Job Description

The Position:

The Communication Specialist post is based in the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD). The post is located in Geneva. Under the overall supervision of the Emergency Director, the post reports to the Head of the External Relations Unit. The Communication Specialist provides support to HRD in standardizing the humanitarian communication response, increasing visibility for UNFPA’s humanitarian activities and enhancing humanitarian media content in emergency situations.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Job Purpose:

The overall purpose of the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD) is to facilitate the delivery of the UNFPA mandate by leading emergency response and supporting humanitarian preparedness actions in increasingly complex humanitarian situations, within globally agreed frameworks (2030 Agenda, Grand Bargain Commitments, Sendai Framework, etc.). The HRD leads in leveraging and increasing effectiveness, efficiency and capacity of UNFPA staff and partners to scale up UNFPA's role as a key global humanitarian leader. Through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (IASC) and other associated entities, the HRD acts as a point of convergence on humanitarian activities, including policy, coordination, programming, advocacy, field capacity development, resource mobilization, innovation, partnerships, technical guidance and, crucially, thematic integration, ensuring complementarity between humanitarian and development action within the organization.

HRD advocates among humanitarian agencies to include sexual and reproductive health and rights needs and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response needs and humanitarian concerns and specific needs of women, adolescents and young people into the overall humanitarian preparedness and response frameworks. The HRD facilitates the development of UNFPA capacities to prepare and respond to the emergencies and to ensure the Agency is well equipped to deal with the context of fragility and disaster risk reduction.

The Communications Specialist provides technical support to advance the role of UNFPA in the domain of emergency information management. S/He will maintain strong collaborative partnerships across the organization and with external partners to ensure high-quality information products and services in the domain of UNFPA’s work in emergencies, and data management for better analysis and decision making. The Communications Specialist also builds strong collaborative relationships with Country Offices, Regional/Sub-regional Offices, and Headquarters to develop and maintain up-to-date the UNFPA global Humanitarian Action Overview. S/he works in close collaboration with other work streams in HRD, other entities within UNFPA and with external partners.

You would be responsible for:

• As part of the External Relations Unit effectively contribute and play a key role in the development of UNFPA global humanitarian outreach efforts, such as coordinating UNFPA’s Global Humanitarian Action Overview (HAO), and providing quality assurance to UNFPA flash updates, situation reports and any other public humanitarian document.
• In close cooperation with the Global Emergency Response Team (GERT) communication specialists coordinate compelling stories and pitches from the field that demonstrate the importance and impact of UNFPA’s work in humanitarian emergencies from country offices in support of resource mobilization efforts for the HAO and the Humanitarian Thematic Fund.
• Manage the consolidation of HRD inputs of the humanitarian section of UNFPA Annual Report and other publications to communicate results and progress in humanitarian work
• In collaboration with the knowledge management specialist and other units in HRD, ensure systems are in place to effectively consolidate information on activities and impact of UNFPA’s actions in emergency and humanitarian settings.
• Contribute regular inputs to integrate HRD information into UNFPA’s social media outreach.
• Draft summaries, and updates, information materials, as needed, on humanitarian emergencies and UNFPA projects across the globe for internal and external audiences including donors, in close working relationship with GERT communications specialist and Communications Specialists in Regional Offices particularly for countries with a Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
• Support to the organization of HRD led roundtable discussions, launches, as relevant to promoting UNFPA’s humanitarian work. Contribute to system improvements and efficiency gains that can increase the productivity of the HRD through the application of modern information technology tools.
• Ensure quality assurance of HRD publications and support the utilization of UNFPA humanitarian standard templates and managing production of print and audio-visual materials'' for emergency interventions, in line with UNFPA’s emergency response policy procedures.
• Represent UNFPA / HRD in external meetings such as the IASC Communication and Advocacy Group and internal UFPA meetings such as the publication committee.

Any other duties

• Performs any other duties as may be directed by the Head of External Relations, the Director and/or Deputy Director, including emergency deployment.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced University degree in International Relations, Communication, Media or Social Sciences.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 5 years of increasingly responsible professional (preferably internationally) in humanitarian communication response with international organizations.
• Experience in working on humanitarian communications is a distinct advantage
• Experience in photography, videography, social media, and storytelling is an asset.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages, good knowledge and experience in handling of web-based management systems, social media and multimedia and design tools.
• Experience in planning and managing public events an asset
• Experience in using technology as a medium for communication and creating visibility.
• Experience working in communications in the UN humanitarian system is an asset.
• Ability to take initiative, multitask, work independently and proactively.
• Excellent English reading/writing and analytical skills.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other UN languages an asset.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Job knowledge/technical expertise
• Internal and external communication and advocacy for visibility for humanitarian emergencies.
• Leveraging resources of partners and building alliances and partnerships to advance the humanitarian goals
• Providing a technical support and strengthening the capacity of country offices.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.