Communications Senior Advisor – Public Relations and Outreach [Public Mobilization and Communication] At UNOPS

New York Portfolios Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.

The incumbent of this position will be a staff member of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) of the United Nations to implement the activities of the Climate Action Team (CAT) Project.

Following COP26 in Glasgow and COP27 in Sharm el-Sheik, there is less than a decade to prevent a climate breakdown. Without deep emissions cuts, the world is heading towards 2.4-degrees Celsius of warming with catastrophic consequences. At current levels of warming the world is experiencing unprecedented climate impacts.

An increase in global average temperature above 1.5˚C would mean extreme weather and climate disasters increasing in frequency and intensity, putting billions of people at immediate risk with significant parts of Africa becoming unlivable and whole countries ceasing to exist. The Secretary-General’s call to all countries, cities, companies and institutions to go into emergency mode on climate is needed more than ever.

While climate change risks undermining the 2030 Agenda, as well as the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable development, climate action also presents an opportunity. Green investments boost growth and jobs; just transitions are inclusive and help to eradicate poverty; and enhancing carbon sinks strengthen biodiversity and resilience. It will be essential to ensure that the transformation of economies and societies takes place to enable accelerated climate action in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The objective of the Secretary-General’s climate action strategy throughout his second term will be to accelerate this decade, the transition towards a resilient, net zero world, that keeps the 1.5˚C goal alive, to secure the alignment of public and private finance, of technological transfers and capacity building to enable the necessary cooperation and support needed by developing countries, to significantly enhance the credibility and accountability of commitments taken by governments and non-state actors to reach the Paris Agreement goals.

It will be critical to build on progress made at COP26 and COP27. The two-year period from Glasgow in November 2021 to the Global Stocktake in November 2023 will be essential to meeting this goal and is aligned with the complementary push for accelerated efforts during the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs by 2030. This will require enhanced coordination and collaboration across the United Nations System especially at the country level.

The Secretary- General’s Climate Action Team will focus on the following:

• Raising ambition levels and concrete mitigation commitments by the major emitters, particularly the G20.
• Contributing to the reform of the international climate finance architecture and the multilateral development banks including through the design and operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund decided at COP27.
• Delivering tangible results to scale up adaptation and resilience finance and projects in developing countries including through cooperative initiatives.
• Developing and implementing targeted strategies for fossil fuel phase-out and renewable energy scale-up including through the Just Energy Transition Partnerships and other cooperative initiatives.
• Strengthening and verifying short-term and longer-term commitments made by non-state actors to reach net zero by 2050 through the implementation of the guidelines recommended to the Secretary-General at COP27 by the High-Level Group of Experts on Net Zero pledges
• Enhancing UN system support to countries to deliver on the climate and environment-related Sustainable Development Goals this decade.
• Providing of up-to-date analytics and policy guidance for the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, UN leadership and Member States.
• Designing and executing a cross-UN global communications campaign and movement focused on SG and UN leadership on climate action at all levels, and messaging and storytelling to build political will, elevate local solutions and mobilize individual actions.

Functional responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Climate Action Team director, the responsibilities of the Communications Senior Advisor – Public Relations and Outreach [Public Mobilization and Communication] include:

• Develop and implement mobilization and outreach strategies for ensuring the delivery of the Secretary-General’s climate priorities including his acceleration agenda and his push to close the emissions gap and scale up climate justice.
• Develop and implement an outreach strategy to engage key civil society and youth communities, including global climate civil society groups and networks (e.g. the Peoples Climate Movement) and faith-based organizations, in collaboration with all the relevant units of the Executive Office and the broader UN system.
• Conduct one-on-one outreach and provide support to such organizations.
• Engage with coal and fossil fuel subsidy phase out campaigns working in close coordination
• Provide campaign support throughout Climate Team priorities, e.g. to ensure accelerated implementation of UN system climate action and fossil fuel investment phase-out priorities.
• Develop speeches and support speechwriters with high-impact climate and sustainability content for Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General speeches.
• Engage with media and press in target countries, working with the Resident Coordinators’ Offices (RCOs), to increase the visibility of the Secretary-General’s climate change priorities. Identify, develop, and create compelling content, such as blogs, multimedia stories, videos, graphics, and social media updates to showcase impact on the ground.
• Utilize online tools (social media, website, online platforms) to engage a strong global base of leaders in respective countries and regions, leveraging Resident Coordinators and UNCTs, and working through DCO.

Impact of results

The effective and successful achievement of results by the incumbent directly impacts on the development and performance of the Climate Action Team, visibility and image of CAT, ensuring that the project is aligned with the overall priorities on the UN agenda.

Education/ Experience / Language requirements

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

*CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent), preferably in communications and media, journalism, public relations political science or any other social science field.
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced university degree.

Experience

• At least ten (10) years of relevant professional experience is required; in communication and/ or public policy
• Experience working with civil society organizations, with environmental or climate action-oriented organizations preferred.

  Language requirements

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Fixed Term
Contract level: P5
Contract duration: One year initially, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding availability’.

For more details about United Nations staff contracts, please follow this link*:*
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/UN-Staff-Contracts.aspx