Communications and Outreach Аnalyst

Background

Since the full-scale military aggression by Russian forces in February 2022 (hereafter, the “war”), Ukraine has faced unprecedented threats to human security. Thousands of women, men, and children have lost their lives, critical infrastructure has been destroyed, and millions have been displaced. With no prospects for a ceasefire or peace in the near future, the war’s negative impacts are extending to global peace and security.

To maximize positive outcomes for transformational and inclusive recovery under UNDP Ukraine’s recovery framework and Country Programme Document (CPD) 2025-29, the UNDP Country Office (CO) in Ukraine has been implementing multi-sectoral projects funded by Japan, focusing on six priority thematic areas to enhance human security among the people of Ukraine, namely: 1) infrastructure restoration; 2) mine action & victim assistance; 3) debris removal and recycling; 4) Economic revitalization; 5) government Recovery Coordination and 6) access to justice and human rights, among other social and economic supports for recovery. 

To sustain and strengthen partnerships for these projects, effective communication and public relations on activity progress and results are critical for donor partners, project counterparts, and the general public in Ukraine and Japan. UNDP is also integrating communication efforts into project activities to advocate for its development agenda.

To this end, UNDP seeks a qualified Communications and Outreach Analyst to support the design, management, and implementation of the Country Office’s communication and publication strategies.

The incumbent will also play a key role in ensuring gender mainstreaming across their duties and responsibilities listed below, including promoting women, peace, and security (WPS), gender equality, and women’s empowerment in line with UNDP’s commitments and international standards.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure the Communications and Outreach related to the project:

• Ensure effective and positive communication of the project’s highlights and success stories;
• Promote, advocate for, and raise awareness about project activities, results, and flagship initiatives through various communication channels, such as roundtable discussions, press conferences, briefing sessions, interviews, and report launches;
• Provide inputs for identifying storylines for publications and articles on the achievements and progress of the project;
• Lead public messaging and media outreach by preparing briefing materials, talking points, speeches, and op-eds as needed;
• Monitor the reach and impact of printed and digital materials, as well as social media posts, and maintain databases of reference materials;
• Ensure consistency in branding, adherence to corporate communication and branding guidelines, and alignment with the donor’s branding requirements;
• Adapt, translate, or rewrite information as needed for local contexts;
• Prepare background documents and organize donor and corporate missions, including audio-visual and media coverage of project activities and achievements;
• Establish and regularly update a library of reference materials, including communication tools, booklets, and photographs of project activities, ensuring they are well-documented and easily retrievable;
• Regularly brief the Project Manager on ongoing communications and outreach activities, coordinate efforts to address identified needs, and explore opportunities to improve project visibility;
• Maintain a database of key contacts, including individuals, groups, and organizations essential to achieving communication objectives;
• Ensure gender-sensitive communications and outreach, emphasizing women, peace, and security (WPS), gender equality, and women’s empowerment as relevant;
• Gather lessons learned and adapt them for continuous improvement in relevant tasks.

Content Creation and Dissemination:

• Collect and compile inputs and information necessary for producing relevant publications, and support their dissemination among the project’s key stakeholders;
• Coordinate with relevant units and personnel to ensure that the project’s achievements are communicated effectively and in a timely manner to the appropriate stakeholders;
• Draft and publish content for the UNDP website and social media platforms, ensuring adherence to UNDP’s corporate branding and visibility guidelines, as well as stakeholder and partner branding requirements;
• Lead the development and design of thematic information and communication materials to enhance the project’s outreach and information dissemination;
• Identify and report on best practices and lessons learned for the project;
• Prepare sections in reports to highlight the project’s communications and visibility achievements, and take the lead in designing of key reports, including donor reports;
• Ensure gender-sensitive content creation and dissemination, with a focus on women, peace, and security (WPS), gender equality, and women’s empowerment;
• Gather lessons learned and adapt them for continuous improvement in relevant tasks.

Event Management: Branding, Visibility, and Communications

• Coordinate with relevant teams to lead the preparation and implementation of high-quality branding and communication strategies for public events (e.g., handover events, forums). This includes activities before, during, and after the event to ensure visibility for UNDP, donors, and other key partners;
• Develop event-specific materials (e.g., leaflets, panels, videos, and other branded items) based on the approved strategies;
• Provide guidance and coordinate with subcontractors to produce high-quality visibility materials, often within tight deadlines;
• Coordinate with media to ensure appropriate event coverage, including managing key communications, such as embargoes or restrictions on device usage;
• Facilitate stakeholder coordination on branding, visibility, and communication efforts related to the events;
• Monitor the reach of media coverage (internal and external) related to events and prepare comprehensive media monitoring reports for internal and external stakeholders;
• Stay up to date with the event management Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) and revise them as necessary;
• Ensure gender-sensitive event management, with a focus on women, peace, and security (WPS), gender equality, and women’s empowerment;
• Gather lessons learned and adapt them for continuous improvement in relevant tasks.

Institutional Arrangement

The Communication and Outreach Analyst will work under supervision of Monitoring and Evaluation /Project Implementation Support Specialist and overall guidance of the Project Manager. 

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results:          
  • LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline. 
• Think Innovatively:      
  • LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.
• Learn Continuously:   
  • LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.
• Adapt with Agility:       
  • LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible. 
• Act with Determination:         
  • LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident. 
• Engage and Partner:    
  • LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships. 
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:           
  • LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination. 

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:

• Communication:        
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels.
• Campaign Management:
  • Ability to produce and implement communications and advocacy campaigns which lead to impactful change.
• Creative Direction and Copywriting:
  • Ability to creatively communicate concepts in an engaging and simple way.
• Media Relations:
  • Ability to develop media relations across all aspects of media work including relationships with media and preparing media materials such as messages.
• Social Media Management:
  • Ability to represent and promote the UNDP brand in virtual communities and networks.

Required Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Communications, Media Studies, Public Relations, Journalism, Development Studies, Public/Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science or related field is required, OR;
• Bachelor’s degree in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience:

• Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience. 
• Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience at the national or international level in public relations and/or communications. 

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (Office 365, OneDrive, MS Word, Excel);
• Proven experience in writing press-releases, event management, and coordination with external stakeholders;
• Proven experience in supervising sub-contractors in the areas related to this Job description (such as production of materials, videos, and event organization etc).

Desired Skills: 

• Proven experience in communicating results in data visualization is desirable;
• Proficiency in designing and video editing software is an asset; 
• Relevant experience in communications with international organizations, CSO or INGO would be an asset.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS 27 March, 2025.

If you wish to apply for this or other positions, please visit UNDP in Ukraine website, section Jobs and apply:

https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/24948

UNDP will use a transparent and competitive screening process, though will only contact those applicants in whom there is further interest. Applications may only be submitted for specific vacancy.

Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.