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UNFPA-Communications Specialist-P2/P3-Vanuatu (10% Fiji)
Vanuatu, VanuatuPosition Title: Communications Specialist
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P2/P3
Location: Vanuatu 10% Fiji
Duration: 2-3 months
Language: English required
Physical deployments
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Engage with electronic and print media sources
Provide Public Information Support to Country Office: (report to Country Rep and RCA as needed)
Serve as the UNFPA focal point for the Communication to Disaster Affected Community (CDAC)
Capacity Development
Any Other Duties
Qualifications and Skills Required:
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P2/P3
Location: Vanuatu 10% Fiji
Duration: 2-3 months
Language: English required
Physical deployments
| Pre-departure considerations for physical deployments | |
| Does this duty station require candidates to have undertaken SSAFE training? If so, can the office provide training upon arrival? | No, a security briefing is sufficient |
| Visa Are there any special/new, specific visa considerations that need to be considered? |
Depending on the nationality of the deployee, an entry visa will be required as well as a notification letter to the government/MoFA |
| Equipment Is there any equipment that the Surge should become equipped with prior to travel, e.g. PPE such as masks, gloves, sanitizer, etc? |
Deployee will be required to bring their own laptop. Access to gloves, sanitizer and masks will be provided (if required). |
| Is there any other paperwork that the local government authorities require upon entry/re-entry into the country? | COVID Vaccination Card |
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On mission considerations:
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Accommodation
What type of accommodation is available for Surge deployees? |
UNDSS Approved accommodations. UNFPA can provide a list to incumbent. |
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R&R
Is the duty station on an R&R cycle and if so how often? |
No |
| Medical Treatment Are there any government restrictions or limitations that would adversely impact in-country medical treatment plans or medical evacuation? |
None unless flights are non-operational due to natural disasters |
| Equipment If the Surge is required to physically deploy, can the country office provide necessary equipment, e.g. masks, gloves, sanitizer? |
Yes |
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
Two severe Category 4 tropical cyclones (TC Judy and TC Kevin) hit the island nation of Vanuatu on 1-3 March 2023. A State of Emergency (SoE) has been declared as of 02 March 2023 by the President of Vanuatu for areas impacted by the severe Tropical Cyclone (TC) Judy, following the request of the National Disaster Committee for the period of six (6) months. Subsequently in a very short span, the country has also been ravaged by earthquakes. Vanuatu is a remote archipelago nation that is located to the north-east of Australia, to the north of New Zealand, and between New Caledonia and Fiji. It is made up of a chain of 82 volcanic islands, including 13 principal islands, that stretches 850 kilometres from north to south. The Government is targeting 200,000 out of 300,000+ population for its response.
According to the NDMO briefing of 4 March, the entire Vanuatuan population was affected by wind speeds of more than 60 kilometres per hour. Winds of Category 2 and 4 impacted an estimated 251,346 people, or more than 80% of the country's population. Around 150,000 or 30,000 households were impacted by Category 3 and 4 winds that triggered a national response. National clusters have been activated to support the response in identified high priority provinces. UNFPA Vanuatu field office is actively engaged at the National Emergency Operations (NEOC), Health and Nutrition Cluster, Gender and Protection Cluster and the PSRO Humanitarian team provides overall technical and coordination support on emergency response programming.
An initial humanitarian response plan has been developed by UNFPA in consultation with government, humanitarian partners and other development partners to establish a clear focus and objectives on key response priorities and immediate actions that will be implemented by different units in UNFPA Vanuatu and Suva offices. The UNFPA Vanuatu Cyclone Response Plan highlighted key communication priorities to raise the profile and visibility of UNFPA’s work and enhance/maintain its credibility to donors, government and the broader humanitarian community. The deployment also aims to support high level advocacy on the importance of addressing the protection and sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls in affected areas. In this regard, the Surge Capacity is requested to support this important work
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats: (i.e armed conflict, terrorism, crime, social unrest, hazard)
The major security threat for Vanuatu or any other Pacific Island countries are natural disasters such as cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, drought etc.
Role Description: Under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Country Office Representative and/or the International Humanitarian Specialist, the incumbent will be responsible for helping enhance the information flow and visibility of UNFPA emergency assistance while highlighting sexual and reproductive health, gender and gender-based violence in humanitarian response. More specifically, the incumbent will place UNFPA stories in digital and print media, support national efforts and local communication campaigns, and advise the UNFPA Representative on available opportunities to strengthen UNFPA’s media presence. Two severe Category 4 tropical cyclones (TC Judy and TC Kevin) hit the island nation of Vanuatu on 1-3 March 2023. A State of Emergency (SoE) has been declared as of 02 March 2023 by the President of Vanuatu for areas impacted by the severe Tropical Cyclone (TC) Judy, following the request of the National Disaster Committee for the period of six (6) months. Subsequently in a very short span, the country has also been ravaged by earthquakes. Vanuatu is a remote archipelago nation that is located to the north-east of Australia, to the north of New Zealand, and between New Caledonia and Fiji. It is made up of a chain of 82 volcanic islands, including 13 principal islands, that stretches 850 kilometres from north to south. The Government is targeting 200,000 out of 300,000+ population for its response.
According to the NDMO briefing of 4 March, the entire Vanuatuan population was affected by wind speeds of more than 60 kilometres per hour. Winds of Category 2 and 4 impacted an estimated 251,346 people, or more than 80% of the country's population. Around 150,000 or 30,000 households were impacted by Category 3 and 4 winds that triggered a national response. National clusters have been activated to support the response in identified high priority provinces. UNFPA Vanuatu field office is actively engaged at the National Emergency Operations (NEOC), Health and Nutrition Cluster, Gender and Protection Cluster and the PSRO Humanitarian team provides overall technical and coordination support on emergency response programming.
An initial humanitarian response plan has been developed by UNFPA in consultation with government, humanitarian partners and other development partners to establish a clear focus and objectives on key response priorities and immediate actions that will be implemented by different units in UNFPA Vanuatu and Suva offices. The UNFPA Vanuatu Cyclone Response Plan highlighted key communication priorities to raise the profile and visibility of UNFPA’s work and enhance/maintain its credibility to donors, government and the broader humanitarian community. The deployment also aims to support high level advocacy on the importance of addressing the protection and sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls in affected areas. In this regard, the Surge Capacity is requested to support this important work
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats: (i.e armed conflict, terrorism, crime, social unrest, hazard)
The major security threat for Vanuatu or any other Pacific Island countries are natural disasters such as cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, drought etc.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Engage with electronic and print media sources
- Identify UNFPA stories of interest relevant to UNFPA’S work in-country and proactively pitch them to national, regional and global press corps and/or find ways to connect to these stories, in collaboration with the Media and Communications Branch media team.
- Provide timely and field-driven content, such as print and video stories, for UNFPA’s regional and global websites and Voices.
- Provide UNFPA’s regional and country social media platforms with relevant updates and work closely with the Headquarters social media teams to integrate the humanitarian response into UNFPA’s social media outreach. Draft press releases, fact sheets and other rapid response information materials for use by UNFPA Headquarters and Regional and Country Offices.
- Assist in UNFPA advocacy activities, including providing support to public events, coordinating visits of senior UN officials, including field visits and participating in other UN /UNFPA advocacy initiatives.
Provide Public Information Support to Country Office: (report to Country Rep and RCA as needed)
- Assist the UNFPA Representative and Regional Communication Adviser in preparing written materials, including talking points, articles, press releases, situation reports (including UNFPA input to OCHA sitreps), and responses to coverage about UNFPA in the media, etc.
- Establish close working relationships with the United National Country Team, senior UN staff and communication officers to develop key messages, identify communication synergies and ‘one UN’ opportunities.
- Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with local, regional and global media and other relevant partners and identify opportunities for advocacy and communication partnerships.
Serve as the UNFPA focal point for the Communication to Disaster Affected Community (CDAC)
- Liaise with CDAC partners on on-going activities
- Work with the country team to ensure gender and GBV related information are incorporated through CDAC.
- Provide information on CDAC projects to HQ-based media teams, which can then be pitched to international journalists.
Capacity Development
- Provide coaching to newly recruited communications staff and consultants, where appropriate;
- Coach and build communications capacity of staff members and staff of implementing partners responding to emergency/humanitarian crises, as needed.
Any Other Duties
- Perform any other duties as required by the Representative and/or Head of Office, Regional and Sub-regional Offices and Headquarters.
Qualifications and Skills Required:
- Advanced degree in communications, public relations, journalism, advertising or related field.
- 3-5 years of experience in communications, public relations, journalism or advertising; preferably some experience with public relations or information campaigns.
- Experience in or familiarity with a humanitarian setting is a major asset.
- Fluency in English.