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Snr External Relations Off(UK)

London

  • Organization: UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Location: London
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • External Relations, Partnerships and Resource mobilization
  • Closing Date: Closed

Senior External Relations Officer (UK)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The UK is a key media hub to draw attention to UNHCR's global protection and assistance activities. UNHCR (HC) has chosen the London media hub on several occasions to communicate important global messages, notably lately on urban refugees and on statelessness.

The UK Government is an important donor to UNHCR, both through direct funding and through the UN Common Appeals. In order to maintain, or even expand this relationship, frequent interaction with the Department for International Development (DFID), Foreign and Commonwealth office (FCO) and Parliament is essential to UNHCR's fundraising strategy.

The incumbent works under the direct supervision of the Representative, and in close consultation with the Senior Regional External Relations Officer in Brussels and Communications and Department of External Relations (DER) in Geneva.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT:

Accountability

- UNHCR serves as a professional up-to-date source of information on key refugee/humanitarian policies.
- UNHCR has credibility in the country with external partners to protect, assist and find durable solutions for all persons of concern.
- UNHCR has sufficient support from the country for its global fundraising activities.

Responsibility

- Devise and implement media/public awareness strategies for the UK, which ensure a consistently high media profile for UNHCR operations and issues of concern with the ultimate goal of generating increasing public, political, moral and financial support for the Office and its work.
- Lead media activities and act as spokesperson for UNHCR at press briefings/conferences and in broadcast interviews, this includes:
- Maintaining/expanding regular direct contacts with media;
- Organising and holding press conferences and other media events, including field missions, in support of office activities and concerns;
- Identifying, anticipating and responding to media interest in issues and activities of direct relevance to UNHCR in both negative and positive situations;
- Conceptualising, writing and overseeing timely production and distribution of publications for external audiences, including press releases, updates, web stories and fact sheets on relevant issues in the region and on major operations / emergencies;
- Represent UNHCR in seminars, conferences and round tables focused on asylum/humanitarian issues;
- Organise and hold training courses for media and other external counterparts in charge of covering immigration/asylum issues.
- Implement and co-ordinate public awareness campaigns in the UK for politicians, opinion leaders, senior public and corporate sector counterparts as well as the general public.
- In line with the BE Strategic Directions and RR Western Europe and the derived Branch Office objectives, and in co-operation with DER, support the development and implementation of the Branch Office`s External Affairs Strategies (Communications and Resource Mobilisation).
- Supervise the utilizing of new social media (facebook, twitter etc.), keeps up-to-date with new technological developments, scrunitize risks and opportunities for UNHCR to use them.
- Maintain and enlarge existing network of formal and informal contacts with the British mass media, London based international media, UK parliamentarians, scholars, opinion leaders and decision makers with an interest in supporting UNHCR and its work.
- Ensure the production of  timely PI material (press releases, updates and fact sheets) and specific publications on asylum issues in Europe and on major emergency crises.
- Advise the Representative and colleagues at all levels on the possible public impact of their actions/statement, or lack thereof.
- Support protection initiatives such as conferences and seminars, and implement and co-ordinate public awareness campaigns in coordination with Public Affairs in HQ.
- Gather, process and synthesise all information on UNHCR activities in the region, present it in an interesting , newsworthy way and regularly feed it to UNHCR¿s central PI desk in Geneva for further dissemination via international media, UNHCR website, video/photo units, and other channels.
- Constantly provide reporters and other External Affairs counterparts with new inputs and ideas and propose reportages and co-productions to highlight refugee issues and UNHCR work, locally and world-wide.
- Be available for other media-related duties and missions to areas other than the assigned region, particularly in emergency situations.
- Support UNHCR's PSFR  activities in the UK in the form of media, devise and in support of PSFR strategies, establish and/or develop relationships with the private and coporate sector.
- Supervise, guide and coach UNHCR external affairs staff in all aspects of PI and EA related work, including budgetting for related activities.
- If required deputize for Representative and perform any other task as required.

Authority

- Represent UNHCR in a broad range of fora, i.e. Government, NGOs, academia, and think tanks based in the UK. 
- Speak on behalf of UNHCR towards media, Government and at public events.
- Write articles on behalf to UNHCR which are cleared by the Representative.
- Advise UNHCR HQs, RR Brussels and the Representative on all external affairs related matters.
- Oversee design and implementation of external affairs related programme components, including the utilization of resources allocated for PI and PR related activities

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

- Advanced University Degree on Political or Social Sciences, International Relations, Journalism or other related fields
- Minimum 10 years of relevant job experience, from which at least 5 years in an international capacity.
- Excellent writing and communication skills in English language.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES:

- A broad range of pre-existing established contacts and proven working relationships in the UK: media; political; public and corporate sectors.
- Extensive experience of working with the UK based international media (BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera), and  knowledge of its needs, priorities, techniques and approaches.
- Understanding and knowledge of new social media.
- Established understanding and in-depth experience of UK Public and Private Sector Fundraising markets and decision making processes, including established contacts within this system, and an understanding of UK legal and regulatory requirements for UK charities and fundraising.
- Working experience in the field and Headquarters.
- Knowledge of other UN language(s).
This vacancy is now closed.
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