UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Advocate

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every child in the Philippines, in line with priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support both the national and local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will consider capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

UNICEF Philippines has two offices. One office is based in Manila and a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative canter of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoons.

Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office: https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

You will drive the development of effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies. Incumbents will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams and with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children.

Key functions/accountabilities include:

Advocacy strategy development:

Provide technical support in developing a robust advocacy strategy, with SMART outcomes, compelling calls to action, and a clear theory of change. Analyze political, economic and cultural trends from a wide range of sources and identify potential advocacy opportunities and challenges.
Propose new approaches and innovative ideas as part of the strategy development process.

Advocacy strategy implementation:

Coordinate the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams to deliver a range of advocacy tactics, such as developing advocacy briefs and products, producing advocacy narratives, shaping creative activations to drive public engagement, working with the media, and organizing advocacy events.

Communication strategy development and implementation:

Provide technical assistance in designing and delivering effective communication plans that will deliver the aims of key advocacy strategies and help to mobilize public and private support for the cause of children.

Digital communications:

Coordinate and/or support the day-to-day conceptualization, budgeting, planning, coordination, execution and digital content creation, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of digital initiatives and integrated advocacy campaigns for key audiences.

Media relations:

Help to build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, etc.

Advocacy and communication M&E:

Establish baselines against which results are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; and drive the day-to-day production and dissemination of M&E results on a regular basis.

Project and budget management:

Coordinate inclusive project teams featuring a variety of advocacy and communication professionals to deliver strategic advocacy and communication initiatives.
Manage day-to-day delivery of key projects and workstreams, reviewing work plans to ensure progress and delivery while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks.
Ensure effectiveness and transparent use of budget and resources.

Advocacy and communication capacity building:

Contribute to building internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy and communication, through coaching, training and sharing of expertise.

Stakeholder engagement:

Identify, build and maintain formal and informal advocacy partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with strategic internal and external partners.
Adopt a consultative approach and solicit the support of key stakeholders at critical points of the strategy.

Others:

Undertake other key responsibilities as required.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File Advocacy and Communication Specialist NO3 126742 final.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Communications, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, public policy, political science, international relations, international development, public administration, economics, communications and any other related fields.

A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Work Experience: At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning and communications is required.

Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.

A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.

Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication research and tactics based on a clear theory of change.

Experience in building, engaging and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions or partnerships.

Experience in media relations.

Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.

Demonstrated experience in design and management projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.

Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues in the context of the Philippines.

Skills: Familiarity with advocacy strategy, including systematic stakeholder intelligence gathering and analysis; political mapping, strategic communication planning, media relations, influencer research, campaign management, coalition and partnership building, stakeholder engagement, content creation, project management, monitoring and evaluation.

Language Requirements: Proficiency in English and Tagalog - Filipino are required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

Experience in advocacy at an international level is an asset.

Experience in emergency environment is an asset.

Experience in risk-sensitive communication in conflict-affected areas is an asset.

Crisis communication experience is an asset

Social media campaign planning and social media listening skills are desirable.

Community and youth engagement is an asset.

Speech writing competency is desirable.

Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.

Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advocacy and Communications Specialist, NO-3, Fixed Term Position, Manila, Philippines, #00126742