Job Description

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECA RO), based in Istanbul, leads and coordinates the organization’s work across the region. The Communications Team plays a pivotal role in positioning UN Women as the leading voice for gender equality and women’s empowerment, advancing visibility of the triple mandate — normative, programmatic, and coordination — and amplifying the impact of UN Women’s work for women and girls across diverse contexts.

The ECA Regional Communications Team provides strategic guidance, oversight, and direct support to country offices, ensuring coherence with UN Women’s global communications framework “For All Women and Girls” (FAWAG), while tailoring messages and campaigns to the regional and national contexts. The team works closely with programme, partnerships, and operations colleagues, as well as with headquarters divisions, other UN entities, donors, private sector partners, and civil society organizations to deliver impactful communications that drive advocacy, mobilize resources, and shift narratives on gender equality.

The team’s work covers a wide spectrum of communications and advocacy functions, including:

• Regional and global campaigns;
• Media relations and strategic partnerships with regional and subregional media outlets;
• Digital communications and management of UN Women ECA’s multilingual web and social media presence;
• Storytelling, editorial production, and visual content creation highlighting women’s voices and impact across the region;
• Crisis and humanitarian communications, ensuring gender-sensitive and survivor-centered narratives;
• Support to high-level events, missions, and advocacy moments, strengthening UN Women’s visibility and credibility with key audiences.

Reporting to the Regional Communications Specialist, the Communications Analyst is responsible for assisting in the planning and implementation of the office communications and advocacy strategies to increase the standing and awareness of UN Women with partners, the media and the public.

The Communications Analyst works in close collaboration with the Programme, Operations and technical teams in the Regional Office and Country Offices, as well as HQ communications team, personnel of other UN Agencies, Government officials, media, multilateral and bilateral donors and civil society.

Scope of Work:

1. Plan and design communication and outreach/advocacy strategies and plans

• Support the development, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of the Regional Communications and Advocacy Strategy;
• Prepare and conduct communication needs assessments for the Regional Office, including projects, programmes and corporate change initiatives;
• Analyze requirements and synthesize proposals for elaboration of communication strategies; ensure gender perspective;
• Integrate communication, advocacy and outreach strategies into proposals for project/programmes and other initiatives;
• Monitor and analyze print and social media, including social media trends, and draft reports;
• Coordinate in-country UN Women/ UN system corporate and local campaigns and special events; ensuring their compliance with the corporate identity and priorities;
• Contribute to reporting on communications results as required;
• Coordinate administrative support for communications team, as needed;
• Provide advice and guidance to CO/ MCOs in the region.

1. Coordinate and implement the development and dissemination of advocacy materials in the country/region

• Develop and produce communication instruments and materials, including briefing materials, press releases, and drafts of articles, and manage its dissemination;
• Identify and propose information opportunities, activities, approaches and platforms and partners;
• Promote and disseminate corporate advocacy materials for launching flagship initiatives, publications, and campaigns;
• Manage the translation/adaption/rewriting of information received, printing and dissemination of publications and audio-visual materials;
• Develop and design the quarterly newsletter and disseminate regionally to partners;
• Engage with designers, videographers, photographers and other retainers to produce high-quality communication products;
• Contribute to donor visibility; and
• Follow guidelines from HQ and RO.

1. Provide support to the coordination of media relations for the RO

• Contribute to the establishment of relevant media relationships;
• Maintain and update database of relevant press;
• Maintain email list of partners in the region for distribution of quarterly newsletter; and
• Contribute to the drafting of talking points and other supporting materials.

1. Maintain the RO’s web/online presence

• Manage RO’s websites’ content and maintenance based on corporate requirements;
• Manage the RO’s social media accounts in line with corporate Social Media Policy;
• Liaise with UN Women offices across the region to compile materials to be published on social media platforms; and
• Upload information to knowledge management system on a regular basis, including news, updates, and resources.

1. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively and creatively across different constituencies
• Good knowledge of web-based knowledge management systems
• Good understanding of production, graphic design and photography standards
• Good knowledge of social media platforms and experience in social media outreach
• Good knowledge of local country media landscape
• Good communication, presentation, networking and advocacy skills
• Ability to be strategic and analytical
• Knowledge of gender and human rights issues desirable

Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in communications, public relations, journalism or relevant field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of professional work experience in public relations, communications or advocacy is required.
• Experience in media relations is desirable.
• Experience in the use of social media is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.), spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP System, preferably Oracle Cloud, is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Fluency in Turkish is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.