Communications Support

Mission and objectives

UN-Habitat is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. Cities are facing unprecedented demographic, environmental, economic, social and spatial challenges. There has been a phenomenal shift towards urbanization, with 6 out of every 10 people in the world expected to reside in urban areas by 2030. Over 90 per cent of this growth will take place in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In the absence of effective urban planning, the consequences of this rapid urbanization will be dramatic. In many places around the world, the effects can already be felt: lack of proper housing and growth of slums, inadequate and out-dated infrastructure – be it roads, public transport, water, sanitation, or electricity – escalating poverty and unemployment, safety and crime problems, pollution and health issues, as well as poorly managed natural or man-made disasters and other catastrophes due to the effects of climate change. Mindsets, policies, and approaches towards urbanization need to change in order for the growth of cities and urban areas to be turned into opportunities that will leave nobody behind. UN-Habitat, the United Nations programme for human settlements, is at the helm of that change, assuming a natural leadership and catalytic role in urban matters. In October 2016, at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III – member states signed the New Urban Agenda. This is an action-oriented document which sets global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities. Through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors, including at all levels of government as well as the private sector, UN-

Context

The Urban Crises Response and Humanitarian Affairs section works on the frontlines of urban crisis prevention, response, and recovery, in crisis settings, yet much of this vital work remains invisible to key global stakeholders. Therefore, we are launching a targeted digital communications initiative. The objective of this initiative is to collect raw updates, impact stories, and milestones from our global field teams and transform them into high-impact social media content. By strategically cross-promoting between our different social media accounts, we aim to elevate the section's visibility, foster strategic partnerships, and clearly define what "urban crisis response" means on the world stage. The Communications Specialist will therefore be tasked with translating complex humanitarian data and technical urban concepts into accessible narratives. The ultimate goal is to drive engagement, strengthen, and develop our positions with stakeholders and partners.

Task Description

The Communications online volunteer will carry out the following duties and responsibilities: 1. Strategy & Platform Alignment Establish clear thematic pillars for the LinkedIn account that focus entirely on the section's work (e.g., urban resilience, crisis response and more). Ensure the content remains professional, authoritative, and deeply empathetic, breaking down technical jargon into accessible language for partners, donors, and the public. Design a clear strategy to systematically tap into the section's Facebook audience to migrate over to the LinkedIn network. 2. Content Creation & Section Storytelling (LinkedIn) Connect directly with the section's project teams to gather raw updates, photos, and milestones, rewriting them into compelling narratives told through the Director’s professional voice. Design and format LinkedIn posts using best practices, including: Photo/video layouts showcasing real-time section interventions in crisis-affected areas. Easily digestible slides summarizing the section's latest toolkits, field manuals, or policy papers. Build and manage a rolling monthly calendar to ensure a steady pipeline of 2–3 high-quality posts per week without requiring day-to-day effort 3. Cross-Promotion & Audience Migration (Facebook) Create high-engagement Facebook posts that showcase the section's immediate highlights, always ending with a clear call-to-action directing followers to the LinkedIn profile for the full professional insight or discussion. Capitalize on high-traffic days like during the World Urban Forum, to pin specific promotional links on Facebook that lead straight to the LinkedIn profile. 4. Strategic Engagement & Networking Use the Section's profile to actively interact with (like, comment on, share) updates from institutional partners, donors, and other UN agencies to increase mutual visibility for the section. Track comments and messages on both platforms to flag potential partnership inquiries, technical questions, or high-value networking opportunities for the section's leadership team. 5. Monitoring, Reporting, and Iteration Review monthly analytics on both platforms, measuring overall follower growth on LinkedIn with a specific focus on tracking how effectively traffic is flowing from the Facebook page. Provide a concise monthly summary of what content resonated best and refine the strategy to continuously maximize reach.

Competencies and values

Living conditions and remarks