Advocacy and Communication are at the centre of UNICEF’s mandate. You will contribute to creating lasting change for children ESAR region wide advocating for their rights, building partnerships, and shaping futures through innovative solutions and impactful action. Accountable for developing, implementing, managing, and monitoring a regional advocacy and communication strategies and associated products, partnerships, and activities. Support resource mobilization, global priorities, and campaign initiatives, especially those of importance to the work of the Eastern and Southern Africa region. Advise, provide guidance, and build communication and advocacy capacity of staff and others throughout the region. Co-ordinate and guide regional monitoring and evaluation of communication. Provide recommendations on global, regional, and country communication and advocacy policy development, and lead on crisis communication for the region. Advise on the articulation of policies and strategies, with an emphasis on key priorities for the region, including education, health, climate, protection, HIV and gender equality and equity.

• Management:  The human resources (the communication and advocacy team) and financial resources (budget planning, management, and monitoring) for the region’s communication and advocacy are both effectively managed and optimally used.
• Communication and advocacy strategy:  The Regional Office has a clear, regional communication and advocacy strategy to highlight children’s issues to external audiences, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF’s mission and objectives. Build awareness, understanding, support and respect for children’s and women’s rights; UNICEF’s work for children’s rights are kept on the policy agenda; and the organization’s credibility and brand are enhanced.
• Capacity building and technical support: Opportunities to build communication and advocacy capacity among regional and country communication and advocacy staff, other colleagues, media, and other relevant partners are regularly identified and addressed. Regional policy guidance, advice and technical support are provided to regional and country offices in communication and advocacy on an ongoing basis.
• Resource mobilization support: Regional support and response to global, regional and country level fund-raising activities led by the partnerships team, are effectively provided and coordinated, keeping GCA, PFP, PPD and EMOPS informed, and country offices receive required advice and support.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Effective advice is provided to country communication and advocacy teams for monitoring and evaluating their communication and advocacy activities; regional communication and advocacy strategies and activities are monitored and evaluated; regional results and lessons learned are identified, collated, and shared with communication and advocacy colleagues in the region and GCA in a timely manner. Opportunities for continuous improvement in communication and advocacy efforts are identified and shared.
• Networking and partnerships: Partnerships and networks are maintained and developed with key communication agencies, journalists, advocacy networks, UN communication colleagues and other relevant partners including key internal divisions including GCA, Programmes and National Committees.
• Regional and Global priorities and campaigns: Leads the implementation of regional advocacy strategies and actions, including campaign initiatives. Amplification and adaptation of global advocacy priorities (GAPs) as and when relevant for the region. 
• Internal Communication and Staff Engagement: provide strategic advice on strengthening the internal, two way communication with staff across the region and Regional Office, promoting inclusive, transparent, and constructive exchanges, advance programmatic priorities, and co-create a values-based organizational culture.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Communication and advocacy, Journalism, Public Relations, or other related fields of disciplines.
• Or an undergraduate degree plus at least 12 years of demonstrated professional experience in the field of journalism, communications and advocacy, external relations, public affairs, public relations or corporate communications and advocacy.

Work Experience

• Ten years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience.
• International and national work experience in both developed and developing countries.
• Professional experience in communication and advocacy, advocacy, print, broadcast, new media.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency situations.