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, an advocate.

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally - click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

Click here to experience our country through the perspective of our colleagues by clicking on this Link

Background:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated.

There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries.

This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose for the job

Accountable for developing, leading, and implementing a comprehensive communication and advocacy strategy that supports UNICEF Nigeria’s mission, priorities, and programmes by building public engagement, strengthening the organization’s visibility, and promoting awareness and respect for the rights of children and women, especially through digital channels and social media.

The role ensures that communication efforts contribute to programme results by generating compelling, rights-based content and fostering partnerships that amplify impact at national, regional, and global levels.

A central function of this role is to position U-Report as UNICEF Nigeria’s flagship digital platform for adolescent and youth participation, civic engagement, and accountability.

The Communication Specialist will drive the scale-up, innovation, and meaningful integration of U-Report across sectors to ensure that young people’s voices influence policy, inform programme design, and contribute to real-time feedback mechanisms that support evidence-based decision-making.

The role will also ensure alignment with UNICEF’s global digital engagement strategies and support the broader UN Country Team’s youth engagement agenda.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be accountable for all or assigned areas of the following major duties and end results.

1. Communication strategy

Ensure that the Country Office has a clear communication strategy and associated work plan to support the country programme objectives and get children’s issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives, and enhance the organization’s credibility and brand.

Duties & Tasks

• Lead the development and execution of social media strategies and content based on advocacy and communication objectives with paid advertising principles in mind, while working closely with programme sections, and country and regional offices to ensure social media objectives and tactics are integrated and aligned.
• Contribute towards the strategy and execution of social media content related to special projects, UN observances, the SDGs and child rights as needed.
• UNICEF’s rights- and results-based programming approach is appropriately reflected in the communication strategy, work plan and products.
• Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.

2. Content Creation

• Lead the planning, development, and implementation of dynamic, interactive, and meaningful social media content strategies UNICEF’s country channels.
• Lead on the writing of social media packs, crafting engaging content from key messages with paid marketing strategies in mind, as relevant, for all advocacy priority areas.
• Demonstrate leadership and initiative in strategizing ways to effectively reach UNICEF’s target audiences through social media channels – as designated by integrated campaign objectives, the Communication and Advocacy Strategy, and the Strategic Plan.
• Work with programmes and resource mobilization section to support UNICEF’s approach to donor recognition and visibility on country digital channels

3. Celebrities and special events

Ensure that the Country Office has a well maintained and continually developed contact list of appropriate, nationally known personalities who have been identified, engaged and support UNICEF’s effort and who actively participate in special events and activities that support country programme goals.

Duties & Tasks

• Develop and implement digital influencer/Goodwill Ambassador engagement strategies and activations in line with advocacy and communication objectives.
• Develop, maintain and update celebrities contact list/database.
• Establish, document, review and refine process of working with celebrities, including special events, media opportunities, field trips etc.

• Participate in global advocacy activities by planning visits of Goodwill Ambassadors, National Committee representatives, Executive Board members etc. including preparing information materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets and media kits), and necessary logistic arrangements. Highlight the achievements of the country programme. Maintain close collaboration with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall coordination.

4. Global priorities and campaigns

In addition to local/national campaigns, ensure that the Country Office has an effective process in place for integrating and taking action on UNICEF’s global communications priorities and campaigns, both disseminating these elements in a locally-appropriate way, as well as providing/enabling coverage of the work in the country for global use.

Duties & Tasks

• Support the UNICEF global communications objectives and strategies through development of complementary country specific and local community materials and activities. Work plan should anticipate the inclusion of work on global priorities and campaigns.
• Develop and deploy country office communication capacity to gather/facilitate the content and coverage of relevant country efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results.
• Ensure regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters divisions.

5. Resource mobilization support

Ensure that global and country level fund-raising activities are supported by effective advocacy and communication strategy and activities.

Duties & Tasks

• Mobilize country office communication capacity to support/facilitate the gathering of content and coverage of relevant country efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results in support of fund-raising.
• Mobilize resources for fund-raising support by regular communication and co-ordination with relevant communication focal points in regional offices and headquarters div

6. Monitoring and evaluation

Ensure that communication baselines are established against which the achievement of objectives of the communication strategy are regularly evaluated; analysis is undertaken to continuously improve the effectiveness of communication strategy, approach and activities; results and reports are prepared and shared on a timely basis.

Duties & Tasks

• Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Annual Management Plan, Annual Work Plan, etc.
• Conduct timely and accurate monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the communications objectives are met and the strategy is effective.

• Undertake lessons learned review of successful and unsuccessful communication experiences and share observations/findings with country, regional and HQ communication colleagues so that best practices benefit UNICEF’s communication work.

7. Capacity building and support

Ensure that the Representative/Senior or Regional Communication Officer and the country programme team are provided with professional expertise and advice on all aspects of external relations communication as required; opportunities are identified and addressed for building communication capacity among country communication team, media and other relevant partners.

Duties & Tasks

• Advise UNICEF management, colleagues and staff on social media strategy and implications for action and policies proposed.
• Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the country communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training.
• Develop and update best practice social media editorial guidelines and resources.

8. Manage U-report

Scale up of the U-Report programme including U-Report communities, and make it meaningfully used for programming for children by UNICEF, Government, and implementing partners. Work with programme sections to develop and deploy demand-driven U-Report use cases that address development challenges and accelerate results for children. Support integrating social innovation approaches into traditional UNICEF programming, especially for adolescents and young people.

 

Duties and Tasks

• Managing and maintaining the U-Report digital platform (RapidPro), ensuring its smooth operation and technical integrity.
• Collaborating with program sections to design and deploy regular U-Report polls and other digital content.
• Analyzing incoming messages, feedback, and data to assess progress, identify trends, and inform decision-making.
• Promoting U-Report as UNICEF's flagship program for advocacy, leveraging digital channels to amplify its impact.
• Supporting youth mobilization by developing and implementing campaigns to engage young people, increasing U-Report participation, and fostering a sense of community.
• Driving digital engagement by creating and curating content, moderating online discussions, and encouraging user-generated content by young people.
• Building and maintaining U-Report communities, including community leaders and platform users, to ensure high engagement and reach.
• Supporting the Chief CAP in fostering partnerships with government counterparts, media outlets, and mobile telephone operators to expand U-Report's reach, influence, and impact.
• Assisting in proposal development, reporting, and other communication-related tasks for development, advocacy, adolescents, and youth.
• Managing U-Report Territory Officers

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  JD- Communication Specialist Level 3 (003).pdf

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

Minimum requirements:

1. Education

Advanced university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations.

(*A first University combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree in the field of journalism, communications, external relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications.)

2. Work Experience

Five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communication, print, broadcast, and/or new media.

International and national work experience (for IP). Field work experience (for NO). Background/familiarity with Emergency situations.

3. Language Proficiency  [ II ]

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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 (1)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (1)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (1)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (1)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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 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..

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.