Senior Editor, P4, Dakar At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In line with its Global Communications Strategy, UNHCR requires the services of highly skilled editors capable of conceiving, commissioning, editing, translating, packaging, publishing and promoting written and multimedia content for publication on its core websites in Arabic, English, French and Spanish and for distribution to media partners. This body of work may include editing press releases and briefing notes, writing explanatory text, drafting op-eds, and producing timely, accurate and compelling news and feature stories that help us lead the narrative on forced displacement, generate empathy and mobilize action.
To do their jobs well, UNHCR¿s editors need to cultivate a keen understanding of our target audiences ¿ including the themes and formats that resonate deeply, convey messages effectively and spark quality engagement. They must be vigilant about editorial and journalistic standards, attentive to protection concerns and political sensitivities, and focused on communicating successfully with key demographics. The growing prevalence of digital platforms and mobile devices, and the increasingly visual orientation of our contemporary culture, means that web editors must know how to combine text effectively with photos, videos, graphics and interactive elements and must anticipate how people will experience our website content through social media, on smartphones, etc.
The editors¿ functions, working relationships and skills specializations vary depending on language, location, grade, and whether they sit within a country operation, a regional bureau or the Global Communications Service. Some will focus more on commissioning of original content, for example, while others will focus more on translation.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Develop strategic work plan for production and/or translation of content for UNHCR¿s global website, seeking to convey and amplify UNHCR¿s key messages on priority situations and themes in ways that resonate with target audiences.
• Oversee translation and placement of content that first appears English, including prioritization of which content to translate into other language and adjusting tone of voice to suit audiences and platforms.
• Ensure timely publication of content on global website while maintaining high journalistic and editorial standards, including accuracy and consistency.
• Ensure that the global website and associated translation services necessary for its success are effectively managed year-round.
• Pursue opportunities to partner with language media companies on placement and co-production of content.
• Liaise with relevant colleagues in country operations, bureaux and divisions to clarify factual questions, address protection concerns, weigh political sensitivities and optimize messaging, especially when generating original content.
• Ensure that text is enhanced by video, photos, maps or graphics where appropriate, liaising with relevant colleagues in the Multimedia Content Section.
• Advise colleagues managing UNHCR¿s social media accounts when requested on different language usage and wording in social media content.
• Play an active role in the ongoing development of the website, liaising with the Digital Engagement Section to improve user journeys, add new content, remove outdated content, and develop new features.
• Commission, write, re-write, edit and/or translate articles and other web content.
• Undertake reporting and interviewing assignments as required.
• Assist with other editing and writing assignments as requested.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P4 – 9 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 8 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 7 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education
*Journalism; Communications; Language and Literature;
International Relations; Human Rights; Political Science;
or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk are essential)

Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.

Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 9 years of progressively relevant experience in journalism and editing in an international environment, working with networks of writers and commissioning articles. Exceptional writing, translating and editing skills¿ not only attentiveness to grammar, syntax, style and narrative structure, but also a proven aptitude for writing and editing for the digital age. Experience publishing multimedia content with a content management system.
Desirable:
Experience working in communications for a multilingual, international organization. Experience working with designers and developers in a news environment (for example, to build timelines, interactive maps or data visualizations). Familiarity with HTML, search optimization and web analytics. Experience working in a developing country or field location. Good knowledge of the UN, UNHCR, refugees, human rights and humanitarian issues. Working proficiency in other UN languages an asset.