Chief of Unit, Public Information

Organizational Context

This position is within the Guided Tours Unit, Visitors Services Section, Outreach Division of the UN Secretariat's Department of Global Communications in New York. The Division aims to enhance understanding of the UN's role and mandate. The Guided Tours Unit provides tours to the public and visiting groups, explaining the UN's history, work, and current issues. The Chief of the Unit reports to the Chief of the Visitors Services Section.

Job Purpose

The Chief of the Guided Tours Unit is responsible for managing the unit's operations, including staff performance and workflow. This involves designing and structuring the guided tour experience to effectively convey information to diverse audiences, ensuring tour content is current and engaging. The role also includes producing promotional materials to attract visitors, initiating special events, and overseeing the quality of the tour experience through checks and feedback. The Chief manages staff recruitment, training, and HR activities, ensuring compliance with UN procedures. Additionally, the role involves planning and managing the guided tours operation as a self-sustaining budget activity, including preparing budget narratives and monitoring expenditures and income.

Responsibilities

The Chief of the Guided Tours Unit is responsible for public information and public relations by designing engaging tour experiences, advising staff on current UN issues, and ensuring displays are current. They will control tour quality through checks and feedback, and produce promotional materials for various media, including social platforms, to attract visitors. The role involves initiating and overseeing special tour-related events with partners. Staffing responsibilities include recruiting and managing the performance of unit staff, considering diversity, and executing training programs. Human resources activities such as workforce planning and staff selection are also key. Budget management includes planning and overseeing the guided tours operation as a self-sustaining activity, preparing budget narratives, reporting on performance, and implementing the work program while monitoring expenditures and income for efficient resource utilization.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressive experience in public information or public relations within an international setting is required. Essential experience includes serving as an official full-time tour guide in an international organization and managing the performance of a team of over twenty multinational staff. Experience in producing public information materials is also required. Desirable experience includes conflict resolution, marketing, advertising, external stakeholder partnerships, and results-based budget management.

Skills

Professionalism in planning, executing, and monitoring public communication campaigns; research and analysis of current issues; clear and concise writing; client orientation and partnership building; effective planning and organizing; and efficient time management.

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