MDG Campaign and Advocacy Consultant, Nairobi

MDG Campaign and Advocacy Consultant, Nairobi
Closing Date: Wednesday, 22 September 2010

This programme aims to influence policy debates and provide upstream policy advice; strengthen national ownership of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); provide capacity development support in the areas of pro-poor planning, policy design, programming and poverty monitoring, and strengthen macro-micro linkages for poverty reduction and accelerated human development. It builds on past UNDP achievements and existing initiatives of UNDP and UN agencies working in Somalia. This programme will provide the leverage for several UNDP, UN and NGO programmes to set clear numerical goals and targets, enabling them to coordinate among themselves and work together for better development results through better planning, prioritizing and sequencing of interventions.

The Inclusive Development for Poverty Reduction programme uses a three-pronged approach: human development; MDG initiatives; and poverty monitoring and analysis. Each of these components is further divided into interventions that require substantial communication efforts.

As part of its mandate, UNDP advocates and facilitates sustainable development solutions to achieve the MDGs. UNDP Somalia, through the HDEU, is supporting the UN to accomplish this role. This requires undertaking a coordinated approach to spread awareness on each MDG
, providing details on how they relate to Somalis, thereby changing opinions and behaviour in an effort to ensure targeted audiences strive to improve their quality of life.

It is in this context that UNDP would like to recruit an MDG Campaign and Advocacy Consultant, to support the Inclusive Development for Poverty Reduction programme to increase awareness of MDGs and human development, with the aim of changing local communities' opinions, attitudes and behaviour positively, in close consultation with the Communications Office (CO). This would improve the lives of Somali communities, and work towards MDGs being attained and human development being promoted. The incumbent would also be required to support the CO to increase awareness of UNDP/HDEU initiatives with a view to keep targeted audiences both inside and outside Somalia informed.

Duties and Responsibilities
III. Summary of Key Functions:

In collaboration with the CO:
    * Develop strategy for MDG awareness-raising and advocacy campaign.
    * Support the HDEU in MDG awareness-raising and advocacy efforts. Produce campaign (information and advocacy) material on MDGs, Poverty Monitoring, Human Development and emerging development issues.
    * Organize events (workshops and launches) for the HDEU.
    * Provide key messages to CO on poverty reduction, MDGs and human development for use in supporting the visibility of UNDP work

IV. Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Develop strategy for MDG awareness-raising and advocacy efforts

    * Produce a strategy for MDG awareness campaign, identifying target audiences, and appropriate and effective tools and messages to be used to attain positive changes in behaviour and attitudes, in line with the MDGs and the local context.
    * Identify monitoring tools and indicators to enable monitoring of any progress being made.

2. Support the HDEU in awareness/advocacy efforts and activities, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

MDG Football Matches
    * Follow up with selected NGOs – and field staff (Area Project Managers and sub-office in Hargeisa and Garowe) - to ensure that football matches to raise awareness of MDGs are conducted successfully.
    * Ensure at least two football matches are conducted in Somaliland and Puntland, exploring possibility of using different venues other than Hargeisa and Garowe to reach different audiences (youth in different locations).
    * Liaise with field offices and Area Project Managers to ensure adequate publicity of matches and live coverage during matches.
    * Provide appropriate messages on MDGs to be widely disseminated during the matches.

Media Coverage
    * Follow up on developing and airing of MDG-related media messages, through the Communication Office using IRIN, in consultation with the CO and MDG Officer, and other UN agencies.
    * Develop messages on MDGs (in conjunction with the CO, UN Information Group and HDEU team) and other HDEU events (eg workshops and trainings) for local newspapers/websites/billboards.

Focus Group Discussions
    * Develop guides for Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in close consultation with MDG Officer and the HDEU team.
    * Ensure Focus Group Discussions are held to discuss various topics such as efficacy of messages disseminated via MDG comic, billboards and newspaper.

Follow up with field staff to compile information (tapes and written notes on discussions) from each FGD

3. Produce campaign (information and advocacy) materials on MDGs and human development.
MDG Comic
    * Ensure that final comic design conforms to UNDP standards (provided by CO).
    * Disseminate MDG comic extensively – using dissemination plan provided - in Somalia (through UN agency networks, educational and health institutions and other networks) to reach identified target audiences inside and outside Somalia.

Use images from MDG comics to display billboards in selected locations in Somalia, to encourage positive changes in behaviour and attitudes.

Advocacy and Public Relations
Assist in production of social mobilization material and background material to be used to advocate programme interventions, achievements, Human Development and MDGs, through channels such as TV, radio, newspapers, mail shots and websites.

4. Support Policy Brief Project
    * Provide technical support to lead and support ongoing Diaspora study.
    * Assist Senior Economist in guiding study and consultants with a view to obtaining objectives outlined.
    * Assist in informing stakeholders about study and findings.
    * Facilitate and provide support to the workshops to discuss and launch the report/findings on the Somali Diaspora and their contribution to Somalia.

5. Workshops and Trainings
    * Facilitate and provide adequate support to a workshop to share information with stakeholders on the Human Development Report for Somalia (on theme, methodology, conceptual framework, etc), as well as other HDEU initiatives.
    * Organize events (trainings (eg MDG awareness trainings, workshops and launches) for the HDEU.
    * Work with CO, HDEU staff (in Somalia and Nairobi) to publicize events when necessary and in most effective way possible (eg press releases or media briefings).

6. Publications/Dissemination
    * Provide relevant information ,.
    * Assist in dissemination of publications throughout the zone, by arranging distribution (using various channels to reach target audiences).
    * Maintain inventory of publications.
    * Maintain regularly updated photo archive for use in publications, websites etc.

7. Fulfill reporting requirements for HDEU.    * Provide regular information/excerpts and gather human interest stories on the HDEU and its activities to the CO for regular reporting and audiences such as the local and international media (eg press releases, conferences), the UNDP websites, donor bulletins; flyers; online resource centres; UNDP HQ bulletin; the UNTP monitoring group for UNTP outcome reports; and UNDP annual/bi-annual reports.

Perform any other task as assigned by the Senior Economist.

Competencies
V. Competencies

Corporate Competencies:
    * Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
    * Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
    * Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
    * Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:
    * Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
    * Able to craft and deliver messages in an articulate manner, thus communicating with others clearly and positively, writing, speaking and listening actively;
    * Strong analytical skills, and ability to rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources;
    * Strong computer skills: must be proficient in use of the Internet, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe In Design or PageMaker;
    * Identifies priority activities and assignments;
    * Teamwork - Strong interpersonal, communications, organizational and management skills and ability to work within multi-disciplinary teams
    * Strong analytical capabilities.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:    * Builds strong relationships with partners, focusing on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
    * Determined, ambitious and displays responsibility, particularly in planning and prioritizing activities;
    * Able to manage time effectively, delivering tasks efficiently and on time;
    * Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
    * Proven networking and organizational skills;
    * Able to manage complex problems proactively and effectively, contributing innovative and practical ideas to field-based emergencies;
    * Flexible to changes and able to operate effectively in a changing environment, and to produce results under stress;
    * Remains calm, in control and relatively good humoured even under pressure;
    * Builds and shares knowledge with others.

Required Skills and Experience

VI. Recruitment Qualifications

Education:
Master's Degree or equivalent in communication, sociology, community development or a relevant field with pertinent experience. A first level university degree with a combination of relevant academic qualifications and experience in journalism, communication or related field (sociology, community development) may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree with minimum 4 years of experience.

Additional specialization or experience in areas of international development would be an advantage.
Experience:

    * Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in the field of communication, preferably with at least three years' experience in a crisis or post-conflict country.

In-depth knowledge of local conditions and developments in Somalia.
Language requirements:

    * Excellent English writing and oral skills.

Somali writing and oral skills would be an added advantage.

VII. Submission of application

Please send your curriculum vitae, marked “HDEU MDG Campaign and Awareness Consultant”

to: UNDP BY 22nd September 2010

Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNDP will only be able to respond to those applications in which there is further interest.

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.