Kenya nationals: Communications and Public Outreach Associate, Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit (UNEP)

United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Nairobi, Kenya 🇰🇪

General

Description of assignment title: Communications and Public Outreach Associate, Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit

Assignment country: Kenya

Expected start date: 26/09/2022

Sustainable Development Goal: 6. Clean water and sanitation

Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Specialist

DoA reserved for persons with disabilities: No

Host entity: UNEP

Type: Onsite

Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments: 1

Duty stations: Nairobi

Details

Mission and objectives
Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context
UNEP’s Ecosystem Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. UNEP’s Ecosystems Division is responsible for ecosystem management for human well-being, which covers biodiversity and ecosystem services: freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems: marine and coastal ecosystems: addressing the environmental causes and consequences of disasters and conflicts: adapting to climate change and: a poverty and environment initiative.

This position is located in the Source to Sea Pollution Unit, Marine and Freshwaters Branch, Nairobi duty station. The Branch promotes healthy, resilient and productive ocean and freshwater ecosystems that support sustainable economies and livelihoods and contribute to the achievement of SDG 6 and SDG 14 through an integrated and systematic source-to-sea approach. The Source to Sea Pollution Unit supports UNEP’s work towards a pollution-free planet by protecting freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems from pollution, notably from nutrients and wastewater, as well as marine litter and plastic pollution. aims at the prevention of marine and freshwater pollution. By using a systemic source-to-sea approach to address these complex problems, the Unit focuses its work on implementing policies, strategies, initiatives, demonstration projects, outreach, and capacity-building activities targeted at local, national, regional, and global levels

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Source to Sea Pollution Unit and in close collaboration with Task Managers, the Branch Communications team, and Communication Division the UNV will undertake the following tasks:
• Provide support to the Nutrients and Marine Litter teams in tracking progress of the portfolio through provision of periodic relevant updates, project support activities, and compiling periodic reports
• Maintain and update relevant partners and stakeholders database and support partnership building for successful implementation of UNEA 5/2 Sustainable Nitrogen Management and 5/14 End Plastic Pollution resolutions and other relevant resolutions
• Prepare newsletters, briefing notes, projects fact sheets, stories, periodic news articles, support the preparation of meeting and workshop minutes, presentations, advocacy and other information materials
• Provide support to carry out social media campaigns, online community engagement and participation for optimum outreach and impact related to sustainable nutrients management, marine litter and plastic pollution, Beat Nitrogen pollution, Clean Sea campaigns, etc.
• Support in organizing of Global Partnership for Nutrients Management (GPNM) or Global Partnership on Marine Litter Steering Committee meetings, Nitrogen Working Group meetings, other related webinars, workshops and conferences
• Designing and creating content for the GPNM or GPML website and other relevant digital Platforms.
• Contribute to the preparation of various written portfolio outputs such as draft background papers, fact sheets, speeches, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Prepare reports for internal and external (donor) requests, document and disseminate best practices, stories and lessons learnt from the various interventions and projects across the regions, and review web stories
• In liaison with the UNEP Communication Division, develop and disseminate various communication products including visuals, flyers and other outreach materials related to the Beat Nitrogen Pollution and/or CleanSeas campaign
• Communicate with and provide inputs to Branch and Division monthly newsletters, knowledge management platform, etc.
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD)
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers

Eligibility criteria

Age: 27 – 80

Nationality: Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience
3 years of experience in acommunication, public outreach, advocacy, environmental campaign, etc. preferably at an international organization, governmental institution, or non-governmental organization.

Area(s) of expertise: Communication

Driving license: .

Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
French, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Required education level
Master degree or equivalent in communications, journalism, knowledge management, public awareness, international relations, social science, environmental science or related field is required.
A first-level university degree in combination with four years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree is required.

Competencies and values
• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNEP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNEP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNEP in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: the ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues.

Other information

Living conditions and remarks
The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO).

Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP.

The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.

Link to the Entitlement Calculator: https://app.unv.org/calculator

Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

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