Contract Duration: 3 years

Working arrangement: Office-based

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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 inclusion.

How can you make a difference?

Background

UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina is implementing two complementary EU-funded actions under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III). The EU4PEOPLE – Social Protection Programme (IPA 2022) is led by UNICEF as lead agency, in partnership with UNDP, UNFPA and ILO, and supports a modernised, EU-aligned social protection system by strengthening Centres for Social Welfare (CSWs) and their digitalisation, expanding licensed, community-based social services, and improving inspection and quality assurance. As lead agency, UNICEF is responsible for the overall communication and visibility of the joint programme, including coordination of partner UN agencies, management of programme events and consolidated visibility reporting to the EU.

The Roma Assistance Programme (IPA 2022 and 2024; EUR 12 million, 36 months) is led by UNDP, with UNICEF and UNFPA as participating UN agencies and UNESCO and IOM sub-contracted. It aims to improve the social inclusion of Roma and protect their rights, with UNICEF responsible for components on access to health insurance and immunisation through Roma health mediators, school enrolment and completion, prevention of child marriage and Roma-led child rights monitoring. Both actions carry contractual EU communication and visibility obligations (co-branding, EU funding acknowledgement, disclaimers, clearance with the EU Delegation, regular visibility reporting) that exceed existing Communication Section capacity.

Assignment:

Provide dedicated, office-based communication support to the two EU-funded programmes over 36 months, weighted to reflect UNICEF’s role in each: approximately 70% of time for EU4PEOPLE, where UNICEF is lead agency, and 30% for the Roma Assistance Programme, where UNICEF is a participating agency. Under the guidance of the Communication Officer, the Communication Associate will support communication, visibility and event management for EU4PEOPLE, including day-to-day coordination with communication colleagues from partner UN agencies; deliver UNICEF’s communication contributions to the UNDP-led Roma Assistance Programme; ensure compliance with EU and UNICEF branding and visibility rules; and produce ethical, evidence-based and human-interest content that makes programme results visible to decision-makers, professionals, communities and the general public.If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Download File External ToR TMC0007645.pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:
- Bachelor's degree in communication, journalism, public relations, social sciences or a related field

Work Experience:

Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in communication, media or advocacy, of which at least 2 years on donor-funded, preferably EU-funded, programmes, including organising events and coordinating communication with multiple partners

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and local languages (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian), written and spoken.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

EU visibility: knowledge of EU Communication and Visibility Requirements for External Actions, co-branding, disclaimers and clearance processes.
Writing and storytelling: excellent writing for press releases, web stories, newsletters and social media; ability to turn policy and system reforms into clear, audience-friendly messages.
Visual content: photography, short video and basic design (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva or similar).
Event management and media relations: planning and running events end-to-end (logistics, protocol, vendors, visibility) and organising press events and media outreach.
Ethical and inclusive communication: ethical reporting on children, informed consent and data protection; respectful, non-stigmatising communication with and about Roma communities.
Digital and analytics: social media management and analytics (Meta, LinkedIn, X, Google Analytics).
Organisation and teamwork: ability to manage two portfolios in parallel, prioritise, meet deadlines and work with multiple agencies and partners

Desirables:

Experience with UN agencies or joint UN programmes.
Experience communicating on social protection, child rights, social inclusion, Roma or other marginalised groups; experience with community-facing or social and behaviour change materials.
Knowledge of Romani language.

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

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 reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 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.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal TMC0007645.docx
A detailed technical proposal : CV/P11 and a portfolio of 3–5 work samples (e.g. stories, social media content, event or visibility materials), evaluated under criterion 4.

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

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.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Communication Associate – EU-funded Social Protection (EU4PEOPLE) and Roma Inclusion Programmes, Communication section, 36 months, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Nationals only) Office Based