Under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Regional Communications Advisor (RCA), the incumbent is responsible for coordinating all communications flows inside ASRO, to ensure that the needs in visibility by the thematic areas are all well served: reproductive health, gender and GBV issues, youth, humanitarian response all have their own printed and digital visibility and communications products available in English and Arabic.
The Communications/Information Officer helps provide communications support to ASRO’s various work areas/programmes, and to UNFPA’s country offices in the Arab region. More specifically, and since communications is a cross-cutting activity, the Communications Officer will support the RCA on production (mostly publications and web) of relevant material to promote UNFPA, programmes, messages, and visibility.
Job Purpose:
Work in close cooperation with the ASRO staff, the country offices’ communication focal points, UNFPA HQ, sister UN agencies, partners, stockholders, government counterparts, and civil society organizations whenever needed to position ensure internal and external flow of communication and information, and to strengthen partnership.
Assist in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the advocacy and communication strategy for the Arab States Regional Office.
Maintain and protect the UNFPA brand and ensure that ASRO and the country offices comply with the UNFPA Style Guidelines. Harmonize the communication production, set and ensure graphic standards across the region.
Act an OIC during the absence of the Regional Communication Advisor (RCA), Supervise the consultants, implementing partners and help evaluating their deliveries. Provide support and advise to the Web and Social Media Manager.
Main Tasks & Responsibilities
Public information management and strengthening of external relations
Provide professional communication support to emerging events and to products planned throughout the year by the different thematic areas. This includes: ensuring that all events have the necessary communications support as agreed with the relevant event organizer/owners (Advisers, COs); supporting all communications with visuals, including messages and photos; coordinating all Arabic translations and proofread/edits translations; and liaising with Programme Managers/Specialists in ASRO about thematic productions and ensuring all content is cleared.
Maintain relationships with the press/media. Ensure rapid and effective response to the media enquiries, and information dissemination, including press releases, media advisories, etc to the press and media.
Responsible for regularly updating the journalists’ database/media mapping to use for the promotion of UNFPA’s external communication, including press release, statement, media advisory … etc
Prepare background communication and promotional materials for media events, press conferences, and events. Assist in the planning, logistic and administrative arrangements for them.
Communications materials
The Communications/Information Officer will be the focal point for the production of bilingual (Arabic and English) publications and web materials (reports, brochures, leaflets, others), fully responsible for the quality assurance by reviewing content after gathering it (from thematic advisers or COs); liaising with external translators, proofreaders, and external designers; ensuring visual consistency and compliance with UNFPA branding Style Guide; and organizing printing (when needed).
Fully in charge of producing ASRO’s monthly newsletter and any other topic-based newsletters (produced based on requests from the senior management). ASRO’s monthly newsletter is a flagship production that goes to all ASRO staff, HQ senior management, partners Arab permanent representations to the UN in NY, and formal government interlocutors in the region and in NY. This is a very formal communication tool that the post fully handles its content gathering, editing and design.
Manage all of ASRO's printed and multimedia libraries to group all professional publications, photos and videos produced by ASRO and country offices in a one stop shop folder accessible for everyone’s use. The publication and multimedia library is the repository of all printed/web materials, photos and videos for corporate use in the region.
The incumbent will be in charge of managing ASRO’s pool of external consultants/vendors related to the communications area of work, including designers, printers, translators, photographers, videographers … etc.
Assist in drafting, editing, translating, and proofreading articles, press releases, talking points, information briefs, factsheets, human interest stories, and other advocacy/information materials for both web-based and traditional media, as appropriate.
Follow up on the production of advocacy and communication materials (e.g., films, videos, audio-visuals, etc.), and oversee the qualitative aspects of production, (e.g., quality control, translations, reviews of layout and graphic design etc.) to meet standards as set out in the UNFPA Style Guide.
The Arabic language/Translation
Act as ASRO’s coordinator for all official translation from and to Arabic, commission’s translations to a pool of vetted external translators, sets deadlines and ensures editorial quality. Provides final proofreading of all translations. It is responsible for updating Arabic language glossary and translation memory system, providing translators with updated lexicons to ensure homogeneity of terms.
Technical support
Provide regular support and input as a response to specific requests by COs, particularly to ensure quality adherence and style coherence in compliance with UNFPA branding style guide to harmonize production, set and ensure graphic standards across the region.
Assist the RCA in arranging for the annual regional communications workshops, including developing the concept note and agenda, identifying the topics of the training based on the needs of the Comms focal points, preparing needed materials, and managing logistical arrangements.
Act as the focal point for all quality assurance of all print products (reports, brochures, leaflets, other), ensuring brand adherence and copyright review, in addition to making Arabic versions of every product available.
The incumbent is a member of the Regional Production Committee. The Committee role is to provide the quality assurance and consistency for all UNFPA communication products to ensure coherence in messaging, quality and style for all UNFPA-funded publications and communication products (print and audio-visual).
Impact of Results
Incrementally higher level of cohesiveness between thematic areas thanks to communication products that highlight the various areas.
Consistent improvement of ASRO’s repository of photos, videos, media contacts and glossary of terms/translation.
Timely response to the requests by thematic units and Cos, and production is consistent with the corporate style guidelines
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
A Master’s degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations or related field and 5 years’ relevant experience.
Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations; or related fields may also apply but must have at least 5 years professional work experience in the communications area.
Experience:
Candidates with Master’s Degree should have at least 5 years of relevant experience while candidates with Bachelor’s degree should have at least 5 years’ experience in institutional, development communications, including campaigns and production.
Familiarity with the human rights-based approach to programming.
Familiarity with the aid context and development processes in the Arab region.
Language Requirements:
Excellent command of English language and Arabic. Full Command of French will be a definite added advantage
Required Competencies
Core Values:
Exemplifying Integrity;
Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system;
Embracing diversity;
Embracing change.
Competencies:
Ability to take initiative and work with minimal supervision;
Strong conceptualization skills, sound judgment;
Strong communications expertise;
Excellent coordination skills to work on several projects simultaneously;
Interpersonal skills, team spirit and positive working relationships;
Excellent writing, editing, proofreading and translation skills, and excellent command of Arabic language;
Ability to work in various media formats: print, audio, video, web, social media etc.
