Advocacy, Partnership and Communication Specialist, P3 (Temporary Appointment for 6 months with possible extension to 12 months), Baku, Azerbaijan

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, advocacy

Advocacy, Partnership and Communication are at the center of UNICEF’s mandate. We advocate to decision makers for ‘the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential’. We communicate to key public and private audiences to build support for the cause of children.

As Azerbaijan Country Office starts development of the new Country Programme (2025 – 20230), support will be required with designing new communication and partnership strategies to guide and shape the communication , partnership and advocacy work of the office during the new cycle.

The Advocacy, Partnership and Communication Specialist reports to the UNICEF Representative and collaborates closely with the Programme team to advance the child rights agenda in the country.  

How can you make a difference?

The P3 Advocacy, Partnership and Communication Specialist is accountable for coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating advocacy, partnership and communication strategies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.

This staff member will drive the development of effective, integrated advocacy and communication strategies. S/he will work collaboratively with colleagues across teams and with external partners to drive changes in policy and practice and secure political and financial commitments for children.

Advocacy strategy development:

• Provide technical support in developing a robust advocacy strategy, with SMART outcomes, compelling calls to action, and a clear theory of change. Analyze political, economic and cultural trends from a wide range of sources and identify potential advocacy opportunities and challenges.
• Propose new approaches and innovative ideas as part of the strategy development process.

Advocacy strategy implementation:

• Coordinate the implementation of advocacy strategies and plans, working across teams to deliver a range of advocacy tactics, such as: developing advocacy briefs and products, producing advocacy narratives, shaping creative activations to drive public engagement, working with the media, and organizing advocacy events.

Communication strategy development and implementation:

• Provide technical assistance in designing and delivering effective communication plans that will deliver the aims of key advocacy strategies and help to mobilize public and private support for the cause of children.

 Digital communications:

• Coordinate and/or support the day-to-day conceptualization, budgeting, planning, coordination, execution and digital content creation, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of digital initiatives and integrated advocacy campaigns for key audiences.

Media relations:

• Help to build and maintain strong relationships with journalists and media outlets covering all media – print, TV, radio, web, etc.

Advocacy and communication M&E:

• Establish baselines against which results are regularly monitored; analyze the effectiveness of the strategy, approach and activities; and drive the day-to-day production and dissemination of M&E results on a regular basis.

Project and budget management:

• Coordinate inclusive project teams featuring a variety of advocacy and communication professionals to deliver strategic advocacy and communication initiatives.
• Manage day-to-day delivery of key projects and workstreams, reviewing work plans to ensure progress and delivery while addressing obstacles and bottlenecks.
• Ensure effectiveness and transparent use of budget and resources.

Advocacy and communication capacity building:

• Contribute to building internal UNICEF capacities in advocacy and communication, through coaching, training and sharing of expertise.

Networking and partnerships

Ensure that the Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of individuals, groups, organizations and fora (including Government, UN, and bilateral counterparts), whose support is essential to/can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives of the communication strategy.

• Identify, build and maintain formal and informal advocacy partnerships and networks through proactive collaboration with strategic internal and external partners.
• Help establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc.
• Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency and appropriateness of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages shared with partners.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing.
• Monitor, evaluate and share results and findings with partners.

Communication and Advocacy engagement with COP29 at the national level

• Provide strategic guidance to UNICEF’s CO senior management. Support the development and implementation of campaign strategies that align global, regional and national advocacy during COP29.
• Serve as a focal point and deliver communications to leverage advocacy moments in accordance with the UNICEF global strategy to bring children’s rights and issues to the forefront of the COP29 discussions. Ensure regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional office, HQ and other divisions.
• Provide coordination and communication support to COP29 related events and outreach at the national level, including media outreach, content gathering and development of relevant communication materials and briefs.

Others:

Undertake other key responsibilities as required.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

The following minimum requirements:

• Education:

An Advanced University degree in Public Policy, Political Science, International Relations, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Communication or other relevant fields.  

*A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

• Work Experience: 

At least five (5) years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in advocacy/ campaigning and communications is required.

Experience in leading the development and implementation of advocacy strategies, with clear theories of change, with specific, measurable and timebound objectives and performance indicators.

A track record of achieving or contributing to tangible policy change.

Proven experience in deploying a range of advocacy and communication tactics based on a clear theory of change.

Experience in building and maintaining a network of stakeholders, and in working with coalitions.

Experienced and current in digital and social media content and audience trends as well as in managing online platforms and channels.

Experience in media relations.

Strong communicator with emphasis on being able to present complex policy ideas in succinct, engaging ways through campaign narratives and creative tactics.

Demonstrated experience in design and management of projects, including budget management and monitoring and evaluation of results.

Knowledge of children’s rights, public policy, international development and humanitarian issues.

Experience in advocacy at the international level is an asset.

Experience in training and facilitation is an asset.

Experience working in a developing and emergency environment is an asset.

• Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others [add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. 

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.