Communications Specialist Full Time

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding – including in some of the world’s most challenging environments. By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners – including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies – to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR. The EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility is also based here.

The UNEP/GEF “SCS-SAP Project”

The South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea, which supports a number of unique habitats and ecosystems that are amongst the most biologically diverse shallow water marine ecosystems globally. The richness and productivity of the South China Sea and associated environments are, however, seriously threatened by high population growth, pollution, overharvest and habitat modification, resulting in high rates of habitat loss and impairment of the regenerative capacities of living resources. The socio-economic impacts of environmental deterioration are significant for the economies of this region.

Recognising that actions were urgently needed to halt degradation of the environment of this marine basin, the countries of the region sought the assistance of UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the project “Reversing Environmental Degradation Trends in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand” was implemented from 2003-2008. This included a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of the issues and problems and their societal root causes as the basis for development of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) which was inter-governmentally adopted in 2008. The SAP established a series of objectives and priority costed actions for coastal habitats, land-based pollution management, and the overexploitation of fish stocks in the South China Sea

A multitude of organizations -including several UN agencies, regional inter-governmental organizations and NGO’s- are active in the SCS-SAP region in the fields of fisheries, environmental protection and sustainable development. Yet, coordination and collaboration in terms of communication and awareness building on the aforementioned environmental problems (and on the implementation of related solutions) is still incipient.

In May 2018, a US$ 15 million grant was released by the GEF to support the execution of the 5-year “SCS-SAP Project” (2018-2023). Due to various reasons, including the COVID19 pandemic, the project has been delayed and has been extended to June 2024 2ith a possibility of a further extension to June 2025..

As a key executing partner of the SCS-SAP Project, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) wants to hire and manage the contract of the SCS-SAP Communications Specialist. The SCS-SAP Communications Specialist will be assigned to the SCS-SAP Project Coordination Unit (PCU), located in Bangkok, Thailand. The Communications Specialist will be instructed and technically supervised by, and respond to the SCS-SAP PCU Senior Management. Travels to SCS-SAP participating countries and key partner organizations may be considered and agreed upon in coordination with countries and organizations

Successful implementation of the SCS-SAP Project will demand that awareness is raised among the broader stakeholder community, and that enhanced communication, coordination and information exchange is achieved among the members of the SCS-SAP Project PCU, national focal points and implementing agencies as well as other Partners

Under the overall direction and supervision of the SCS-SAP Senior Project Manager (SPM), the SCS-SAP Communications Specialist (CS) shall work with SCS-SAP Project Coordination Unit (PCU) team members and Project Partners to promote the project regionally and to develop related communication & dissemination materials, activities and events.

The CS will be responsible for the promotion, design and implementation of collaborative arrangements in the fields of communication, awareness building, and dissemination of knowledge, results and lessons learnt in relation to the Project. The CS will strive to improve public understanding of the SCS-SAP Project objectives, activities and outputs/results, through the delivery of consistently high-quality and efficient, multi-lingual communication and awareness building activities & products.

The CS will base his/her activities on the content of the SCS-SAP Project Document (and applicable revisions), on the project implementation plan(s), and other materials relevant for this purpose. The CS will receive guidance from, and make proposals/report directly to, the RPM.  The CS will further be expected to liaise with project stakeholders and project beneficiaries with a variety of professional, cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in communications/social sciences, journalism, public relations, marketing and/or environmental sciences or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in graphic design/editing, web design or other is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience in the development and/or implementation of complex communications strategies and plans, and with the production and design of high-quality dissemination materials or related areas.

• Good understanding of the key issues addressed in the SCS-SAP Project Document.

• Experience in content development/design & formatting, in a way that clearly communicates project ideas, key messages and experiences for media, web, printed and audio-visual productions.

• Good computer literacy, familiarity and professional experience with the use of the main office computer applications (MS Windows/MS Office).

• Good editing skills and capability to produce quality presentations, reports (incl. graphics)  and other dissemination materials.

• Good communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical reports and other material from the project in a simple and clear manner to colleagues, and stakeholders.

Desired

• Previous work experience in one or more of the SCS-SAP participating countries, on topics relevant to the SCS-SAP Project.
• Familiarity with the GEF, in particular the “International Waters” Focal Area and the concept of “Large Marine Ecosystems” (LMEs), and with the environmental/natural resources management problems affecting the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf LMEs, will be considered important assets.
• Familiarity with the SCS-SAP Project, and familiarity/prior working experience with SCS-SAP Project partner organizations and stakeholders/countries will be considered important assets.
• Familiarity with social media and with web design applications and related concepts; practical/hands-on experience/skills in the use of website design applications, will be positively evaluated.
• A track record of consistent excellence in professional performance is highly desired for this position.
• Familiarity with publishing applications such as Microsoft Publisher, PagePlus, Adobe InDesign and content management software (Drupal, etc.).

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.

How To Apply

• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Apply Link: https://careers.unops.org/careersmarketplace/JobDetail/Communications-Specialist/2650?src=LinkedIn

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.