Communication, Advocacy And Knowledge Management Specialist

UNDP is the frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for actions at regional, national and local levels to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Across Asia and the Pacific, UNDP helps countries formulate and implement their own solutions to address urgent development challenges. It implements the UNDP Strategic Plan (2022-2025) in the region through the Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH), various Country Offices (COs) and the Global Policy Network (GPN) which provides policy and programme advice to ensure alignment of country programmes with regional and global and corporate priorities. Several integrated solutions are identified in the Strategic Plan which include the following:

• Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery for Building Resilience
• Environment and Energy
• Poverty and Inequality

In the ambit of the above signature solutions, UNDP launched a USD $37.53 million project, approved for funding by the Government of Japan in February 2023. It will support four Pacific Island Countries (Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu) with a ‘Green Transformation’ of their economies that will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, drive sustainable economic growth and help them cope with the impacts of climate change. The two-year project, titled Promoting Green Transformation in the Pacific Region towards Net-Zero Emissions and Climate-Resilient Development will support investments in clean energy, more efficient management of natural resources and strengthened coping capacity in the face of extreme weather events linked to climate change. UNDP’s multi-country implementation modality will be followed for this project.

UNDP’s Environment team within the GPNs leading the implementation of the project. The Environment team works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate natural capital, environment, and climate concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies; support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and implement the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming on the environment, climate change, and energy. This extensive body of work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning. The Environment team assists partner developing countries to develop and implement projects that combine and sequence resources from a wide range of global environment and climate funds and from bilateral funding windows.

The Environment team is recruiting for a Communication, Advocacy and Knowledge Management Specialist to oversee the Knowledge Management and Communication aspects of the Pacific Project for Promoting Green Transformation in the Pacific Region towards Net-Zero and Climate-Resilient Development

Under the overall guidance of the Regional Team Leader of the Environment and Energy Team and the direct supervision of the Regional Project Manager, the incumbent will work closely with the projects team in the region, the four Pacific Island Countries, the regional environment team, the regional communication team, the Climate Strategies and Policies (CSP) team, and the Global Policy Network. The specialist will lead, manage, and oversee the communication and Knowledge Management work of the project. S/he also maintains effective working relationships with the Government of Japan and other external partners.
 

Lead the Communication and Advocacy Work for the Project in close collaboration with COs, BRH, and the Tokyo Representative Office

• In coordination with the project team both at the national and regional levels, lead, develop, implement, and monitor the project’s communication and advocacy strategy. 
• In coordination with the project team both at the national, regional, and global levels, lead and implement the work plan of the communication and advocacy strategy within the available resources to promote donor visibility.  
• Develop innovative and compelling editorial content – stories, op-eds, interviews, etc. – capturing the project achievements and UNDP’s leadership on green transformation and the Climate Promise 
• Manage, lead, and direct project and country office communication specialists to produce communications content with the support of country teams, to be disseminated in various innovative formats.  
• Maintain relationships with partners and donors to enhance viability and manage reputational risks.
• Support the project manager in the communication of donor outreach and support in preparing presentations to donors.   
• Liaise with the project teams to ensure timely communication of newsworthy information to donors.

Content Creation

• Developing Content Strategy: Collaborate with project stakeholders to develop a comprehensive content strategy aligned with project objectives, ensuring that all content produced resonates with the target audience and effectively communicates key messages related to green transformation and sustainability.
• Content Creation: Create a variety of innovative content, including short films, videos, articles, infographics, social media posts, and more, that highlight the project's initiatives, success stories, challenges, and impact. Ensure the content is engaging, informative, and relevant to the local context.
• Scriptwriting and Storyboarding: Lead the scriptwriting and storyboarding process for short films and videos, ensuring a clear narrative structure and effective storytelling techniques that capture the essence of the project's activities and outcomes. 
• Visual Content Creation: Collaborate with designers, videographers, and other creative professionals to produce visually appealing and impactful content that effectively conveys complex environmental and sustainability concepts. 
• Multimedia Production: Oversee the entire production process of films and other multimedia content, including pre-production planning, filming, editing, sound design, and finalization. 
• Content Distribution: Develop strategies for distributing content through various channels, including social media platforms, project websites, local media outlets, and relevant regional and global networks.

Media Network Engagement

• Media Landscape Analysis: Conduct research to identify key media outlets, journalists, influencers, and platforms relevant to the project's goals. Stay updated on media trends and developments in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• Building Relationships: Establish and nurture relationships with major media outlets, journalists, editors, and bloggers. Cultivate partnerships to ensure consistent coverage of the project's activities and milestones. 
• Press Releases and Media Kits: Prepare compelling press releases, media kits, and other communication materials to disseminate project updates and achievements to the media. Ensure that these materials are tailored to the preferences and needs of different media outlets. 
• Media Outreach and Engagement: Proactively pitch stories, interviews, and features to media contacts, emphasizing the project's unique aspects and impact. Coordinate media visits, interviews, and coverage of project events. 
• Media Monitoring and Analysis: Monitor media coverage of the project, track mentions, and analyze the effectiveness of media outreach strategies. Provide regular reports on media engagement metrics and adjust approaches as needed.

Knowledge Management

• Provide support to the project teams on knowledge products/ reports/ publications. 
• Advise country office project communications team in documentation and sharing best practices, success stories, and lessons learned from the project teams to share with donor and external stakeholders. 
• Identify opportunities for sharing the knowledge products from country and global levels, internally with other UNDP/UN partners and donors. 
• Advise with ad hoc research and brainstorming as needed. 
• Ensure factsheets, thematic briefs, reports, and other published/unpublished products of the project are up-to-date and readily accessible. 
• Advise and support project staff in the documentation and coordination of processes, learning, and best experiences emerging from the different components of the project 
• Lead the compilation and documentation of materials relating to the activities of the project. 
• Closely work with the UNDP Regional Communication team and provide inputs for sharing on UNDP platforms. 
• Actively support the Regional Project Manager in the preparation and submission of regular and other ad-hoc reports

Co-ordination, Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building

• Coordinate closely with the project teams in the four countries for the development of joint products and to share communications and Knowledge Management updates. 
• Coordinate with the communications team at the Reginal Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy, as necessary. 
• Identify and respond to capacity development needs of the project teams on communications, advocacy, and outreach, including training, materials, and one-on-one support; 
• Participate in the UNDP Environment portfolio communication group meetings and provide updates from the project as necessary;
• Collaborate with local communities, NGOs, government bodies, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure accurate representation of their experiences and perspectives in project-related content. 
• Provide training and guidance to project staff and partners on effective communication techniques, content creation, and media engagement strategies. 
• Attend project-related events, workshops, and activities to capture multimedia content and facilitate media coverage when appropriate.
   

• Minimum 7 years (with Master’s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of hands-on proven experience in delivering results on Knowledge Management and/or organizational management
• Experience in leading regional teams in communications, with knowledge in the Asia Pacific region, especially in SIDS. 
• Experience in providing strategic guidance and review on core products to ensure policy coherence, consistency, and good positioning.
• Proven experience in playing a pivotal role in conceptualizing, writing, and managing the development, outreach, and advocacy of communication materials and reports and their dissemination across a wide range of channels. 
• Experience in leading and playing a key role in translating project vision and policies, developing and implementing strategic and tactical communication and advocacy strategies to ensure engagement and visibility of communications.
• Experience in developing innovative communications content to position programs to high-profile donors and the public.
• Experience in managing and leading crisis communication strategies
• Strong ability and experience in leading, directing, and coordinating a team of dispersed communication officers; and planning and allocating work assignments.
• Strong background in coaching mentoring and evaluating staff; with experience in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs; and developing and managing budgets.
• Demonstrated comprehensive understanding and Knowledge of UNDP’s work including current guidelines and project management tools.
• Influencing and negotiation skills/experience

Required Language:

• Fluency in English