BACKGROUND
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) is the United Nations body responsible for supporting global ocean science and services.
The IOC/UNESCO enables its 150 Member States to work together to protect the health of our shared ocean by coordinating programs in areas such as ocean observations, tsunami warnings and marine spatial planning. Since it was established in 1960, the IOC has provided a focus for all other United Nations bodies that are working to understand and improve the management of our oceans, coasts and marine ecosystems.
Today, the IOC/UNESCO supports all its Member States to build their scientific and institutional capacity in order to achieve the global goals including the UN Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The IOC/UNESCO has moreover been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to coordinate the implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (‘The Ocean Decade’). The Ocean Decade seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyze new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. It seeks to deliver ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’.
To support its vision and mission, and the fulfillment of its key programmatic and coordination roles across science, policy, industry and society, IOC/UNESCO requires professional multilingual support in ensuring its activities, role, and impact are communicated to the various target audiences in a clear, coherent, and effective manner. IOC/UNESCO communicates through print materials and digital channels and publications, including all major social and web platforms, and several institutional websites.
The IOC/UNESCO institutional communications are carried out chiefly by a “core” Communications Team, led by the Communications Officer, which mainstreams into institutional communications the inputs and initiatives by the Communications Focal Points from each IOC section, regional body or major program.
The Core IOC Communications Team is under the direct supervision of the Head of the Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section and works in close interaction with all members of the Senior Management, in particular the Executive Secretary and the Executive Officer.
The IOC/UNESCO Communications Officer chairs weekly editorial meetings with the Ocean Decade Communications Team and all IOC Communications Focal Points, to exchange information about upcoming activities, agree on institutional coverage, and highlight priorities.
SCOPE OF WORK, PURPOSE & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROPOSED WORK
The consultant will work closely with the Ocean Decade team and staff within the IOC will lead the implementation of communication activities at the IOC Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section, within the overall context of the IOC Communications Strategy, following the guidelines of the IOC senior management.
This call is aimed at the recruitment of a consultant to act as an Ocean Science Communications.
EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES
Within the overall framework of the 42 C/5, the approved IOC Programme and Budget 2024- 2025, and under the authority of the Director-General, the Assistant Director-General for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (ADG/IOC), and the Chief of Section for Marine Policy and Regional Coordination (IOC/MPR), the incumbent will lead the implementation of communication activities at the IOC Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section, within the overall context of the IOC Communications Strategy, following the guidelines of the IOC senior management.
Key cross-cutting functions:
- Lead the implementation of IOC Communications activities, ensuring overall integrity and institutional coherence.
- Manage communication activities in at least English and French, ensuring translation of content where needed.
- Plan and implement internal and external strategies for communicating key messages about IOC and its programs to the full spectrum of stakeholder groups and target audiences, with the aim of raising visibility of the institution, and promoting a positive image of IOC and the services and products it delivers.
- Support the planning, coordination and execution of institutional events, developing dedicated digital and print products and creating and updating web pages within the IOC and UNESCO websites to ensure broad public information.
- Draft and edit a wide range of materials, including media articles, interviews, blog posts, web content, brochures and presentations.
- Provide light training and advice to IOC staff on matters relevant to communication, to reinforce the collective capacities of the IOC team to promote its messaging and brand in multiple contexts.
- Design and implement innovative campaign assets, such as visuals, infographics and other digital content.
- Report to the IOC senior management on monitoring and evaluation of the key communications activities performed by IOC, including through social media and web analytics and stakeholder surveys.
- Lead the communications component in the management of key external partnerships, including the media (print, digital, TV and radio).
- Supervise IOC Communications Consultants as required and assigned by the Management Team.
Specific technical skills:
- Within digital and web communications, ability to:
- Generate, prepare, edit, and upload user-friendly content for the IOC and social media channels, in different language versions, to ensure public information is consistent and up to date.
- Assist program specialists in documenting program implementation through web stories and video content.
- Develop/produce communication and advocacy instruments and materials such as newsletters, brochures, briefing materials and press releases.
- Keep track of digital media trends and identify new opportunities to increase the visibility of IOC on online platforms. Advise management on appropriate action/responses.
- Within social media, ability to:
- Design and implement creative social media plans in line with the IOC communications objectives, across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
- Work to boost followers and engagement on all relevant social media channels.
- Effectively implement short-term social media campaigns to strengthen awareness and key messages among target audiences at key moments, in collaboration with colleagues both at IOC and other sectors within UNESCO.
- Within Graphic Design and Video Editing, ability to:
- Work across Adobe Creative Cloud applications, as well as other software-based and online tools, to conceptualize and create graphic design and video products for IOC initiatives, programs, publications, flagship events and campaigns.
- Assist IOC staff when required with graphic design and video editing skills.
- Prepare and upload multimedia content for dissemination via YouTube, Flickr and other dedicated social media while ensuring systematic, timeliness and excellence in the production and quality of the materials.
REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Academic Qualifications:
- University degree or Master’s degree in media/communication studies, public relations or other related social sciences with competence to design and develop communication products and multimedia materials.
Years of experience:
- Required minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at the international level in public relations, communications or advocacy, preferably in social and ocean issues.
Technical Experience:
- Demonstrated experience in implementing institutional communications in a multilingual context.
- Ability to implement communications and publications strategies.
Desired Competencies:
- Advocates effectively.
- Communicates sensitively and effectively across different audiences.
- Excellent communication and writing skills in English and French.
- Demonstrated ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data to compile and synthesize information in coherent and succinct formats.
- Shares knowledge across the organization and builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.
- Excellent coordination and negotiation skills.
- Demonstrated ability to use office equipment with computer literacy in graphic design, publication design, multimedia products development, video editing, web content, etc.
- High attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines.
- Ability to work efficiently in a multi-cultural environment and team spirit.
DURATION OF WORK
This proposal is only open to individual consultants and is a full-time position for eleven months expecting from 1 April 2025 to 28 February 2026. Please note that one working day is defined as 7.5 hours of work.
DUTY STATION
The consultant will be expected to work remotely. The consultant will provide his/her own computer, telephone and have access to a reliable internet connection.
