Communications Senior Assistant

The UNOPS Africa Regional Office, based in Nairobi, Kenya, oversees the delivery of over 250 projects across 40 countries, with a focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings. Supported by more than 1,000 personnel across five multi-country offices—spanning North, West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa—the office advances national priorities through strategic initiatives in Climate Action, Health, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Middle-Income Country Support, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Regional Office provides strategic leadership, operational support, and oversight in key areas including Partnerships, Communications, Management and Oversight, Infrastructure and Project Management, Health and Safety, and Security. By promoting excellence in project delivery, fostering knowledge sharing, and driving continuous improvement, the office contributes to sustainable infrastructure, transparent resource management, and a better quality of life for communities across the continent.

Since 1999, the Central Africa Multi-Country Office (CAMCO), headquartered in Yaounde, Kinshasa, has partnered with UN agencies, international organizations, and governments in 15 Central African nations. CAMCO provides fund management, technical assistance, and capacity-building across critical sectors—infrastructure, health, education, governance, procurement, and environmental protection—while working with national and local authorities to secure local ownership and sustainable impact. The diverse portfolio spans rural-community empowerment, road rehabilitation, and peace consolidation in the DRC and CAR through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programmes, alongside wide-ranging procurement and human-resource services. Recent initiatives include drinking-water systems in Cameroon, mining-sector capacity-building, health-system support in the DRC, and infrastructure development in Madagascar, funded by a broad array of international partners. Together, these projects advance regional stability, resilient infrastructure, and improved livelihoods throughout Central Africa.

Since 2014, UNOPS has been a key partner in the Central African Republic (CAR), delivering essential services in project management, procurement, and human resources to support national development and peacebuilding efforts. UNOPS strengthens community resilience, enhances transportation infrastructure, and contributes to peace and security, aligning closely with government priorities. Key initiatives include the World Bank/AFD-funded PURIC project, restoring critical infrastructure and improving rural connectivity; INUSCA-supported Community Violence Reduction (CVR) programmes, promoting conflict prevention and social cohesion; and the rehabilitation of the Bangui Paediatric Hospital’s Neonatology Unit, funded by the Italian Cooperation. UNOPS also implements health infrastructure projects supported by the Global Fund, expanding access to essential healthcare. Additionally, UNOPS provides human resource services for MINUSCA, enabling effective peace operations. Through this diverse portfolio, UNOPS is committed to delivering tangible, sustainable results that build a more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous future for the people of CAR.

The Communications Senior Assistant executes assigned communications tasks to highlight project achievements and impact. The incumbent coordinates content creation across multiple platforms, from news articles and social media to publications and press releases. The Communications Senior Assistant also possesses strong writing and organizational skills, and is able to manage project logistics, maintain records, and support outreach efforts, including pitching stories to media outlets.

Communications Support

• Gather success stories, lessons learned, and testimonials to illustrate project impact.
• Coordinate dissemination of messages and materials across platforms, ensuring consistency with project goals.
• Work with interpreters to translate/localize communication materials for diverse audiences.
• Support scheduling, budgeting and coordination with vendors and partners for communication projects.
• Maintain records and documentation of activities. Support timely reporting.
• Manage communication tools and resources (e.g. digital assets, databases, contact lists, etc).

Project Support and Communications

• Provide logistical and administrative support for communication events, workshops and campaigns.
• Assist in monitoring communication activities to measure reach and impact.

Content Development

• Contribute to drafting and editing content for websites, social media, newsletters, and press releases.
• Assist in producing publications, reports and other materials that highlight project achievements.

Research and Analysis

• Collect information to support the development of communication strategies, identifying trends and opportunities.
• Gather feedback from audiences to inform strategy improvement.
• Support the Partnerships team in maintaining engagement records and dashboards
• Provide administrative support for meetings, travel and partner surveys.
• Capture project achievements and ensure proper visibility through social media and events.
• Document project activities and assist with beneficiary data tracking for reporting purposes.

Media Content and Outreach

• Produce locally relevant news articles, feature stories, interviews and media briefs.
• Translate/ adapt communication materials for national audiences.
• Identify and pitch stories to national/ regional media outlets, and support press events.
• Maintain media-engagement records and submit monitoring reports.

Knowledge Building and Sharing

• Actively participate in communications-related training and capacity-building initiatives for personnel.
• Contribute to knowledge networks and Communities of Practice (CoPs).

Required

• Secondary school (or equivalent) with 5 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline with 1 year of relevant experience is required.

Desired

• A globally or nationally recognized professional certificate in communications, journalism, or digital and social media communications is desired.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in communications, public relations, media, journalism or related fields.

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.
• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
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• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.