National Individual Contractor – To assist with Communication on (Social Media and Digital Platforms)
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child,
Justification for the position
Purpose of the Position
UNICEF – the United Nations Children’s Fund – is one of the worlds most trusted and respected organizations – and the leading organization for children.
UNICEF has worked for the children of Lesotho to accelerate the realization of child rights for all children including the most deprived and vulnerable. We do this by delivering programmes and promoting strategic investments in children and adolescents in the areas of child protection, education, child survival and child development, to give Lesotho’s young the best possible start in life, and the chance to not only survive, but thrive.
To effectively and efficiently drive results for children and adolescents in Lesotho, UNICEF must keep our target audiences abreast of and engaged with UNICEF’s goals, work and progress on key priority issues. Further we must win children and adolescents support to drive positive change. Digital and Social Media are critical tools for UNICEF Lesotho to achieve this.
Digital media, especially social platforms, are changing the ways people interact, giving rise to new and diverse audiences and empowering civil society in ways that have profound implications for UNICEF’s work – and for how communication and public advocacy are used to support that work.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent roll-out of information campaigns for vaccinations has further highlighted the crucial role social media plays in sharing information and engaging audiences.
To drive change for children, UNICEF Lesotho is developing its digital and social media capacity to target, reach and engage meaningfully with audiences across multiple digital platforms. UNICEF Lesotho is seeking to move beyond disseminating information towards having conversations. Digital content and engagement will reinforce UNICEF’s leadership as a credible voice for and with children.
UNICEF Lesotho has experienced strong growth across all social media channels in the past 6 months. UNICEF Lesotho is seeking to recruit an exceptional Social and Digital Media Contractor to spearhead UNICEF’s continued growth on social media, and reach the bold targets set by the organization. The Social and Digital Media Contractor will have the proven professional skills to manage UNICEF Lesotho’s social and digital media channels, create engaging and innovative content for all channels, will be up to date and passionate about the latest technologies, techniques and industry best practices, and will be able to apply them to reach a broad range of audiences.
Specifically, this position will ensure UNICEF Lesotho increases our digital reach, facilitates increased engagement and participation from audiences, (including the undertaking of advocacy and fundraising actions) as well as ensuring our audiences have a greater understanding, and deeper connections on critical priority issues.
Scope of Work
Goal and Objective: Under the supervision of the Communication Specialist within the External Communication and Communication for Development section, the contractor will be responsible for planning, managing, marketing and monitoring content on UNICEF Lesotho’s digital and social media channels (website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc.) with the objectives of:
Ensuring UNICEF Lesotho expands its voice, reach and engagement across all social and digital channels in line with UNICEFs digital objectives
Ensure UNICEF Lesotho uses industry best practice (global and local) to engage followers in a dynamic, interactive and meaningful way.
Identifies and engages with digitally active individuals and groups/ associations within Lesotho.
Ensuring UNICEF Lesotho’s Social and Digital Media Channels are regularly updated with engaging and relevant content that generates engagement and action.
The contractor will also have the opportunity to make recommendations regarding the use of current and future social media channels.
Provide details/reference to AWP/AMP areas covered: Explain briefly how this assignment links the AWP. Provide the AWP reference as appropriate.
Work relationships: Based within the UNICEF Lesotho Commination, Advocacy and Partnership Unit, the post will report to the Communication Specialist, and will work closely with the Communication Specialist, Communication for Development Specialist and Communication for Development Assistant. As required, the contractor will also work in coordination with the County Offices relevant programme sections, communication personnel in HQ, other Country Offices and Regional Offices, communication consultants, and also external partners with relation to social and digital media.
Outputs/Deliverables
Deliverable
Date
In coordination with the Communication Specialist, work on a social media plan/s for the Country Office which will integrate the different digital platforms with a view to bolster advocacy goals in priority issues targeting different audiences.
September 2021
Implement a content editorial calendar to manage content and plan specific, timely campaigns.
September 2021 – ongoing
Research, create and manage relevant, high-quality, creative and engaging content on key issues for the different digital platforms – this may include in-country travel as required. Further, the contractor will turn technical content into general public and social media-friendly language to increase engagement from various sets of audiences. The content must be reviewed/approved by relevant sections and Communication staff.
Ongoing
Monitor, listen and respond to followers in a dynamic and interactive way while cultivating meaningful engagement.
Ongoing
Create a regular publishing schedule.
Monthly
Adapt UNICEF global content to the make relevant and suitable for the Lesotho context
Ongoing
Media buying: Design, create and manage promotions and social ad campaigns, including media buying plans for social media as required.
Ongoing
Take the initiative to regularly update the Country Office online platform designs.
Ongoing
Measure and analyse the impact of CO’s online platforms and social networks and make monthly (or more often if needed) reports.
Monthly
Monitor trends in social media tools and tactics, applications, audiences, emerging trends and strategy especially in Lesotho/Southern Africa. Assess and report risks and threats to Communications Specialist.
Ongoing
Identify, develop and expand a community of key digital influencers and digitally active stakeholders who can help us in our digital outreach efforts.
Ongoing
Keep track of initiatives by relevant organizations and agencies that may be relevant to our work.
Ongoing
Provide general assistance to the Communications Section including managing and working with relevant suppliers
Ongoing
Provide technical advice and capacity building to stakeholders and UNICEF staff as required
Ongoing
Desired profile
Education: Academic qualifications and required level of education;
Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Media, Communication, Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, Journalism, creative writing or related fields.
Years of experience:
At least two years of extensive experience running social-media platforms to achieve organizational goals and objectives for a brand, business, agency or relevant organization (including NGOs, UN agencies)
Competencies:
Displays in-depth knowledge and understanding of social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), their respective participants and how each platform can be deployed in different scenarios.
Proficient in content strategy, development and editing.
Proven knowledge and experience of producing and planning content for social media channels to reach and engage broad audiences
Must demonstrate excellent writing skills especially for digital platforms.
Maintains a working knowledge of SEO, Google Analytics, social media analytical tools and management platforms like Hootsuite, etc.
Displays ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in both written and verbal format.
Proficiency in graphic design, infographics, photo editing and video editing is an asset.
High ethical standards and understanding of sensitivities relating to children is highly desirable.
Both a team player and an individual contributor.
Languages required:
Fluency in English (written and oral) is required, along with fluency in Sesotho (written and oral).
Administrative issues
The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts
The selected contractor will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms
The contractor will work on own computer(s) and materials in the execution of this assignment.
The contractor will be granted 1.5 paid days off per full month.
The contractor will be paid monthly based on the approved report of the deliverables performed. The contractor is expected to be available and fully in charge of delivering the deliverables during the contract period.
As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against satisfactory completion of deliverables as per the approved work plan. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30% of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
As per policy on contractors and individual contractors, the contactor will be expected to complete a list of mandatory training, including policies on Prohibiting and Combatting Fraud and Corruption; Prohibition of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority and other relevant policies for their information and acknowledgment. Within 5 days of the contract commencement, the contractor/individual contractor is requested to complete the applicable mandatory trainings.
Risks
UNICEF Lesotho’s 2019-2022 Country Programme Document (CPD) was developed with a risk-informed programming lens to support sustainable programs, considering assumptions for the pro-ject’s success. The development of the CPD, through which this activity will contribute to, analysed the vulnerabilities, systems, capacities, resources, and looked at the risks beneficiaries may face to prevent the risk or mitigate the impact. The risks associated with the implementation of this activity are minimal and below the global threshold set by UNICEF’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office. The risks will be managed through constant monitoring, providing early warning of potential issues in programme implementation, and advocacy with GOL officials. All reasonable and likely risks should be identified and a relevant risk response and possible mitigating action defined.
How To Apply
Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application including profile to the respective advertisement on https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/.
Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.
Additionally, applications should include a project plan, including a detailed proposed methodology, outlining how all activities and deliverables will be completed.
Financial proposal must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fee, , logistics costs, etc.). The financial proposal should be made in Lesotho Loti.
Applications submitted without financial proposal will not be considered.
If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.