UNV - Chief, Partnerships and Communications Division

United Nations Volunteers Programme The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is the United Nations organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the pace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity. UNV engaged 7,765 UN volunteers in 2010, on a total of 7,960 assignments. With an average age of 37 years and the requisite professional skills and qualifications of some 5 to 10 years relevant experience, UN volunteers served in 132 countries in 2010 and came themselves from 158. The majority – 80 per cent – come from developing countries themselves. One third of UN volunteers served in their own countries, with the others carrying out international assignments. The financial equivalent of programme activities exceeds US$235 million annually. In addition, as the focal point in the United Nations for the International Year of the Volunteers (IYV2001), UNV is active in the follow-up to the Year, for which the key objectives are the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteerism. UNV is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and has approximately 150 staff positions – with the majority in Bonn and some positions with different UN peacekeeping and political missions, and in other Headquarters locations (e.g. New York and Tokyo). The major organizational groups within UNV are: the Office of the Executive Coordinator (OEC); the Evaluation Unit (EU); the Corporate Planning and Performance Unit (CPPU); the Volunteer Programming and Management Group (VPMG) comprising the Peace Division (PD) and the Development Division (DD), Volunteer Recruitment Resources Section (VRRS), Quality Assurance Unit (QAU), Volunteer Knowledge and Innovation Section (VKIS); the Partnerships and Communications Division (PCD) comprising the Partnerships Section (PS) and the Communications Unit (CU); The Management Services Division (MSD) comprising the Information and Communication Technology Section (ICTS), Finance Section (FS), Human Resources Section (HRS), and the Administration Unit (AU). Additionally the Common Services Unit (CSU) provides support to the UN presence in Bonn.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief, PCD, provides strategic leadership and management oversight ensuring quality service delivery and consistency of approach in the development of partnerships; advocacy for volunteerism; the development of internal and external communications; brand management and the development of external relations functions for UNV. The Chief, PCD, is responsible for strategic planning, oversight and coordination functions in partnerships development and communications activities in support of UNV’s mandate. The Chief, PCD is a member of UNV’s Core Management Team and in this capacity has a senior leadership function as the chief strategist of UNV’s global communications effort and in contributing to the strategic organizational management and direction of the UN Volunteer Programme. Specific duties include the following: Leads UNV’s advocacy for volunteerism. Leads and strategically manages UNV’s advocacy strategy, as an integral component of UNV’s mission. Focuses advocacy messaging for the purpose of influencing stakeholders as decision-makers to support volunteerism as a contributor to peace and development. Strategically manages and implements advocacy activities, in coordination with the Strategy and Policy Advisor, that support UNV as a significant leader in the field of volunteerism and as a key authority on the contribution of volunteerism to peace and development; builds organizational capacity in advocacy for volunteerism. Ensures integrated advocacy approach with the Peace and Development Divisions. Expected Results: Advocacy strategies for volunteerism for peace and development are fully developed and consistently applied with increased understanding within UNV and with external stakeholders. Leads and strategically manages UNV’s corporate brand communication strategy including public information and mass communications (e.g. signature publications; print & broadcast media relations; web-based communications). In this capacity ensures brand communications consistency and builds communications capacity throughout UNV (field and headquarters). Expected Results: Brand Communications Strategy fully developed and brand communications guidelines well understood and consistently applied in HQ and in the field. Increased understanding of UNV’s vision, mission, actions and impact is facilitated through strategic communications messaging and publications. Leads and strategically manages UNV’s corporate-level strategic partnership relations and alliances, both within and outside the UN system, in particular with governmental, intergovernmental, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the business community. Expected Results: Strategic diversification and strengthening of stakeholder partnerships resulting in increased volunteerism in development planning & placement opportunities. Leads and strategically manages UNV’s corporate-level resources mobilization activities (financial and political) requiring continual diversification, development, and refinement. Expected Results: Strategic diversification and strengthening of stakeholder partnerships resulting in increased funding and sustainable funding base for UNV and volunteerism in development. Is a key spokesperson for UNV, and in this capacity represents UNV at public events and undertakes required speaking engagement at conferences and meetings. Manages the preparation of speeches and statements by Executive Coordinator in coordination with the Strategy and Policy Advisor and other senior staff as required. Manages press briefings and press conferences as required. Expected Results: Broader and more in-depth (targeted) media relations; brand communications consistency applied in all speaking engagement, strengthening the depth of understanding of UNV’s vision, mission, actions and impact. Serves as strategic focal point for some signature projects for UNV and follow-up to IYV – IYV+10 including leading UNV’s contribution to IVD each December. Expected results: UNV strategically well positioned within UNV’s mandate and business. In global activities increasing awareness of UNV’s contribution to volunteerism for development. Leads and strategically manages PCD’s organizational framework that encompasses staffing, financial and informational resources, systems and processes (including the work of UNV liaison offices in Tokyo and New York), ensures effective and efficient work planning and implementation; ensures integrated approach between PCD and the Peace and Development Divisions This includes: overall resources planning, (including in the context of the biennial support budget); assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators; reporting on performance; guiding inputs for results-based management; overseeing staff performance management processes, and the implementation of a proactive workforce development and management strategy. Expected Results: Effective and efficient employment of resources (staffing and financial). Strengthened staff motivation and performance through team building. In the context of UN common system activities in Germany, chairs, on a rotational basis, a local UN communications group; provides full information services to other UN programmes and organs; consults with heads of other UN system partners on public information activities as they relate to joint activities and requiring a common approach. Expected Results: Increased common UN communications approach appropriately applied; understanding and support for UN system in Germany is strengthened. Other related duties that may be assigned.

Competencies

Functional Competencies: Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda Dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives Building Strategic Partnerships Identifies and prioritizes opportunities and obstacles in the political scene (government, civil society, parliamentarians, pressure groups) to advance UNV’s agenda; identifies common interests and goals and carries out joint initiatives with partners Makes effective use of UNV’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships Builds partnerships with by translating UNV’s agenda into messages that reflect the pertinence of their values and interests Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing Actively seeks and promotes innovative methodologies and leads the development of supporting policies/tools to encourage learning and knowledge sharing Promotes UNV as a learning/knowledge sharing organization Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures (partnerships building and communications) Applies knowledge to support the unit/branch’s objectives and to further the mandate of the organization(s) For managers: applies a broad knowledge of best management practices; defines objectives and work flows, positions reporting relationships in such a way as to obtain optimum effectiveness for the unit/branch Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself personally Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments Demonstrates expert knowledge of the current programme guidelines and project management tools and manages the use of these regularly in work assignments Creating Visibility for UNV/Supporting UNV’s Capacity to Advocate Designs and initiates assessments of activities to improve impact and effectiveness Developed relationships and contacts with professional networks and high profile advocates Global Leadership and Advocacy for UNV’s Goals Advocates for increased resources at international and national level Conceptual Innovation in the Provision of Technical Expertise Demonstrates the ability to engage development partners at all levels in conceptual and methodological innovation that is pertinent to the global, national and local context Client Orientation Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services Consults with clients and ensures their needs are represented in decision-making processes Core Competencies: Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents Building support and political acumen Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation Building and promoting effective teams Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication Creating an emotionally intelligent organization Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNV & setting standards Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-tak

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Masters degree in international relations, political science, communications, or journalism Experience: 15 years relevant experience in progressively responsible positions. This experience should include roles in the field of strategic partnership building, communications and resources mobilization. 5 to 10 years of this experience should be in an international organization, preferably UNDP/UNV, and a minimum of 5 years in middle to senior management positions. Language Requirements: Fluency in/excellent command of English and good working knowledge of either French or Spanish. Knowledge of other UN languages and German would be an asset. Applications should be submitted on line and include an up to date UNDP Personal History Form (P11) posted at http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. The successful candidate will hold a UNDP letter of appointment.

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Chief, Partnerships and Communications Division