Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)B
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeUNOPS LICA6
Target Start Date2025-07-01
Deadline for ApplicationsMay 27, 2025
Terms of ReferenceOperational Context
India currently hosts more than 261,000 refugees and asylum seekers. These include some 91,000 Sri Lankan refugees and 73,400 Tibetans directly assisted by the Government of India. There are 47,881 individuals registered under UNHCR’s mandate primarily from Afghanistan, Myanmar, and other countries. In addition, around 49,000 Myanmar nationals have sought refuge in the Northeast of India and live in a refugee-like situation. UNHCR works with the Government of India to offer protection and find solutions for refugees and asylum seekers.
As a result of reprioritization, UNHCR India is refocusing its efforts on three core objectives: mandate-critical protection and solutions work; lifesaving and emergency activities with a focus on the most vulnerable; and essential resource mobilization and advocacy for protection and inclusion.
With refugees and asylum seekers spread across 13 different locations across the country, UNHCR relies on its 8 NGO partners for support. It funds activities that complement or facilitate access to essential services and assist the most vulnerable people with humanitarian assistance. UNHCR also works with various partners and key stakeholders to advocate for greater inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). The office is engaged in advocacy with the government to support the development of a national framework for refugee protection, and advocates on issues related to the use of alternatives to detention, access to documentation amongst other key areas. UNHCR’s office is in New Delhi and has a field presence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu State.
Desired Candidate Profile:
The Communications Associate reports to the Assistant External Relations Officer. The supervisor provides the incumbent with regular guidance. The incumbent works independently on regular assignments with oversight from the supervisor. S/he maintains frequent contact with staff at various levels within the office and occasionally with counterparts in other duty stations and/or Headquarters, as well as with media, local suppliers, NGOs, implementing partners, embassies, and UN agencies.
The Communications Associate will support the execution of a broad range of communications activities, including media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, video production, public outreach and campaigns, analytics, and brand visibility. A key responsibility will be to support the external engagement of UNHCR’s Chief of Mission and Deputy Chief of Mission, including managing their agendas in close coordination with other Executive Office staff.
The ideal candidate is a proactive and independent communications professional with a proven track record in designing and delivering impactful communication products. They should demonstrate advanced English language skills, as evidenced through published work or professional outputs. Strong writing, editing, and visual storytelling abilities are essential, with a talent for creating compelling and emotive content that aligns with UNHCR’s mission to generate empathy and mobilize action for forcibly displaced and stateless people.
Candidates should possess:
• Advanced technical skills in digital communication tools, including social media platforms, content management systems, and AI-based tools. Proficiency in design and editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar tools is highly desirable.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines and maintain attention to detail under pressure.
• Experience in multimedia content production and social media engagement.
• Ability to monitor news trends and identify strategic opportunities for UNHCR messaging.
• Capacity to build and maintain strategic partnerships with media, NGOs, and civil society actors.
• Familiarity with UNHCR’s regulatory framework and a commitment to the core values of professionalism, integrity, and respect for diversity.
• Willingness to undertake missions and field trips to support UNHCR’s communications objectives.
• A continuous learning mindset to improve communication strategies and outputs.
Duties
1. Support the implementation of communications strategies for countries, situations and special projects within the area of responsibility; help identify thematic priorities and target audiences to meet UNHCR's global, regional and country-level communications objectives of leading the narrative, generating empathy and mobilizing action for forcibly displaced and stateless people.
2. Monitor news and popular trends to insert UNHCR's messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
3. Help forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce and promote UNHCR content, activities and messaging as well as provide research insights to improve communications; promote the work of engaged businesses and civil society actors.
4. Support the development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCR's impact (e.g. interviews, press releases, flagship reports, speeches), create emotive storytelling to generate empathy (e.g. stories, multimedia content) and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees (e.g. digital diplomacy, action-driven campaigns, fundraising).
5. Help ensure that content created reaches maximum impact by supporting the development of strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of out content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
6. Help monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly.
7. Assist in research, preparation, editing and production of professional media and communications materials for target audiences and ensure their timely dissemination via UNHCR's communications channels, ensuring highest quality standards.
8. Continually maintain and upgrade communications skills, keeping abreast of emerging platforms and tools, and systematically reviewing media impact results and other measurement tools for learning purposes.
9. May be required to assist in implementation of campaigns, events and other initiatives in support of UNHCR's strategic objectives, including its need for a leading share of voice on refugee and related matters.
10. May be required to undertake missions and field trips with media and other official visitors in support of UNHCR and its work.
11. Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
12. Perform other related duties as required.
Standard Job Description
Communications Associate
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Communications Associate is normally supervised by a Communication Officer or other position as decided by the senior management in the area of responsibility. The supervisor provides the incumbent with regular guidance. The incumbent works quite independently on regular assignments with an oversight from the supervisor. S/he keeps frequent contacts with staff at various levels in the office and occasionally with staff at the same level in other duty stations and/or Headquarters; with media, local suppliers, NGO, implementing partners, embassies and UN agencies.
The Communications Associates, depending on the organizational structure and location, may also be required to provide support in executing a range of communications activities in the fields of news and media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, video production, Goodwill Ambassadors and other influencers, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, analytics and brand. The incumbents may also be required to help strengthen coordination and editorial planning in the area of responsibility, support advocacy, awareness-raising and digital fundraising efforts as well as strengthening analytics to inform the social media strategies and work plans.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
- Support the implementation of communications strategies for countries, situations and special projects within the area of responsibility; help identify thematic priorities and target audiences to meet UNHCR's global, regional and country-level communications objectives of leading the narrative, generating empathy and mobilizing action for forcibly displaced and stateless people.
- Monitor news and popular trends to insert UNHCR's messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
- Help forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce and promote UNHCR content, activities and messaging as well as provide research insights to improve communications; promote the work of engaged businesses and civil society actors.
- Support the development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCR's impact (e.g. interviews, press releases, flagship reports, speeches), create emotive storytelling to generate empathy (e.g. stories, multimedia content) and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees (e.g. digital diplomacy, action-driven campaigns, fundraising).
- Help ensure that content created reaches maximum impact by supporting the development of strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of out content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
- Help monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly.
- Assist in research, preparation, editing and production of professional media and communications materials for target audiences and ensure their timely dissemination via UNHCR's communications channels, ensuring highest quality standards.
- Continually maintain and upgrade communications skills, keeping abreast of emerging platforms and tools, and systematically reviewing media impact results and other measurement tools for learning purposes.
- May be required to assist in implementation of campaigns, events and other initiatives in support of UNHCR's strategic objectives, including its need for a leading share of voice on refugee and related matters.
- May be required to undertake missions and field trips with media and other official visitors in support of UNHCR and its work.
- Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G6 - 3 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Journalism, Social Sciences, Humanities or related fields
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Excellent computer skills and knowledge of MS Office applications. Excellent drafting skills.
Desirable
Experience implementing communications strategies. Professional writing and editing skills. Experience working on advocacy campaigns.
Functional Skills
CO-International Media Contacts
CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)
CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)
CO-Editing
CO-Drafting and Documentation
CO-Digital content production
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Required Languages
,
,
Desired Languages
,
,
Additional Qualifications
SkillsCO-Digital content production, CO-Drafting and Documentation, CO-Editing, CO-International Media Contacts, CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics), CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)
Education
CertificationsHumanities - Other, Journalism - Other, Social Sciences - Other
Work Experience
Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance
RemoteNo