Coordinator (UN-Water, Zaragoza Office)

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations is looking for an experienced manager with strong leadership and communication skills. The Coordinator will be responsible for discharging the following functions. 1. Leadership: Develop and implement a communication and advocacy programme to promote the implementation of the global water and sanitation agenda; reach out to all partners to mobilize support for and maintain the world's attention on water and sanitation issues; and raise the visibility of the work of the UN system, as coordinated by the UN-Water mechanism, in water and sanitation. 2. Campaigns: Launch campaigns to promote the central themes of the Water for Life Decade (food, health, environment, disaster prevention, energy, transboundary water issues, scarcity, culture, sanitation, pollution and agriculture) for achieving sustainable development. Provide assistance to the members of UN-Water in their water-related communication campaigns as and when requested. Support the efforts of the UN system in launching coordinated campaigns on the occasion of World Water Day. 3. Outreach and Communication: Publish newsletters, occasional papers, monographs, or books, and organize conferences, electronic debates, or other audio-visual means to raise awareness and mobilize support in advancing the progress on themes of the Decade. Such efforts may cover policy and institutional development, technology transfer, integrated water resources management, water governance, stakeholder participation, gender mainstreaming, or mobilizing resources, among others. 4. Information and Analysis: Towards this aim, in partnership with all stakeholders: (a) develop an information base on best practices in the themes of the Water for Life Decade; (b) develop recommendations and frame scenario conditions to put these best practices into action; and (c) produce communication, advocacy and awareness raising material for scaling up of good practices for achieving water and sanitation goals/targets. 5. Capacity Building: Organize training workshops for strengthening technical and institutional capacities of developing countries in designing and implementing communication and outreach activities that will maintain political momentum in favor of the water and sanitation agenda. Liaise and coordinate with various entities of the Host Government, international and regional institutions and networks, and different UN-Water Programmes (the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development and the UN-Water World Water Assessment Programme) in implementing the activities as agreed in the work plan. 6. Management: Manage all aspects of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC) being executed by the United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action Water for Life (2005-2015), Zaragoza, Spain. In this regard, supervise and coordinate staff activities; prepare annual work plans and progress reports; prepare TOR for the consultants to be engaged or for the studies to be carried out; undertake budget revisions; and other administrative and financial responsibilities. Drawing on the strategic advice and guidance received during UN Water meetings, and in close consultation with the Division for Sustainable Development, develop an annual work plan and related implementation strategy. The annual workplan and related progress reports will be presented during UN water meetings, for their endorsement. Perform other duties assigned by the Director of the Division for Sustainable Development.

Competencies

Leadership: Excellent leadership skills in the development and implementation of communication and advocacy programme and project management in general, including ability to establish priorities, ensure accountability and transparency, empower project staff, coordinate and monitor their work; ability to be proactive in developing project strategies to accomplish objectives. Professionalism: Solid expertise in communication, outreach and launching advocacy campaigns; understanding of sustainable development policies and principles would be desirable, particularly in relation to water resources management and water supply and sanitation. The selected candidate should have the ability to: • Develop and implement communications strategies and media campaigns at all levels. • Supervise production of communication and public awareness materials. • Adapt to rapidly evolving communication technologies and solutions. • Plan and organize the work of the Office, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure. • Coordinate inputs from a wide variety of sources and synthesize those into policy and communication briefs. • Plan and organize technical meetings, workshops, seminars and other for a. Accountability: The incumbent should have the ability to: take ownership of all responsibilities and to honor commitments; deliver outputs within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operate in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; and take responsibility for delegated assignments. Communications: Excellent communications skills and a proven record from developing and implementing communication strategies; Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate orally effectively in both English and Spanish; Ability to develop consensus among people with varying points of view; Ability to make presentations clearly, concisely and articulately to senior officials and expert bodies and to defend difficult views and positions. Client orientation: Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with clients and counterparts inside and outside the organization by gaining their trust and respect; Good interpersonal skills. Judgment and decision-making: Initiative, imagination and resourcefulness, energy and tact; proven ability to provide strategic direction and to ensure an effective work structure to maximize productivity and achieve goals (www.unwater.org).

Qualifications

Education
Advanced University degree in social sciences, journalism, communication or other disciplines relevant to the position. Additional background in sustainable development and water resources management would be an asset. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and work experience in communications, media, public relations or related area may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience
The Project Coordinator should have extensive experience in communication, outreach and advocacy activities, with special emphasis on managing programmmes on sustainable development issues, including water resources management. The incumbent should be able to represent DESA/DSD and UN-Water in high level meetings and events. At least 15 years of relevant work experience in the field of communication, outreach and advocacy, in relation to sustainable development. Proven history of involvement in production and/or delivery of communication strategies and campaigns. International experience, particularly in the field of environment and water resources management within the context of sustainable development is highly desirable. Experience in leading a multidisciplinary team and implementing water related projects with focus on outreach and advocacy is required.

Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this position, fluency in English is required and given the location of the office, fluency in Spanish is also required. Fluency in other additional official United Nations languages is desirable, which would facilitate interaction with partners at the global level.

Other Skills
Understanding of intergovernmental decision making processes and their outcomes, in particular the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development is desirable. Understanding of UN-Water mechanism is also desirable.

Application Deadline

28 May 2009

For further details, visit https://jobs.un.org/Galaxy/Release3/vacancy/Display_Vac.aspx?lang=1200&VACID=e1226b4f-b2e3-4a7d-8a3c-930aef2fc9ce