The Communication Lead position operates under the overall guidance of the Executive Secretary and in consultation with the UNEP Communication Division. This senior role is vital for developing and executing strategic communication initiatives, particularly for the INC Secretariat (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee) and coordinating UNEP's system-wide efforts regarding plastic pollution.
Strategic Communication and Coordination
The Communication Lead will be responsible for the following duties:
- Leads the development and implementation of the INC Secretariat’s communication strategy and outreach plans, ensuring alignment with UNEP’s corporate communication priorities and UN Secretariat standards.
- Leads UNEP’s system-wide communication initiatives on plastic pollution, ensuring consistent inclusion of INC-related messaging across UNEP and UN platforms.
- Develops and coordinates multi-channel communication and awareness activities, including web content and social media campaigns implemented by UNEP, ensuring that INC messages and materials are harmonized across communication channels.
- Coordinates the production and dissemination of approved communication and information materials in digital and print formats, ensuring quality and consistency with UNEP’s standards.
Qualifications/Special Skills
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, public administration or a related field is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience
- At least fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in communication, journalism, international relations, or public administration is required.
- Experience in drafting communication strategies and in planning and implementing large scale communication projects is required.
- Experience in writing for the web for a complex international organization comparable to the UN is required.
- Progressive years of experience in planning and implementing multilingual campaigns/strategies, including involving digital communications is required.
- Experience evaluating results and impact of activities and drafting official reports/communications, news stories, press releases, newsletters and talking points is desirable.
- Experience coordinating communications work across time zones, departments, offices and entities is desirable.
- Experience working on plastic pollution and related issues is desirable.
Technical Skills
- Knowledge of Drupal, HTML, mailing list services and databases, and design programmes like Adobe Creative Suite is desired.
