Communications Specialist for Climate Change - Nairobi - OCHA

Job title: Communications Officer

Description

About UN Environment

UN Environment is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The organization's Climate Change Division delivers effective strategic guidance and high-impact action in support of the transition towards climate stability. It provides capacity building and technical support to governments to enhance their policy and implementation capacity and helps them access finance to align to the Paris Agreement, decarbonize, anticipate and adapt to climate impacts.

The work is guided by ambition, innovation, credible science, alignment to global climate goals and needs of individual countries. The division also supports 65 partner countries to advance the implementation of the Paris Agreement, particularly Articles 5 and 6, in order to reduce deforestation, promote sustainable land uses, advance international cooperative approaches to climate mitigation and mobilize climate finance to turn the tide on tropical deforestation.

About the Job

This role is located in the Climate Change Division at the Nairobi duty station with the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD). The Communications Officer will be responsible for delivering on the UN-REDD Programme Knowledge Management (KM) and communications strategy with emphasis on the Africa region.

Main Responsibilities

• Liaise with UN-REDD Programme partners and other relevant institutions to ensure continued delivery of the UN-REDD Programme KM and communications strategy and workplan.
• Support in the mainstreaming of the role of KM and communications in the UN-REDD Programme including through providing inputs on KM and communications activities for annual and semi-annual Programme progress reports.
• Support the inter-agency Communications and Knowledge Management Working Group.
• Promote media coverage (e.g. press conferences, interviews, press seminars and other special activities) of priority issues and/or major achievements and events of the Programme and its Partner Countries.
• Monitor and analyze current events, public opinion and press, identify issues and trends, and advise management on appropriate action/responses.
• Manage and grow contact lists including: general info subscribers, media, newsletter subscribers, weekly roundup subscribers.
• Support national-level communication teams.
• Point media inquiries to respective REDD representatives and technical experts.

Deliverables

• Draft and implement communications and media plans and actions including issue-specific plans and social media plans.
• Produce or oversee production of types (e.g. print, broadcast, etc.) of KM/communications products including press kits, press releases, feature articles, speeches / talking points, booklets, brochures, backgrounders, audio-visual materials, radio spot program, social media engagement, annual reports, policy briefs and info briefs.
• Facilitate at least four news articles related to lessons learned, highlights and key achievements of the Programme and/or its Partner Countries for each issue of the newsletter.
• Facilitate at least one opinion piece focused on a key REDD+ topic for the blog each month authored by a UN-RED Program technical expert, Partner Country expert, or guest expert.
• Draft, design and disseminate REDD+ Weekly Round Up.
• Manage the design and delivery of the UN-REDD Programme website; as well as the day-to-day content management of the site, including global news and event announcements.

Competencies

The ideal candidate will have strong professional experience in communication and/or knowledge management applied to climate action, ecosystem conservation and or its sustainable use. S/he will have good working knowledge of Internet, as well as electronic communications, including website management, social media platforms, and online engagement strategies.

The candidate will have experience in writing, editing, producing, and disseminating communication and knowledge products for diverse audiences. Managerial and administrative experience is desirable. Two years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is also desirable.

Language Skills

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Spanish is desirable.