The Communications and Results Reporting Section (CRRS) of DCO is responsible for RCS communications, outreach, and results reporting efforts globally. It supports Resident Coordinators (RCs), UN Country Teams (UNCTs), UNSDG entities and DCO regional teams in advancing transparency, accountability, and public engagement through strategic communications, editorial storytelling, crisis support, digital innovation, and data-informed reporting.
Responsibilities:
Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture.
Advise senior management, UN colleagues and /or the Crisis Management Team on crisis communications and reputational risk issues within the scope of UN policy and guidance.
Advise on public narratives to support senior management decision-making and to steer the communications strategy.
Monitor developing events to identify emerging crises and reputational risks.
Manage insights and analysis based on the monitoring of traditional, social, and digital media, including on risks to information integrity such as trends in mis and disinformation.
Detect and assess the threat level of false narratives and suggest approaches to countering misinformation and disinformation.
Manage the coordination of the crisis communications response with the communications stakeholders at the local, regional, and global levels, including the crisis communications cell and UN Communications Group in country.
Convene and/or participate in crisis communications cells including drafting UN system key messages, collating system wide updates and organizing cell meetings.
Develop media lines and ensure the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, and other relevant stakeholders, receive regular updates on sensitive issues.
Ensure that all traditional, social, and digital media UN channels and platforms are calibrated to accurately reflect the crisis and are consistently updated with key messages.
Contribute to advising on internal communications during a crisis and disseminate relevant policy and guidance to UN personnel.
Support the development of policy, guidance and training on crisis communications and reputational risk.
Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies.
Maintain confidentiality, integrity, and discreet handling of sensitive information in compliance with the UN data privacy, security requirements, and standards.
Monitor, analyse and report on communications approaches, activities and strategies to assess their performance and effectiveness.
Plan and manage required resources to implement the responsibilities, projects, and activities.
Ensure consistency and accuracy in messaging and branding across all digital channels.
Draft and edit clear, concise business intelligence and insights reports on communications outcomes and trends for key stakeholders, including on reputation risks and crisis communications.
Prepare documentation such as reports, written briefs, and presentations on analytical findings for internal stakeholders to inform prevention, mitigation and responses to risks to information integrity, utilizing data visualization and other techniques, in liaison with relevant teams.
Advise senior management and prepare communications plans for keeping staff informed and engaged in organization objectives and initiatives, including change management, business continuity processes and in times of crisis.
Produce guidance materials, including communications and design templates to empower staff to communicate in a systematic and effective way, especially during crises and emergencies.
Advise relevant focal points and senior management on communications to UN personnel affected by crises, as well as to staff in general, and disseminate relevant policy and
Prepare talking points, key messages, and data for media interviews to shape public perceptions of the UN work and its impact.
Education:
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, digital communications or related field.
A first-level university degree in combination with 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 communications, international relations, or other relevant areas, is required.
Demonstrated ability to apply policy and guidance in strategic communications is required.
Demonstrated skill in applying and maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles is required. Demonstrated ability to detect and assess threats to information integrity is desirable.
Demonstrated skill in data visualization tools to create charts, graphs, and visual outputs is desirable.
Demonstrated ability to write for digital platforms, such as social media or websites, for an international organization is desirable.
Demonstrated skill in collecting, processing, and analysing large volumes of unstructured and structured data is desirable.
Languages:
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
For the position advertised, fluency in English is required, and fluency in French is desirable.
Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
