Regional Communications Officer - Education for Health and Wellbeing at UNESCO

Strategy and Planning  

• Refine and operationalize the Education for Health and Well-being advocacy and communication strategy, including setting objectives, timelines, budgets, and setting clear indicators to regularly assess impact.
• Analyse global and regional SRHR communication landscapes to inform strategy development, identifying perceptions, barriers, opportunities, and target audiences.
• Regularly review and adapt strategies based on data, contextual shifts, and new needs.
• Liaise with regional and global partners to share best practices and lessons learned in SRHR communications and coordinate with UNESCO HQ to reinforce planning, practice, and advocacy efforts.
• Identify and address communications-related capacity building needs across the EHW team.
• Contribute communications expertise to UNESCO’s strategic planning processes and provide thought leadership.

Content Creation and Management

• Guide the development and production of high-quality advocacy and communications materials across print, digital, and other platforms, ensuring consistency with UNESCO/UNESCO’s Education Sector and O3 Programme branding and messaging.
• Write and/or oversee the preparation, production, and dissemination of outreach products (e.g. reports, media packets, news releases, op-eds, radio/TV broadcasts, speeches, briefing notes, feature stories, etc.).
• Conceptualize and design visually engaging graphics, illustrations, and infographics to bring SRHR messaging and content to life across print and digital campaigns, materials, and platforms (e.g. brochures, posters, banners, social media posts, presentations, animations, videos etc).
• Maintain and organize a comprehensive database for communication materials and digital assets, ensuring access by EHW colleagues.
• Develop and maintain a digital asset system for multimedia and photography.

Campaign Development and Targeted Engagement

• Guide compelling storytelling across new and existing campaigns (e.g. LetsTalkEUP, Safer Campuses etc) and platforms to humanize SRHR issues and connect with target audiences. Gather stories, oversee creative development, and maximize reach/engagement.
• Develop and implement strategies to promote CSE among young people in the region, with the aim of positively shifting mindsets and building acceptance.
• Craft compelling messages and content to destigmatize and generate support for CSE among policymakers, religious leaders, community leaders, and other key stakeholders in the region.
• Develop shared campaigns with partner organizations and influencers to amplify reach.
• Leverage UN international days e.g. World AIDS Day, International Women’s Day, International Youth Day, etc. for relevant content creation and engagement.
• Track and analyse data to monitor the impact of communications activities in shifting perceptions, beliefs and behaviours related to SRHR. Identify successes and opportunities for improvement.

Websites, Apps and Social Media

• Manage planning and execution of O3 Programme social media strategy, working closely with colleagues to identify the right messaging and formats to effectively tell stories through social channels (X, Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn).
• Manage and organize the social editorial calendar while overseeing all content, including collaboration with O3 Ambassadors.
• Track social media performance, analyse results, collect, and share learnings to improve future efforts.
• Work closely with the ESA EHW team (in collaboration with HQ and WCA teams) to maintain updates across all O3 Programme websites (YPT, LetsTalkEUP, O3 global website, etc); Apps, and Chatbots; including publicising the in-country progress and events across the region, blog management and generation and distribution of monthly newsletters.
• Work closely with the digital specialist to ensure that all O3 programme campaign websites maintain a dynamic look and feel for key audiences identified.
• Stay updated on emerging digital platforms and evolve strategies to reach target audiences effectively.

Stakeholder Relations  

• Cultivate close working relationships with partner organizations (ESA Commitment Technical Coordinating Committee and UN) and influencers to collaborate on communications activities and amplify reach.
• Explore and establish strategic partnerships inside and outside UNESCO to enhance outreach and image.
• Manage media relations for positive CSE coverage, maintaining a network of supportive regional and national media contacts.
• Ensure that the EHW team has access to a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, regionally, and nationally known personalities who have been identified, engaged and support the O3 Programme’s effort and who actively participate in special events and activities.
• Develop targeted engagement strategies and document best practices for effectively engaging policymakers, health agencies, and legislative bodies across the ESA region to advance SRHR goals.
• Work closely with the ESA EHW team (in collaboration with HQ and WCA teams) to organize and lead communication efforts for live events including major conferences, workshops, seminars, press briefings, meeting (virtual and in-person).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• An advanced university degree (equivalent to Masters) in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Political Science or relevant Social Sciences.

Work Experience

• Minimum 4 years of relevant professional experience in designing and implementing communications strategies, campaigns and engaging diverse stakeholders, of which preferably 2 years acquired at international level.
• Proven experience implementing behaviour change communications programmes, ideally focused on SRHR, education or public health in developing contexts.
• Experience in working with diverse institutions, such as civil society, multi-lateral agencies, and non-government organizations.
• Proven experience navigating communications in complex and opposing public environments (e.g. opposition/mis-dis-information and/or sensitivities).
• Proven success securing positive media coverage and shifting narratives through communications efforts.
• Experience working with both traditional media (print, radio, television) and social media.