Communications Specialist -Retainer

Background Information - UNOPS Water, Environment and Climate (WEC)

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. 

WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements,  such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNEP/GEF Project “Implementation of the Strategic Action Program of the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem” (GEF ID 6952; 2020-2024 – GoM SAP Implementation Project) is a 4-year project specifically aimed at facilitating the implementation of the Mexico/U.S. endorsed Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA – 2011) and Strategic Action Plan (SAP – 2013) for the integrated management of the GoM-LME.

Goal: The goal of the project is to address the three main challenges identified by the SAP, i.e.,

controlling and reducing pollution; recovering living marine resources; and rehabilitating marine and coastal ecosystems. This will result in improved water quality, rehabilitation of the coastal and marine ecosystems, and avoid depletion of marine resources in the GoM-LME.

Objective: The project is specifically aimed at facilitating the implementation of the Mexico/U.S.

endorsed Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA – 2011) and Strategic Action Plan (SAP – 2013) for the integrated management of the GoM-LME. The Project will achieve this by prioritizing the implementation of coordinated and integrated sustainable ecosystem-based management approaches (EBM) to address the transboundary concerns of countries bordering the GoM. It involves actions around the following four components:

• Component 1: Improve Water Quality

• Component 2: Avoid depletion and recover living marine resources (LMR - Fish and shellfish)

• Component 3: Conserve and restore the quality of coastal and marine ecosystems through community involvement and enhanced bilateral cooperation

• Component 4: Monitoring, Evaluation and, Knowledge Management

The GoM-LME SAP Project is seeking to hire a Communication Specialist for its Project Coordination Unit (PCU). The Communication Specialist will work together with the GoM-LME Project Coordinator and other PCU Staff and will be responsible for all communications priorities, outputs and activities of the Project, ensuring the dissemination of the Project in various media and in collaboration with current and potential partners and stakeholders.  S/he will work in close collaboration with other UNOPS communications focal points to ensure that communications activities are managed effectively and the appropriate materials are published in a timely and high quality manner.

The Communication Specialist will support the delivery of the Project’s Component 4: “Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management”, in close coordination with the Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) and other project partners, and in line with UNOPS project communication standards, UNEP and GEF requirements. The Communication Specialist will work within a team to support the smooth running of the GoM-LME Project for the timely delivery of high quality communication outputs and ensure that the project’s targets under Component 4 are met and fully compliant with applicable donor/client/UNOPS rules and regulations.

Component 4 of the Project considers the following outputs:

• Monitoring & Evaluation / Performance assessment

• Knowledge Management / Communication Strategy and Knowledge management

• Project experiences and best practices exchanged with GEF IW-LEARN

Component 4 will increase the visibility of the project and share lessons learned with other global initiatives to promote replication and scaling-up of the experiences gained during implementation. As an overarching principle, the activities will be designed to include the active involvement of local stakeholders and community members, and will mainstream gender aspects to promote equity and inclusive participation.

Functional Responsibilities and Deliverables:

The Communication Specialist  will work under the direct supervision of the GoM-LME Project Coordinator and in close collaboration with the other members of the PCU and IPs from the other three components of the project. Accordingly, the candidate selected will be required to perform, but not limited to, the following duties and responsibilities:

Overall deliverables: 

Dissemination of Performance assessment

• Communicate the project's M&E findings, effectively sharing progress updates and highlighting any areas needing improvement (in accordance with UNEP and GEF communication procedures, based on indicators defined in the results framework and annual work plans.)

• Create clear and engaging communication materials to showcase the key activities of each project component, reaching diverse audiences through a variety of media channels.

Knowledge Management / Communication Strategy and Knowledge management

• Review, adjust, improve and implement according to the project components and its participants and beneficiaries,  a regional communication and awareness-raising strategy for the Gulf of Mexico project targeting different stakeholders.

• Contribute to the update of the Ocean Health Index Independent assessment (OHI+) factsheet for Gulf Of Mexico.

• Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among project participants and beneficiaries. This may involve:

  • Creating and maintaining a central knowledge repository for project documents, data, and best practices.

  • Establishing communication channels (e.g., online platforms, workshops) to facilitate information exchange and collaboration.

  • Developing knowledge products (e.g., reports, infographics) to effectively communicate project findings and recommendations to diverse audiences.

• Contribute to the update of the Gulf of Mexico factsheet. This may involve:

  • Compiling and synthesizing relevant project data and findings.

  • Writing clear, concise, and engaging content for the target audience.

  • Ensuring the factsheet aligns with the overall communication strategy.

Project experiences and best practices exchanged with GEF IW-LEARN

• Contribute to the development of at least 2 experience and results notes by project end.

• Develop at least two impactful stories showcasing project results and positive impacts achieved. These narratives can be used in various communications materials (e.g., website, reports, presentations).

• Support the development of an IW:LEARN compliant project website: Support the development of a project website that adheres to IW:LEARN guidelines, ensuring it effectively communicates project goals, achievements, and key findings to a broad audience.

• Enhance visibility and knowledge sharing for at least 4 twinning activities.

Project visibility and dissemination

• Support for IP-generated visibility content material (videos, photos, stories/articles , etc)   and ensure it complies with the GEF and UNOPS guidelines.

• Support the update of the project’s website.

• Contribute to the development of newsletters, notes, social media posts and blogs.

• Improve guidelines for dissemination materials to be produced under the project. This may involve:

  • Press releases, banners and exhibition material, posters, newsletters and printed and electronic material, publications, editorial content, technical reports, maps, educational material, billboards, promotional material, videos and other multimedia assets, exhibitions and websites.

  • Outreach material: Public-facing information including, among others, the Identity Manual (logo, logo applications, logo handling recommendations), the Digital Applications Manual (master files of templates and packages for graphic and audio-visual production), typographic details, (typography used), colour specifications (colour of the logo used) and acknowledgements (a mandatory inclusion paragraph in any material or product that has been created with the (financial) support of the GoM PAE LME Project). 

  • Boilerplate text

  • Specifications to be included in the publications generated within the project, such as title page, acknowledgements, and the development of contents (topics and subtopics), order and minimum texts to be contained in each of the publications.

•  Any other communications activities which may be required by the project.

Impact or Results

• Advanced university degree (Master degree or equivalent) in communications, journalism, public relations or another relevant field is required.

• A first level university degree in communications, journalism, public relations or another relevant field in combination with an additional 2 years of experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: ICS 10/ IICA 2
Contract duration: This is a retainer (consultant) national vacancy/position and will be hired for 12 months for a maximum of 220 working days with possibility of extension depending on performance and on availability of funds

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• 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.