Public Information Officer at the United Nations

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• Job Title: Public Information Officer
• Job Opening Number: 21-Public Information-OCHA-149556-J-Abuja (X)
• Job Location: Abuja
• Job Code Title: Public Information Officer
• Department / Office: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

• This position is located in the Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts.
• OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
• This temporary job opening is being advertised for the position of Public Information Officer and is located in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Abuja, Nigeria. The Public Information Officer reports to the Head of Office, OCHA Nigeria.

Job Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Public Information Officer/Head of the unit will be responsible for the following duties:

Leadership:

• Leads day-to-day country or regional communications operations to include participating in the coordination of accessibility substantive and administrative activities of the unit, interpreting and disseminating policy, providing procedural advice, improving reporting systems, handling operational and administrative queries, preparing budget submissions, establishing and/or coordinating training programs and monitoring and evaluating results.
• May coordinate and direct a team of public information staff and/or mentor and supervise the work of junior officers on specific projects. Collaborates with field focal points from other units and other organizations;
• Represents the institution in meetings and conferences; fulfills speaking engagements and makes presentations to groups on humanitarian activities.

Reporting and Analysis:

• Manages reporting and analysis, by establishing and maintaining reporting system within the country; oversees drafting and distribution of regular reports on the humanitarian situation.
• Ensures the flow of information and analysis of developments in the country/region, including tracking trends and sharing reports with HQ, and key partners engaged in multi-agency crisis response.
• Drafts complex material for UN newsletters, periodicals, reports and books and edits drafts prepared by junior officers.

Strategic Communication:

• Takes the lead in strategy, planning, development, and implementation of large, complex communications campaigns (e.g. global advocacy initiatives, regional public information programs) and joint communications strategies in humanitarian contexts
• Leads common media and communications efforts, including common messaging and chairing a humanitarian communications group.
• Prepares or oversees preparation of a diverse range of information communications products in support of priority humanitarian initiatives and advocacy efforts.
• Manages publications program; produces materials for print / electronic / voice / visual and social media outreach.
• Builds information networks; plans and oversees maintenance of publicly accessible information materials on humanitarian issues and joint activities of the humanitarian community; plans and develops strategic public outreach activities.
• Evaluates results and impact of communications activities, reports on developments, trends and attitudes regarding the UN and the broader humanitarian community.
• Evaluates results and impact of communications activities, reports on developments, trends and attitudes regarding the UN.
• Identifies sources and seeks funding and other assistance for major campaigns.
• Promote and implement OCHA corporate campaigns and initiatives such as the World Humanitarian Day (19 August) at field level with local partners, media, creative community, and humanitarian stakeholders
• Promote the visibility of the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund and support advocacy, resource mobilization and donor visibility efforts.
• Supports efforts to highlight the value-added role of OCHA to the Member States as well as the media and the public, in support of fundraising and visibility of OCHA.

Advocacy:

• Advocate issues of concern; organizes media coverage and arranges or conducts briefings, interviews; organizes seminars, lectures, conferences, media trips, public events on major issues and events concerning the organization.
• Provides advice and expertise to the Humanitarian Coordinator, HCT members, partners, OCHA managers, senior officers and other public information staff on a range of public affairs issues, methods, and approaches; on key media developments and appropriate approaches for media engagement to raise awareness of humanitarian needs and advocate timely and coordinated response; anticipates and resolves communications/public relations issues/problems.
• Develops strategic partnerships with key constituencies to elicit support for and maximize impact of humanitarian advocacy objectives; serves as principal liaison to governmental bodies, national groups, private sector organizations, educational organizations, international organizations, etc.

Communications:

• Organize and provide training opportunities for OCHA and partners international and national staff on media relations and other relevant skills
• Train humanitarian counterparts on relevant issues (e.g., role of the ERC, clusters, humanitarian principles)
• Support disaster preparedness by supporting efforts to mainstream crisis communications into contingency planning
• Digital communication:
• Supports the development and maintenance of OCHA web platforms and social media initiatives
• Open/maintain relevant social media accounts at the country level
• Plan and coordinate engaging social content, including awareness-raising campaigns
• Identify new opportunities and innovative ways to continually engage supporters and/or improve the perception of aid workers
• Monitor social media initiatives by other UN agencies, non-profit organizations at the country level, Governments, and other stakeholders, and look for opportunities to collaborate, including with opinion influencers
• Liaise and work with graphic designers as needed to produce visuals and infographics for use in social media campaigns
• Produce written, photo, and audio-visual stories and other content and publish on relevant platforms
• Other duties as required.

Job Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Communication, Journalism, International Relations, Public Administration or related field, is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public administration or related area is required.
• Humanitarian experience in the field (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) managing public communications and outreach in emergency situations (complex emergency or natural disaster) is required.
• Experience with crisis communications is desirable.
• Experience with the UN common system is desirable

Competencies
Professionalism:

• Knowledge of different aspects of public information and communication.
• Ability to address a range of issues in the context of political developments, public attitudes and local conditions. Ability to conceptualize, design, and implement major information campaigns.
• Ability to rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources.
• Ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and cultivate productive relationships.
• Ability to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear, concise style.
• Ability to deliver oral presentations to various audiences.
• Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
• Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Planning & Organizing:

• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Communication:

• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with a final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Creativity:

• Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

Assessment:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• The appointment/assignment is for 364 days, with the possibility of extension, subject to availability of funds and mandate extension. The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible.
• A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). Therefore, a staff member holding a temporary appointment in the General Service or related categories may only apply to positions within those categories. For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on Temporary Appointments. In its resolution 66 / 234, the General Assembly further “stressed that the Secretary-General should not recur to the practice of temporarily filling posts in the Professional and higher categories with General Service staff members who have not passed the General Service to Professional category examination other than on an exceptional basis, and requests the Secretary-General to ensure that temporary occupation of such posts by the General Service staff shall not exceed a period of one year, effective 1 January 2013…” Consequently, eligible candidates in the General Service or related categories for temporary job openings in the Professional category that have not passed the competitive examination may be selected only on an exceptional basis endorsed by the Office of Human Resources Management where no other suitable candidate could be identified.
• Upon separation from service, including, but not limited to, expiration or termination of, or resignation from, a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment on the basis of a temporary appointment for a period of 31 days following the separation. In the case of separation from service on retirement, a former staff member will be ineligible for re-employment for a period of three months following the separation. This equally applies, mutatis mutandis, with respect to a former or current staff member who has held or holds an appointment in another entity applying the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules and who applies for a temporary position with the Secretariat.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his / her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• The expression “Internal candidates”, shall mean staff members who have been recruited after a competitive examination under staff rule 4.16 or after the advice of a central review body under staff rule 4.15.
• Please note that candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law.
• Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offenses and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules, and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English.
• Candidates will be required to meet the requirements of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter as well as the requirements of the position. The United Nations is committed to the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity for all its human resources, including but not limited to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law.
• Candidates may be subject to screening against these standards, including but not limited to whether they have committed, or are alleged to have committed criminal offenses and/or violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
• Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, Inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the At-a-Glance on “The Application Process” and the Instructional Manual for the Applicants, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of Inspira account-holder homepage.
• Applications are pre-screened by the system according to the published requirements of the job opening on the basis of the information provided in the application. In relation to the requirements of the job opening, applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their qualifications, including their education, work experience, and language skills.
• Each applicant must bear in mind that submission of incomplete or inaccurate applications may render that applicant ineligible for consideration for the job opening. Initial screening and evaluation of applications will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted. Applications cannot be amended following submission. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to a reference-checking process to verify the information provided in the application.

Closing Date
11th February 2021 at 11:59 p.m. (New York time)

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Candidates found suitable and not selected for the announced duty station, may be selected for deployment to other duty stations. The selection will be for similar functions with similar requirements at the same level.
• Please note that due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by national authorities, selected candidates may be required to start the assignment/appointment remotely, in agreement with the hiring manager, and until further notice.
• Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
• No Fee – The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (Application, interview meeting, processing, or training). The United Nations does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.