Assistant Public Information Officer

TERMS OF REFERENCE

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and is mandated to provide assistance and protection to a population of some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip to achieve their full potential in human development, pending a just solution to their plight. UNRWA’s services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.

Consultancy – Assistant Public Information Officer

Place in the Organisation

The incumbent is responsible to the Field Public Information Officer. S/he supervises staff as assigned. Chief, Strategic Communications Division provides technical supervision.

Description of Duties and Responsibilities

In accordance with Agency policy and procedures, the incumbent:

1. Translates documents from Arabic to English and vice versa, as required;
2. Maintains regular contact with the local and international media representatives to promote better understanding and coverage of the Agency’s work, and to encourage the media to use UNRWA as a source of information on registered Palestine refugees;
3. Provides ideas for coverage of Field activities; researches material and drafts text in Arabic and English for Headquarters public information material, including for the Agency’s English and Arabic website and UNRWA official Facebook and Twitter accounts; supports internal communication by working on the Arabic staff portal (Field and Agency-wide) and assisting with content management;
4. Provides office support and operational assistance to Field PIO in advising the Field Office Director;
5. Monitors daily press and prepares daily/weekly press summaries and monthly reports; supports the Field PIO in communication to refugees and community outreach; assists in the implementation of the Agency-wide annual Communications Plan/Strategy;
6. Briefs and escorts donors and VIPs to the Field and supports donor visibility requirements; interprets when required;
7. Deputizes for Field PIO in his/her absence;
8. Performs such other duties as may be assigned.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

1. University degree in journalism, communications, public relations or related discipline.
2. Five years’ experience in public information and public relations, including experience in writing publications in Arabic and English and in handling media inquiries.
3. Excellent knowledge of written and spoken Arabic and English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

1. Knowledge of Agency operations;
2. Knowledge of contemporary issues of the Middle East;
3. Working knowledge of any other language;
4. Possession of a valid driving license.

Competencies

1. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others in a team environment and with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and nationalities;
2. Ability to translate and interpret accurately from and into Arabic and English;
3. Strong communication skills;
4. Ability to use a variety of computer software including MS Office, Page Maker, Corel Draw and internet;
5. High degree of organizational and political awareness in the Middle East;
6. Ability to draft and edit written materials and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style in Arabic and English;
7. Ability to exercise a high degree of professional discretion.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1. The incumbent may be required to travel frequently throughout the Agency’s area of operations;
2. The job is performed frequently beyond regular working hours.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

1. The duration of the assignment is One year (extendable subject to the performance requirements and organization needs).
2. Monthly basic salary starts from JD 977.20 fils up to 1176.70. Other benefits include compulsory medical insurance, annual leave & dependency allowance (if applicable).

Equivalency

When the minimum requirements are not fully met, the concerned Director may exceptionally substitute part of the unmet requirements with a combination of relevant academic qualifications, additional professional training and progressive relevant work experience.

NB: Work experience alone or formal qualifications with no relevant work experience are not considered an acceptable combination.

How to Apply

Applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing an UNRWA Personal History Form. Please note that UNRWA only accepts degrees from accredited educational institutions. Only applications received throughhttp://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. Please ensure that the e-mail address that you will indicate in your Personal History Profile is accurate, candidates shortlisted for test or interview will only be contacted by e-mail. No follow up phone calls will be made.

The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, testing, interviewing, etc). The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews, please visit: https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI”**