About us

Programme Communication Officer (UC)

Location: Lucknow
Closing Date: 24th February 2010 

Job code: UNPCOUC

Purpose of the post:
The jobholder works at the State and District level. They work under the daily supervision of the Programme Manager Polio, in close consultation with the Chief of Field Office, and with sector specific guidance from the Programme Communication Chief.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide technical oversight and guidance to the underserved strategy as part of the polio communication effort in Uttar Pradesh. The officer will be responsible for conceptualizing, supporting and monitoring/assessing the implementation of activities focused on ensuring children from underserved communities are at a reduced risk from polio. This will include the identification and mentoring of state and district partnerships, providing technical advice to district teams on underserved activities, liaising directly with prominent leaders from underserved communities, and managing SSAs/PCAs and other financial resources related to the underserved strategy. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership on the conceptualization, development and implementation of an underserved strategy as part of the overall communication response to polio. Provide leadership in the development, implementation and analysis of data from a monitoring and assessment framework for the underserved strategy.

• Assess the social determinants that impact on polio transmission in areas where communities are underserved and marginalized, paying particular reference to aspects of social exclusion that lead to vaccine-avoidance behaviors and community-wide rejection of the polio programme.

• Support partners (AMU, JH, JMI, Milli Council, and others) through formal and informal arrangements to provide operational and technical support to the underserved strategy, mobilizing sub-regional, district and sub-districts networks that promote polio and routine immunization at the community level.

• Contribute to the development and use of advocacy materials, tools and IEC materials that can promote positive family and community responses to immunization by underserved communities.

• Liaise with government and partner organizations on UNICEF activities in polio eradication. Collaborate as required, with other sections within the UNICEF   office notably the Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation and Child Protection sections around issues related to outreach activities amongst the underserved communities.

• Provide support to the SMNet Sub-regional Coordinators in recruitment, monitoring and assessing the performance of the district based Underserved Coordinators, providing timely feedback on strategy implementation, networking and partnership formation.

Qualifications, Experience and competencies required:

• University degree in the Social/behavioural sciences (Social Work, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Health, Education), or other fields related to the work of UNICEF.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in social mobilization, and/or project management. Programme implementation experience in polio eradication is an asset. Experience in health communication an asset. Preference to people with work experience in a UN agency and work experience in UP
• Fluency in English and Hindi. Knowledge of Urdu an asset.
• Degree or training in media and communication with experience in strategic communication planning for behavior development/ social mobilization /advocacy/ participatory communication/ development and production of creative materials/ research, training or facilitation of communication/ impact evaluation of communication interventions, an asset.
• Proven skills in programme communication networking, advocacy and negotiation.
• Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in written and oral form and to listen to and acknowledges others' perspectives and views.
• Excellent analytical skills to synthesize diverse sets of data and information and present it persuasively at official forums.
• Drive for Results.
• Ability to draft official progress reports for donors and government partners in collaboration with programme sections.
• Computer skills, including internet navigation, and various office applications
• Understanding of Rights-based and Results-based approach and programming.
• Knowledge of latest theory, methodology, technology and tools in the functional areas.
• Ability to undertake communication capacity building.
• Understanding of development and production of creative materials.
• Ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment

Application consisting of a cover letter and an up-to-date CV should be sent to nonprofitjobs@abcconsultants.net before 24th February 2010. In order to ensure that your application is sorted correctly, please clearly mention the Job Code of the post and location in the subject line of your e-mail/application. 
Only applications of short listed candidates will be acknowledged. This vacancy is open to Indian Nationals only.

UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment.
Applications from qualified women are encouraged.