Org. Setting and Reporting
The position is located in the UN Development Coordination Office's (DCO) Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Division, where the incumbent heads the Strategic Communications and Information Integrity Section, in New York, and reports to the Director, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Division/DCO Deputy Director. The incumbent works closely across DCO and with partners across the wider United Nations system, including relevant Secretariat offices and departments such as the Department of Global Communications (DGC) and the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. The Chief of Section, Strategic Communications and Information Integrity, leads DCO's strategic communications, information integrity and communications innovation functions across the DCO/RC system. The incumbent sets the strategic direction for communications that strengthen public trust in the United Nations development system, advance coherent, evidence-based narratives on UN priorities, including SDG acceleration, and position the RC system as a credible and trusted source of information in increasingly complex digital and information environments. The Chief of Section provides strategic advice to DCO senior management on communications opportunities, reputational risk and crisis communications, and oversees the development of system-wide communications strategies, policy guidance, campaigns and partnership approaches, driving innovation in how the United Nations development system communicates. The incumbent leads DCO's support to Resident Coordinators and United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs) in addressing misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, polarization and declining trust in institutions, including in fragile, crisis and politically sensitive contexts. This includes guiding the development of integrated communications strategies, crisis communications approaches, messaging frameworks, guidance materials and training initiatives aligned with UN principles and system-wide priorities, and overseeing the research, monitoring and analysis of information risks that inform prevention, mitigation and response at country, regional and global levels. Innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) are at the core of the role. The Chief of Section leads DCO's communications innovation agenda and the organization's adaptation to an information environment transformed by AI, including AI-mediated search and information discovery, synthetic content, the fragmentation of audiences across new and emerging platforms, and evolving risks to information integrity. This includes identifying, testing and scaling AI-enabled and other emerging tools for monitoring, analysis, content production, translation and audience engagement, in line with UN principles on the ethical and responsible use of AI; positioning DCO, UNSDG and UNCT digital platforms as trusted and authoritative sources of information in an AI-mediated environment; and fostering a culture of experimentation and learning across the section and the wider RC system communications network, in collaboration with DGC, UN innovation initiatives, technology partners and academia. The incumbent oversees the strategic evolution of DCO's global digital ecosystem, including the DCO and UNSDG websites, UNCT websites, social media platforms, multimedia products and data-driven storytelling linked to transparency, accountability and results reporting, including through UN INFO and related digital platforms. The incumbent ensures that the section's work integrates behavioral science, audience insights and data-informed approaches, with performance monitoring frameworks that measure reach, credibility and impact. As Chief of Section, the incumbent manages a multidisciplinary team covering strategy and information integrity, digital strategy, strategic communications and innovation, campaigns and knowledge management, and is responsible for workplanning, resource and budget management, and the professional development of staff. The incumbent oversees the section's knowledge management and capacity-building functions, including training initiatives delivered in partnership with DGC and other UN communications partners, global and regional communities of practice, and the section's networks of communications colleagues at country, regional and global levels, as well as the procurement and management of design and creative services. The Chief of Section establishes and maintains relationships with senior management in DCO and across the United Nations Secretariat, Communications leads across the United Nations system, managers in other functional areas, Crisis Management Teams when activated, and staff at headquarters, regional and country levels to provide strategic communications leadership and guidance, coordinate integrated communications planning and crisis and advocacy communications efforts, and strengthen organizational preparedness and response capacity across the DCO/RC system. The Chief of Section also establishes and maintains external relationships with counterparts in United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, senior government officials, civil society representatives and local communities, digital and social media platforms, technology partners, academia, think tanks, behavioral science experts, media organizations, creative content producers and private sector actors to build and manage strategic partnerships, exchange knowledge and best practices, align messaging, strengthen information integrity, and mobilize support and resources for UN priorities, including SDG acceleration.
Responsibilities
• Advise senior management and/or UN colleagues on strategic communications issues such as opportunities for proactive communications, building support, managing crises and reputational risks, and strengthening information integrity. • Guide the analysis and provide insights from traditional, social, and digital media monitoring including on public narratives and areas of reputational risk to inform communications strategies. • Oversee the development and implementation of communications strategies that raise awareness, drive engagement, build support and have measurable impact with target audiences. • Coordinate the creation and updating of policy, guidance and/or training related to strategic communications, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. • Keep abreast of the latest trends in communications and maintain expertise in relevant and emerging technologies. • Manage and coordinate the activities of the team, including hiring, training, assigning tasks and responsibilities, evaluating performance, and ensuring that deadlines are met. • Plan and manage required resources to implement the responsibilities, projects, and activities. • Provide guidance to team members to promote professional development and a positive team culture. • Oversee the development and implementation of digital communication strategies, including social media and/or website strategies, which raise awareness, drive engagement, build support and have measurable impact with target audiences. • Oversee the planning, development, and execution of research methodologies - quantitative and qualitative - to monitor, collect, analyse and report on risks to information integrity across various online and/or offline information sources. • Guide the identification and cataloguing of incidents and patterns of information threats. • Lead the development and implementation of communication and/or advocacy strategies to promote and strengthen information integrity, including through monitoring, analyzing, responding to misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, hate speech, threats across the online and offline environment, and the development of relevant partnerships with various actors. • Coordinate the development and implementation of integrated entity-wide actions to monitor, analyze and respond to misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, hate speech and strengthen information integrity, including by acting as secretary/coordinator for integrated mechanisms to address information integrity at the mission and/or country level. • Provide advice to senior management and oversee development of guidance materials for internal stakeholders to strengthen information integrity, through immediate and long-term actions tailored to the specific context and/or mandate of the entity. • Identify and cultivate strategic communications partnerships with relevant internal and external stakeholders to support UN campaigns, initiatives, or programmes and expand reach, strengthen knowledge, increase innovation, and raise funds, in line with the organisation's policies and regulations.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to lead strategic communications and innovation in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment, including the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to strengthen information integrity and public trust. Ability to build and maintain partnerships. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and proficiency in subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style, and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow: empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; drives for change and improvements; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. JUDGMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies key issues in complex situations, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, digital communications or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Job - Specific Qualification
Not available.
Work Experience
A minimum of ten years of experience in communications, international relations, or other relevant areas, is required. Knowledge of strategic communications principles and practices is required. Ability to develop and implement communications strategies is required. Knowledge of current and emerging digital media platforms, their principles and technologies is required. Knowledge of risks to information integrity - misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and threats in fragile, post conflict, and crisis environments is required. Ability to develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is desirable. Ability to identify trends and provide insights is desirable. Skills to communicate complex and technical matters to diverse audiences is desirable. Project management skills is desirable. Skill in policy development in international or multilateral organizational setting is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).
Required Languages
LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingEnglishUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level IIIUN Level III
Desirable Languages
LanguageReadingWritingListeningSpeakingFrenchUN Level IUN Level IUN Level IUN Level I
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise, which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This temporary position is available for 6 months. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
