Communication Specialist

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built, we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

UNICEF's Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division works to deliver income, influence, and brand recognition for UNICEF globally. Within the PFP Division, Virtual Experiences (Ves) are online engagement events that allow donors to experience the impact UNICEF's work is having on the lives of children. The VEs are live, interactive, and compelling, and use digital technologies to bring to life the work UNICEF is doing in emergency and non-emergency contexts. They allow supporters to connect directly with experts and UNICEF staff in the field and aim to strengthen UNICEF's position in a competitive fundraising environment by bringing donors closer to our work in programme countries, helping to develop new and existing partnerships, and ultimately drive increases in income and influence.

For every child, a Champion

Reporting to the Communication Specialist (Producer - Virtual Experiences) in the Supporter Content Team, this role will focus on supporting the production of global virtual experiences (VEs) and bespoke VEs in close collaboration with the Virtual Experiences Task Force, the Communications 4 Partnerships (C4P) team and other PFP teams.

The role will work collaboratively with stakeholders to strategize, conceptualize, plan, produce and coordinate all production aspects of the Virtual Experiences to ensure smooth and efficient running of the events, maximum impact of the events for the audiences as well as postproduction follow up and monitoring and evaluation of impact. The role, under the supervision of the Communications Specialist (Producer - Virtual Experiences) will play a role in planning and communicating with, and advising senior colleagues, UNICEF leadership and high value partners who are participating in the Virtual Experiences.

How can you make a difference?

1. Planning and coordination for the Supporter Content Team

• Drive and facilitate coordination between the Supporter Content Team, PFP stakeholders, such as the Virtual Experiences Task Force, the Communications 4 Partnerships (C4P) team, as well as key partners.
• Develop an annual project plan and adjust depending on changing world events, trends, and strategy.
• Coordinate key dates and information to ensure efficient delivery of the events and experiences, including booking speakers, crossing, rehearsals, and the event dates.

2. Narrative content design and production of Virtual Experiences (VEs)

• Facilitate and support the strategic process of the narrative design and production of each VE (between half an hour to one hour live online zoom event) in close collaboration with the producer and fundraising channel leads and other stakeholders.
• Ensure the concept and key messages are realized (emergencies and non-emergency related).

3. VE Event Organization

• Support, in close collaboration with the producer and fundraising channel leads and other stakeholders, the organization of the VEs.
• Lead the organization of VEs, in coordination with UNICEF colleagues, including leadership, and high value partners participating in the live events. Set agenda, prepare and timeously share pre-reading materials and invites, provide technical instructions to the team, schedule and organize rehearsal times, coordinate with interpreters and guests, and ensure follow up.
• Coordinate with UNICEF colleagues to source and share fundraising materials related to the content and narrative of each VE with fundraising teams.
• Swiftly supply all post-production material to fundraising leads for dissemination.

4. Support the VE capacity building and SharePoint management

• Support the producer with training webinar sessions with National Committees (Natcoms) and Country Offices/Regional Offices (COs/ROs).
• Coordinate and share resources with the Natcoms and COs/ROs wishing to produce their own VEs and provide support.
• Ensuring content (invites, updates, videos) are uploaded to the VE SharePoint Hub.
• Managing content-related queries.

5. Perform any other related tasks which may be assigned in relation to VE production management.

DELIVERABLES:

1. Develop a production plan for all VE activities and update it throughout.

2. Draft meeting minutes/summary documents for all meetings and share with stakeholders timeously. And document all inputs for Producer with action plan to incorporate into the planning of the scheduled VEs.

3. Support production of global and bespoke VEs by:

• Preparing and distributing invitations.
• Supporting producer with script development (sourcing facts, information, updating timings and details of guests).
• Coordinating guest bookings and crossings ? up to 6 per VE.
• Coordinating and supporting on guidance and scripting of senior colleagues, UNICEF leadership and high value partners.
• Coordinating rehearsals of crossings and full show.
• Coordinating live interpretation.
• Coordinating post-production materials: ensuring approvals, uploads timeously for use on the VEs.
• Collect, manage, and share monitoring and evaluation information and statistics.
• Coordinating fund raising materials to be shared after the VEs.
• Sharing content links to stakeholders timeously after VEs.
• Answering query emails and calls by Natcoms or COs relating to VEs.

Estimated Duration of the contract

• 364 days

Reporting To:

• Communication Specialist, Supporter Content Team.

Working Place:

• Geneva, Switzerland is the official duty station. (Flexible work arrangements may be applied if there is a need.)

To qualify as a Champion for every child you will have?

Education:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Marketing, Communication, Journalism, Management, Public Relations, or another relevant technical field.
• Alternatively, a first-level university degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of qualifying professional experience may be accepted instead of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in media and communications is required.
• Proven experience in live broadcast media production and scripting.
• Experience in managing the production development and implementation of live digital events, with specific, measurable, and time-bound objectives and performance indicators.
• Experience in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels.
• Demonstrated experience in the design and management of live events, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.
• Experience in the NGO sector/ for UNICEF and/or UN is an asset.

Language requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1) are required.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: our competency framework.

UNICEF is here to serve the world's most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF's active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

This is how cinfo can support you in the application process for this specific position:

• Application preparation: Before you apply for this position: Improve your application documents by registering for a Job Application Support. Our coaches are here to help tailor your application to the requirements of the job (service provided at your own cost).
• Interview preparation: When invited to the interview: Prepare for the interview by registering for a Job Application Support.
• Additional services for Swiss nationals who get invited to the selection process (written test, interview, assessment centre, etc.):
  • Let us know by writing to We flag matching applications to HR partners and SDC/SECO for visibility.
  • Benefit from free interview/assessment preparation by registering here : Interview and Assessment Centre Preparation for Jobs in Multilateral Organisations. Our coaches stand ready to help prepare for upcoming interview/assessment centre.