources and updates.

• Support the Program Coordinator in engaging with SUIDAC grantees and beneficiaries to gather the latest stories to share with relevant stakeholders.

• Ensure that succinct and accurate minutes are taken during significant meetings to capture important discussions and decisions.

• Develop high-quality briefing kits for visitors before field visits to ensure they are well-informed about SUIDAC's activities and objectives.

• Participate in SUIDAC events, field missions, and provide support as needed, including conducting communication activities at project sites.

• A Masters degree preferably in communication, media studies, journalism, development studies, international relations, public relations or related fields is required.

• A Bachelor’s degree with an additional two years of similar experience is considered equivalent.

• A minimum of two years professional in the development and implementation of external communications strategies, external relations and/or other strategic communication roles is required.

• Significant professional experience in Africa is required.

• A working knowledge of producing digital assets, including the project website as well as photo and video shooting and editing, is an asset.

• Experience in developing, producing and editing written materials in different formats (stories, articles, papers) is an asset.

• Experience in development projects, preferably in the area of migration, in a developing country, is an asset.

• Work experience in projects implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa and a good understanding of the sub-regional and local contexts is an asset. 

• UN experience and/or experience of implementing EU-funded projects is an asset.

• Fluency in written and oral English. 
• Working knowledge of French and/or Arabic, Amharic, or Somali is an asset.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Disclaimer : Contract issuance will be subject to the signature of project agreement and availability of funds.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• 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 (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.