Knowledge Management/ Communications Specialist

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. United Nation’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - MedProgramme Coordinating Unit (MedPCU), Athens, Greece in the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme): “Enhancing Environmental Security” (GEF ID 9607).

The MedProgramme Sea Programme (MedProgramme) is part of UNEP’s Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) and represents the first Global Environment Facility (GEF) programmatic multi-focal area initiative in the Mediterranean Sea, aiming specifically at operationalizing priority actions to reduce major transboundary environmental stresses in its coastal areas, while strengthening, at the same time, climate resilience and water security, and improving the health and livelihoods of coastal populations.

The MedProgramme is implemented in nine (9) beneficiary countries sharing the Mediterranean basin, i.e.: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia. It involves a wide spectrum of developmental and societal sectors, ranging from banking institutions, private sector, governmental and non-governmental bodies, industry, research, media, and various other organizations.

The MedProgramme is articulated around four components reflecting the priorities adopted by the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention, namely:

1. Reduction of land-based pollution in priority coastal hotspots and measuring progress to impacts.

2. Enhancing Sustainability and Climate Resilience in the Coastal Zone.

3. Protecting Marine Biodiversity.

4. Knowledge Management and Programme Coordination.

As part of the Knowledge Management component, the MedProgramme executes a specific Knowledge Management Strategy (KM Strategy) aimed at: i) leveraging and systematically sharing knowledge assets generated by the Child Projects with the intended beneficiaries and audiences; ii) strengthening the science-policy interface (SPI) and influencing decision-making through  data and information sharing, capacity building, and regional stakeholder engagement; iii) supporting the objectives of the Barcelona, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions and the work of the UNEP/MAP through effective stocktaking and scaling up, and broader adoption of MedProgramme’s approaches and results; and iv) fostering incremental innovation within GEF programmatic approaches and enriching the knowledge base of GEF Implementing and Executing Agencies.

To date, work is underway to establish a web-based knowledge management (KM) platform for the MedProgramme. This KM platform will contribute to strengthening the institutional format and systematic documentation, dissemination and transfer of lessons learned and good practices and knowledge between and across Child Projects thereby contributing to knowledge exchange experience. It will become the go to place for knowledge for the Child Projects within the MedProgramme. This KM platform consists of a data and information management system and a combination of visualization tools to serve the portfolio’s needs built around three major components:

1. A project management tool (PMT) along with a collaborative working environment (CWE).

2. A public facing website.

3. An information visualization tool (dashboard).

The University of Geneva (UNIGE), through its GRID-Geneva bureau, oversees the development of the platform. Once completed, the platform will be deployed and integrated into INFO/RAC system where it will be hosted.

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Provide technical guidance, expertise and support to the MedProgramme Coordinating Unit (MedPCU) for the execution of the MedProgramme KM Strategy. 

2. Design and develop a Communications Strategy and related products in support of implementation of the KM Strategy.

3. Provide cross cutting support to the eight Child Projects of the MedProgramme, and the interlinkages with the knowledge management and communications activities executed within the framework of the MedProgramme.

• Minimum advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) or higher degree preferably in communications, international development, marketing, public administration, scientific communication or other relevant fields is required. 

• A first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) preferably in above-mentioned fields with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree or higher degree.

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, preferably in strategic communications/ knowledge management/ capacity development, or related is required.

• Experience in stakeholders’ engagement and facilitation of strategic partnerships to strengthen the science policy interface is desirable.

• Experience in design and production of knowledge management tools and services and communications and multimedia materials is required.

• Experience in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and results-based frameworks for reporting and assessing the progress to impacts of knowledge management (KM) activities is desirable.

• Experience in facilitation skills for meetings and training, including capacity development and consultative workshops is desirable.

• Working knowledge of GEF projects is desirable.

• Working experience within the Mediterranean region is desirable.
  
  

• Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA)
• Contract level: ICS 11 / IICA 3
• Contract duration: 10 months with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.