Senior Communications Officer

Org. Setting and ReportingIn its Resolution A/RES/72/279, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the transformation of the Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO) as a stand-alone coordination office within the United Nations Secretariat. DCO exercises managerial and oversight functions of the resident coordinator system under the collective ownership of the members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). The position is located in Aden, Yemen, and reports directly to the Resident Coordinator. The Senior Communications Officer specializing in Crisis Communications is expected to perform a wide range of communications tasks within a high-pressure crisis setting including advising on reputational risk, requiring resilience and sound judgement. Tasks include determining communications strategy, objectives and audiences, providing insights on monitoring, drafting messages, creating content, engaging with the media, and taking measures to strengthen information integrity, all in a timely and accurate manner. Responsibilities• Advise senior management, UN colleagues and/or the Crisis Management Team on crisis communications and reputational risk issues within the scope of UN policy and guidance. • Advise on public narratives to support senior management decision-making and to steer the communications strategy. • Oversee insights and analysis based on the monitoring of traditional, social, and digital media, including on risks to information integrity such as trends in mis and disinformation. • Lead efforts to detect and assess the threat level of false narratives and suggest approaches to countering misinformation, and disinformation. • Coordinate and collaborate with colleagues across the RC system and the UNCT to ensure alignment and coherence in the delivery of communications support. • Serve as a spokesperson during a crisis, liaising with and briefing national, regional, and international media on UN activities and programmes. CompetenciesPROFESSIONALISM: Ability to identify trends and provide insights; Planning, organizing and coordination skills in a large multi-stakeholder environment; Skill in applying and maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability principles; Knowledge of data protection and privacy standards; Skill in collecting, processing, and analysing large volumes of unstructured and structured data;Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and proficiency in 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. PLANNING AND 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. 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. 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. JUDGMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies key issues in complex situations, 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 actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary. EducationAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, digital communications or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceDemonstrate a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in critical thinking skills is required. Demonstrated knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices is required. Demonstrated knowledge of media landscape and trends is required. Demonstrated knowledge of crisis communications and reputational risk management is required. Demonstrated ability to apply policy and guidance in strategic communications is desirable. Demonstrated skills to communicate complex and technical matters to diverse audiences is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Arabic is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).