UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a future

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbkJiMmvKqk

How can you make a difference? 

This position is part of the UNICEF Afghanistan Polio SBC Team based in Kabul and will directly report to SBC Manager. This position will also collaborate closely with M&E team based in Kabul. The Polio SBC Team is central to UNICEF's efforts in ensuring that communities across Afghanistan continue to demand and accept the polio vaccine. The team promotes vaccine acceptance, proactively sharing information via in-person and digital channels, developing innovative solutions, and building long-term access to health information in the physical and digital realms.

III. Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Support digital ecosystem, social media, and digital technology platforms:

1. Assist the SBC Manager, in providing technical support to UNICEF Country Office (CO) for digital engagement strategy development, KM planning, including documentation and coordination
2. Contribute to the implementation and reporting of UNICEF Polio Annual Work Plans in coordination with GPEI partners, ensuring digital and social media components of the Country polio SBC programs meet global excellence standards.
3. Participate in relevant technical working groups and translate KM guidelines into operational frameworks to support the development and implementation of strategic direction, guidelines, and work plans for digital engagement in line with community engagement and social mobilization plans

Support polio digital community engagement strategy:

1. through a consultative process, develop and implement a cohesive digital community engagement and KM strategy for country level, aiming to provide online communities with up-to-date information about polio eradication efforts, ISD, and promote community confidence in the polio program.
2. Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to ensure the integration and harmonization of polio social media activities with cross border and global communication and advocacy activities, as well as intra-UN system development activities and initiatives.
3. Support strengthening the social listening mechanisms to monitor and mitigate risks associated with misinformation, fake news, and an information vacuum about vaccination generally. Engage with various groups and local influencers in the digital ecosystem to pre-emptively address and debunk myths about vaccines. Link with U Report structure of Afghanistan.

Contribute to misinformation management capacity building and technical deployment:

1. Support the design of evidence-based capacity-building strategies to manage polio and vaccine-related misinformation, both online and offline, in collaboration with internal and external partners.
2. Assist in producing and testing training aids and materials for misinformation management events and learning activities, ensuring high levels of technical capacity to maintain community trust in vaccines and vaccination worldwide.
3. Support the maintenance of active relationships with online media outlets, influencers, researchers, implementing organizations, and strategic partners to actively contain rumors, misinformation, and disinformation around the polio vaccine or vaccines in general.

Coordinate and aligning around Digital Community Engagement:

1. Support the development of UNICEF Polio Team's global Digital Community Engagement approach, dashboard on social listening trends, influencer engagement, online ads management, risk anticipation, content design, and programmatic support to polio outbreak and endemic countries.
2. Participate in organizational and inter-agency discussions and planning on digital and social media for polio SBC advocacy and resource mobilization initiatives, including outbreaks, in collaboration with the Division of Communication.
3. Contribute to evidence generation and research initiatives for improved digital community engagement activities, influencing national and local policies and investments in SBC for generating sustainable results through online communication activities.
4. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned with global and local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners, local networks, and government partners to actively mobilize online communities to further the goals of the polio program and generate demand for vaccination.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: An Advance University degree (master's or Higher) in marketing, digital marketing, advertising, public relations, Communication, or another relevant field of communication.

Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in one or more of the following: social media management, digital marketing, data visualization, Knowledge management, or digital communication.

• Knowledge and experience in mobilizing social media, technological platforms, applications, and digital influencers to achieve strategic results is required
• Strong writing  skills and the ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner required
• Experience with social media listening, sentiment analysis, and misinformation management is highly desirable, as well as familiarity with social media management tools and analytics.
• Proven track record in developing and executing successful digital communication campaigns, with an emphasis on audience engagement and content creation for various platforms an asset
• Understanding of behavioral determinants of vaccination and familiarity with UNICEF SBC principles and tactics in public health, immunization and Polio is an asset.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and to collaborate with internal and external partners in a diverse and multicultural environment is an asset

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Dari and / or Pashto is an asset. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [female] are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.