Associate Communications Officer
Organizational Context
The UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), part of the UN Secretariat's Development Operations Coordination Office (DCO), support countries in achieving development priorities and SDGs. Empowered by the UN reform, RCOs operate under independent Resident Coordinators. This role is within the UN RCO in San Jose, Costa Rica, supervised by the Head of the RCO.
Job Purpose
This Associate Communications Officer role supports the UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in San Jose, Costa Rica. The position contributes to implementing communications strategies that enhance awareness, engagement, and support for UN development priorities and SDGs. Key functions include monitoring media, drafting narratives, building media relationships, creating content across various platforms, and developing communication campaigns. The role also involves managing strategic partnerships, coordinating outreach, and potentially acting as a spokesperson, all aimed at advancing UN objectives and ensuring effective communication.
Responsibilities
The Associate Communications Officer will contribute to media monitoring and analysis to inform strategy, and implement communications strategies to raise awareness and engagement. Responsibilities include drafting narratives and messaging, developing media relationships, and preparing media lines, especially for sensitive issues or crises. The role involves planning and coordinating media events, creating optimized content for various platforms, and producing communications materials like press releases and reports. Additionally, the officer will help develop and implement communication campaigns and partnerships, coordinate outreach and advocacy, and contribute to content creation for UN radio and podcasts. The position also entails assisting with reporting, staying updated on communication trends, and maintaining confidentiality.
Work Experience
A minimum of two years of progressive experience in communications or international relations is required. Essential experience includes understanding risks to information integrity (misinformation, disinformation, hate speech) and skills in collecting, processing, and analyzing data. Desirable experience includes data visualization tools, knowledge of digital media platforms, and data analytics.
Skills
Professionalism, communication, planning and organizing, presentation skills, strategic thinking, public speaking, critical thinking, data analysis and interpretation, media monitoring, content creation, campaign development, partnership building, media relations, crisis communication, digital media expertise.