Communication Specialist at UNICEF

How can you make a difference?

Under the direction of the Chief of Communication, Advocacy, and Partnership, the communication specialist will lead, and coordinate advocacy efforts aimed at driving change and action through enhancing political commitment, refining advocacy, and communication strategies, engaging local partners, and addressing misinformation, particularly in the focal states of Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Lead Political Advocacy: Take the lead in engaging political and influential leaders at federal, state, and local government levels, leading high-profile initiatives to secure concrete commitments to respond quickly and effectively to outbreaks while implementing good-quality polio immunization advocacy campaigns.
• Media Engagement and capacity strengthening: Engage and update traditional media and social influencers on the latest developments in polio eradication.
• Documentation of best practices: highlight health workers and/or policymakers who are doing great work; communities or leaders who have taken ownership, etc. through documentaries and write-ups.
• Drive Public Support and Engagement Initiatives: Spearheaded comprehensive initiatives to generate political awareness and interest while creating public discussion and demand as key efforts to ensure an enabling environment for polio eradication. This involves design of U-Report polls and influence platforms to assess public awareness and support, as well as coordinate field visits to hard-to-reach areas led by UNICEF champions, celebrities, and the media.
• Track and Counter Misinformation: Collaborate with the Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) team for effective crisis communication to track and manage misinformation, ensuring timely and effective responses through digital engagement while engaging religious and traditional leaders in the process.
• Enhance Communication Strategies: Work on developing, supporting, and delivering polio and immunization advocacy and communication strategies, particularly focusing on the use of digital and traditional media, working closely with UNICEF-engaged media teams across the states. Work with the SBC and technical polio teams to ensure timely integration and effective coordination of advocacy and communication strategies, segmented messages, and activities, as well as evidence gathering, documentation of lessons, and information sharing, including feedback back to communities.
• Monitor and Evaluate Campaign Launches: Oversee and monitor national, state, and LGA-level campaign launches in sub-national geographies, ensuring high-profile attendance, media engagements, and good-quality events, including the follow-through of commitments made.
• Work closely with WHO, NPHCDA, and National EOC to ensure polio advocacy and communications are coordinated and aligned.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Or an undergraduate degree plus at least 12 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations, advocacy, and/or corporate communications.)
• Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.
• Fieldwork experience is an asset.
• Background/familiarity with Emergencies is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Nigerian languages will be an asset.