Senior Public Information Officer (Chief of Strategic Communications), P-5

Senior Public Information Officer (Chief of Strategic Communications), P-5

UN OHCHR - United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Geneva, Switzerland

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Strategic Communications Section, External Engagement and Partnerships Service (EPS) of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. The incumbent reports to the Chief of EPS.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Public Information Officer (Chief of Strategic Communications) is responsible for the following duties:

• Conceptualize, design and execute OHCHR’s communication strategy, programme, activities and budget for the Strategic Communications Section, including social media, content development, multimedia, web, campaigns and graphic design.
• Provide technical and policy advice on highly complex public information and strategic communications issues; oversee development and dissemination of Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines and best practices and ensure OHCHR’s strategic communications outputs are relevant, strategic, innovative and aligned with OHCHR’s branding and vision
• Lead and direct a diverse team; plan and allocate work assignments; coach, mentor, and evaluate staff; participate in recruitment and selection of new staff and in the development of training programs.
• Pursue effective substantive engagement with senior OHCHR staff in the field and at headquarters to ensure smart messaging and amplification of communication approaches across OHCHR field presences; create and maintain networks of high level communications contacts with broadcast media, the press, governmental agencies, international institutions and other groups and organizations in civil society (non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, community organizations, women’s groups, etc.); represent the organization in important meetings, conferences, events, etc.; promote joint public relations ventures.
• Lead on the development of innovative institutional communications products, ensuring they are of high quality and coherent with OHCHR’s strategic directions including fundraising.
• Regularly report on impact and effectiveness of communication activities based on detailed analytics and oversight.
• Provide diverse materials (briefings, speeches, questions and answers) for use by OHCHR’s senior officials, and oversee development of high-profile multi-media communications campaigns; set quality and production standards for information dissemination.
• Oversee organization of flagship events like Human Rights Day, ensuring reach and impact.
• Perform other related duties as relevant.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to develop public information and strategic communications. Political awareness and ability to advise on high profile and sensitive communication challenges. Ability to assess world-wide communication environments, develop innovative, creative and impactful communication strategies and manage implementation of public information campaigns with various promotional and publicity techniques. Ability to produce a variety of written communications products in a clear, concise style. Ability to present and defend difficult positions to internal and external audiences. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; 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. Action-oriented and proactive workstyle grounded in innovation, lead by through analytics and deliverables. Ability to use strategic communications as a tool for fundraising and resource mobilization.
• 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 & 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.
• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, public administration or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in public information, communications, journalism, international relations, public administration or related area, is required. A minimum of five years of experience in strategic communications and development of global communications campaigns is required. A minimum of five years of managerial experience is required. Experience in digital outreach and the use of social media is required. Experience working within the United Nations common system or similar international organization is required. Experience with issue management including crises communications is desirable. A minimum of three years of experience in human rights is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required; knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

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