Timeline: Start date: ASAP (preferably no later than mid-November).
Duration of contract: 2-3 months
Background:
Persons with disabilities comprise an estimated 15 percent of any given population[1]. This proportion is likely to be much higher in humanitarian and conflict situations as they face higher risks in addition to increased environmental, physical, and social barriers. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as part of the UN secretariat, is committed to the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS). Since 2018, OCHA is also working on fostering disability inclusion in the humanitarian programme cycle and in the humanitarian funds that it manages.
Org. Setting and Reporting:
This position is located in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Coordination Division, Inter-Agency Support Branch (IASB), Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) secretariat in Geneva. OCHA is the 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.
The Communications and Outreach Consultant reports to the OCHA Disability Focal Point and will work in close cooperation with concerned OCHA colleagues, such as the Information Management Section team managing the OCHA Hub, other colleagues involves in information management and the IASC secretariat Communications Focal Point.
Responsibilities:
Within delegated authority and in coherence with the guidance from the OCHA Focal Point on Disability inclusion, the Communications and Outreach Consultant will be responsible for supporting accurate, timely and targeted knowledge and information management to support work on disability inclusion within OCHA in alignment with the implementation of the UNDIS, OCHA’s commitments to disability inclusion and the OCHA 20223-2026 Strategic Plan. This includes the following duties:
- Manages, in cooperation with relevant staff from OCHA’s Information Management Branch, the thematic webpage on disability inclusion in humanitarian action on OCHA’s Intranet
- Improves the existing content by ensuring its continued relevance, identifying gaps, recommending additions and preparing executive summaries, annotated reading suggestions, and other materials to facilitate the use of the resources by OCHA staff.
- Assess, in cooperation with relevant staff, the relevance of designing a thematic webpage on OCHA’s public website (www.unocha.org).
- Selects, in cooperation with concerned staff from OCHA’s Learning Unit, training materials and playlists to foster the offer for field colleagues about disabiliy inclusion on OCHA’s Learning Platform
- Maps out ongoing disability inclusion actions within OCHA, including field offices, and drafts a good practice guide. Assist in raising internal visibility to the work on disability inclusion, for example through social media and by creating targeted and engaging digital content to raise awareness of work, products, and events around disability.
- Drafts tailored information products (e.g. OCHA-On messages about disability inclusion and/or leave no one behind, tip sheet of basic recommendations to support inclusive field work, etc.).
- Coordinates the implementation of the UNDIS Indicator on Communications with concerned OCHA departments and supports work for the drafting of an OCHA-wide action plan on UNDIS.
- Performs any other related duties as required.
Deliverables at the end of the contract:
- A user-friendly and well-resourced OCHA Intranet page on disability inclusion
- A mapping of good practices of disability inclusion practices by OCHA field offices
- OCHA-On messages on disability inclusion and on the leave no one behind transformational priority
- A tipsheet on practical basic requirements for OCHA field offices to be (disability) inclusive.
- UNDIS implementation is advanced, particularly in respect to the indicators on communications and on training requirements.
Competencies:
• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence; 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. Strong analytical and research skills, including ability to evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources.
• 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.
• PLANNING AND 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.
• 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.
Qualifications/special skills:
Education: Advanced university degree (Master or equivalent) in social science, human rights, information management, international development, protection, or another related field is required in combination with relevant experience. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: A minimum of five years of progressively relevant experience, within the UN system or an international orgnaization, with a focus on information management, web management, communications or other relevant skills is required.
Strong analytical capacity and good writing skills are required. Technical knowledge of SharePoint is required.
Exposure to disability inclusion, preferably at field level, is highly desirable. Knowledge of UN system and protection or human rights related agencies, is an asset.
Experience editing a wide range of products, including flagship publications, documents, reports, social media content, and videos is desired.
Languages:
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official
United Nations language is desirable.
United Nations Considerations:
The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to
participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary
organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat
is a non-smoking environment.
As per UN policy, Consultants and Individual Contractors may not apply for or be appointed
to any position in the Professional or above categories and for positions at the FS-6 and FS-7
levels in the Field Service category within six months of the end of their current or most
recent service. This restriction does not apply to associate experts (Junior Professional Officers)
appointed under the Staff Rules.
How to apply
Please sent a motivation letter with your curriculum vitae, indication of possible starting date and financial expectations to demuyser-boucher@un.org.
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.