Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a UN agency that works in about 170 countries and territories, helping eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience. It thereby helps them sustain progress and achieve Sustainable Development Goals. In Ukraine, UNDP operates in three programme priorities, such as Democratic Governance and Inclusive Social Fabric, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Recovery and Growth, and Sustainable Environment and Energy Transformation.

Since the start of the hostilities in 2014 and the full-scale invasion in 2022, UNDP in Ukraine has been present on the ground, through its hubs around the country, supporting regional and local authorities and civil society partners in their emergency response and crisis management.

Lessons from the past years informed the development of UNDP’s Country Programme Document (2025-2029) and the scale-up of the Area-Based Recovery (ABR) Framework. The Framework’s programmatic pillars of Reconstruction, Returns, Resilience, and Reforms are focused on ensuring community recovery and creating conditions for the return to a development pathway in Ukraine.

Addressing the country’s complex reconstruction and recovery requires a holistic, systems-based response that empowers all parts of society — including government, local authorities, the private sector, and citizens — with the capacity and resources to respond effectively. To ensure a whole-of-society approach, the framework offers an integrated, participatory, and inclusive methodology to advance recovery in communities most affected by the war.

In this context, the Communications Specialist will ensure that ABR projects’ results and impact are effectively communicated to stakeholders and the public by leading strategic communications, driving content development and digital engagement, managing media and partner relations, and overseeing event-related visibility efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Communications Leadership:

• Design and lead the implementation of a comprehensive ABR Communications Strategy that aligns with UNDP corporate standards, donor visibility requirements, and the overall objectives of ABR programming.
• Develop project-level communication plans to ensure timely and impactful promotion of ABR achievements, success stories, and transformative results at local and national levels.
• Conduct regular communications needs assessments to identify gaps, emerging opportunities, and priority areas for visibility; provide strategic recommendations and brief senior management on progress and risks.
• Ensure coherence and synergy of messaging across all ABR communications by fostering close collaboration between the UNDP Country Office (CO) and ABR field teams, maintaining consistency in tone, branding, and narrative.
• Establish and maintain clear approval workflows to safeguard UNDP’s reputation and mitigate risks, ensuring timely corrections and proactive management of sensitive content.
• Position ABR through strategic storytelling and targeted outreach, reinforcing UNDP’s leadership role in recovery and resilience efforts.

Lead Content Development and Dissemination:

• Lead the end-to-end content creation process, ensuring that all materials effectively communicate ABR’s objectives, achievements, and impact to diverse audiences.
• Gather and curate high-quality inputs from field teams and partners for publications, success stories, and visibility products that showcase transformative results.
• Oversee the design, production, and dissemination of brochures, infographics, briefing notes, and other communication assets, ensuring compliance with UNDP branding and donor visibility standards.
• Approve and quality-assure strategic materials, including press releases, media advisories, feature stories, and digital content, prior to publication to maintain accuracy, tone, and reputational integrity.
• Manage media engagement by handling inquiries and interview requests in close coordination with the CO Communications Unit, ensuring timely and professional responses.
• Lead communications for high-level visits, donor missions, and ABR events, guaranteeing strong visibility and media coverage through tailored messaging and proactive outreach.
• Supervise preparation of background materials, talking points, and briefing packages for senior management and delegations to support strategic positioning and advocacy.
• Ensure strict adherence to UNDP corporate identity, visibility, and communication guidelines across all ABR outputs, including UNDP digital platforms and social media channels.

Digital Engagement and Creative Campaigns:

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of ABR digital engagement initiatives and creative campaigns, ensuring all activities amplify UNDP programme objectives and meet donor visibility requirements.
• Introduce innovative storytelling formats and multimedia approaches to boost audience engagement and expand outreach.
• Collaborate closely with field teams and partners to source authentic, high-quality content that reflects diverse voices and incorporates gender-sensitive messaging.
• Identify and leverage opportunities for advocacy and awareness campaigns, using partnerships, influencers, and creative digital formats to maximize visibility and impact.
• Stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies in digital communications, recommending new tools and approaches to strengthen ABR’s online presence and engagement

Ensure Stakeholder, Partner Engagement and knowledge exchange 

• Coordinate closely with thematic teams, field personnel, and the CO to ensure ABR achievements are communicated effectively and on time, reinforcing strategic positioning with existing and potential partners.
• Develop and nurture partnerships with individuals, organizations, and networks whose collaboration is critical to achieving ABR communication objectives and amplifying outreach.
• Manage and oversee external communications consultants and service providers, including creative agencies, videographers, photographers, and vendors for printing and translation, ensuring quality, timeliness, and compliance with UNDP standards.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and joint initiatives with partners to strengthen visibility and advocacy efforts, leveraging synergies for greater impact.

Lead Team Supervision:

• Lead and supervise the ABR Communications Unit, providing guidance, mentoring, and support to team members.
• Facilitate a collaborative and productive work environment, promoting teamwork and professional development.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide feedback to team members, fostering continuous improvement and accountability.

Ensuring the mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment considerations in all ABR communications 

• Integrate gender-sensitive language, visuals, and narratives into all ABR communication products, ensuring that women’s voices and perspectives are visible and valued.
• Adhere to UNDP corporate principles on gender equality and diversity, ensuring that all campaigns and materials align with global standards and contribute to advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.

Promoting a safe and enabling environment free of discrimination and abusive behaviour corporate standards:

• Support the promotion of team culture of gender equality and zero tolerance to any sexual misconduct in the team through leadership and personal example.
• Demonstrate respect for gender equality in professional interactions, identify and address sexism and gender discrimination.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Communications Specialist will work under direct supervision of the Head of Area-Based Recovery. The incumbent will be supervising a team of thematic experts.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

People Management Competencies

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies 

Business direction and strategy  

• System Thinking                
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business management   

• Project Management      
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
• Digital Awareness and Literacy    
  • Ability to monitor new and emerging technologies, as well as understand their usage, potential, limitations, impact, and added value. 
  • Ability to rapidly and readily adopt and use new technologies in professional activities, and to empower others to use them as needed. 
  • Knowledge of the usage of digital technologies and emerging trends.
• Partnerships Management           
  • Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.
• Communication
  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. 
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels

Information Management & Technology 

• User Experience and Business Analyst     
  • Capacity to translate efficiently users’ needs in IT requirements around human-centred design principles. Knowledge of Oracle Cloud, ServiceNow, SalesForce.com, and Microsoft product an asset.

2030 Agenda: People      

• Gender 
  • Gender digital divide

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Communications, Media Studies, Public Relations, Journalism, Development Studies, Public/Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science, or related fields is required; or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in strategic communications, media relations, public information, or advocacy, preferably within development, recovery, or humanitarian contexts.
• Extensive people management skills and proven leadership experience, including supervision of personnel and oversight of consultants/service providers.
• Experience in managing digital campaigns, content production, and stakeholder engagement, with demonstrated results in visibility and outreach.

Desired Criteria:

• Experience working with UN agencies, international organizations, or donor-funded programmes, particularly in recovery, resilience, or development contexts.
• Proven ability to develop and implement communication strategies and plans for complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Experience in producing multimedia content (videos, infographics, photography) and coordinating with creative agencies or vendors.
• Experience in organizing high-level events, donor missions, and media visits, including preparation of briefing materials and visibility planning.

Required Languages:

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.