Communications Specialist Consultant Job at the UN
- Job Opening ID: 252564
- Job Network : –
- Job Family : –
- Category and Level : Consultants, CON
- Duty Station : NAIROBI
- Department/Office : United Nations Human Settlements Programme
- Date Posted : Feb 4, 2025
- Deadline : Feb 13, 2025
Result of Service
Ultimate result of service Under the guidance and supervision of Human Settlements Officer (SDG localization and local government) and the Chief of the Urban Practices Branch, the consultant will contribute to the following objectives: i) Outreach planning; ii) Social media management; iii) Creative content development and collection within the context of the global activities and projects led by the SDG localization team.
Work Location: Nairobi
Expected duration: 6 months (Part time : 65 Days)
Duties and Responsibilities
Background
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. Based in Nairobi (Kenya), it is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. UN-Habitat is the lead agency within the UN system for coordinating activities in the field of human settlement development and the UN leading the collaboration with local and regional governments and their networks.
During the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2015, 193 Member States, convened at the Global Summit on Sustainable Development to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are universal and relevant to all Member States, from both the global north and global south. As demonstrated in the past years of implementation, it is widely acknowledged that the local level and local action are critical for the overall success of the 2030 Agenda – the SDGs need to be localized.
In addition, during the second session of the United Nations Habitat Assembly, the Brazil-promoted Resolution on Localizing the SDGs received wide consensus and was co-sponsored by twelve other countries. Through the resolution, Member States further mandated UN-Habitat to strengthen the capacities of local and national governments on SDG data, reporting and integrated planning as well as on multilevel governance approaches for SDG localization.
UN-Habitat is the UN focal point for work with local and regional governments and the custodian of the New Urban Agenda and has been at the forefront of SDG Localization since the very endorsement of the 2030 Agenda. Building on its operational capacities and technical leadership, the Agency developed the most integrated approach to localizing the SDGs in the UN system, working on three levels:
- 1) supporting cities through the SDG Cities Global Initiative;
- 2) supporting national governments to develop SDG Localization Frameworks;
- 3) and coordinating the SDG Cities Global Community and political engagement within the main UN and intergovernmental fora.
UN-Habitat’s global footprint on SDG localization exceeds 20 countries, working through the UN system and in cooperation with the main UN and international partners. Most recently, UN-Habitat has been mandated to lead the two key UN mechanisms on SDG Localization and local governments: the Local2030 Coalition and the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments.
Within UN-Habitat Head Quarters in Nairobi, under the Urban Practices Branch, the SDG Localization and Local Governments Team coordinates UN-Habitat’s work on SDG Localization and the corporate engagement with Local and Regional Governments Reporting Line. This post is located the Urban Practices Branch of UN-Habitat and specifically within its SDG localization and local governments team. The incumbent will be supervised by the Human Settlements Officer coordinating the work of the team, and under supervision of the Director of Global Solutions Division. The expert will work in proximity to the other members of the team as well as other units, sections and offices across the Agency.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant’s main responsibility will be to deliver on specific activities related to UN-Habitat’s SDG localization team projects. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
1. Social media management
- Create, launch, and maintain new social media channels, including developing a strategy for growth, audience engagement, and regular content updates.
- Identify key opportunities and elaborate content to include the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs in the social media strategy.
- Design and implement strategies to enhance engagement and expand the reach of the team’s digital channels, with measurable goals and metrics.
- Engage with relevant social media influencers and thought leaders in the team’s geographical and thematic areas, establishing formal partnerships and agreements for content creation and amplification.
- Act as a social media focal point for liaising with UN-Habitat teams and Regional offices and their communication focal points, other UN agencies, partner organizations including global, regional, national and local governments, the private sector, regional organizations and civil societies on all matters pertaining to communications of the team.
2. Visibility enhancement
- Provide technical expertise on planned campaigns to increase visibility.
- Develop a plan and implement steps to engage international media channels to collaborate on the sharing of the team video content on their channels.
- Produce a plan to increase the visibility of the SDG Cities Global Community and the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs in line with the planned campaigns and in coordination with communications colleagues.
- Provide technical expertise to tailor and refine content submitted by partners and team members, ensuring it is clear, engaging, and communication-friendly.
- *You may be required to participate in an interview, which may include a practical test to assess your expertise and skills.
Qualifications/special skills
- University Degree in communications; marketing, journalism and international affairs or other relevant area is required.
- A minimum of two (2) years of relevant working experience on issues related to sustainable development, urban planning, local development and project management is required.
- Proven experience in digital communications and social media management, including planning, execution, and analytics.
- Strong knowledge of content creation tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, video editing software) and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) is desired.
- Proficiency in social media analytics and the ability to measure and report on engagement, conversions, and campaign effectiveness.
- Creative mindset with the ability to innovate and adapt content to suit different platforms and campaigns.
Languages
Fluency in English is required for this specific consultancy. Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.