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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, answers

UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight produces publications for the web and for print. These products are required to meet a high standard of quality and adherence to the UNICEF style and branding.

UNICEF Innocenti’s Editorial and Flagship (E&F) unit is involved in more than 120 products a year, including 10 to 15 major products. Over the coming 12 months, a significant number of these products (42 in total) will be linked to the GRASSP Project.

GRASSP stands for gender-responsive and age-sensitive social protection. Innocenti is undertaking this five-year research programme, generously funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and other partners, to examine how such social protection systems can sustainably reduce poverty and achieve gender equality. As this programme comes to an end in 2023, a number of reports and briefs will be issued, in addition to at least one major synthesis report.

UNICEF Innocenti’s Editorial and Flagship Unit seeks a project manager to track and oversee the production of each of these products, from conception to publication on the UNICEF Innocenti website. The Project Manager will be required to have skills in writing, editing and proofreading, so that he or she is able to judge and ensure the quality of work being done by others and contribute to the finalization of documents by resolving ambiguities and confirming that products have been produced to required standards.

How can you make a difference?

The work to be undertaken achieves two purposes: 1. It provides project management for the full suite of products. 2. It ensures that publications are finalized and submitted for uploading to the UNICEF Innocenti website having met required standards for writing, editing, layout and proofreading.

The project manager/assistant editor will provide project management and confirm finalization for up to 42 products – ranging from briefs about 4,000 words to reports of more than 60,000 words (please see attachment).

42 GRASSP Products.pdf

The final deliverables are (1) project management of all publications (2) Finalized products prepared and approved for uploading to the UNICEF Innocenti website.

Project management
Tasks:
• Working with the E&F Communications Specialist (Managing Editor), in communication with the GRASSP technical focal point, maintain documentation of pipeline progress on E&F SharePoint sites.
• Input information for up to 42 products into project management tool, Asana.
• Follow up with GRASSP researchers for missing information and timeline details.
• Coordinate the editing, design, layout and proofreading of up to42 products by managing the work of two consultants (one editor/proofreader, one designer) identified to support the project over a period of 12 months and other service providers as needed.
• Establish timelines and maintain contact with research team focal points, copy-editors, proofreaders and designers
• Regularly update E&F Chief and Research Chiefs responsible for GRASSP on pipeline status.
Deliverables:
• Updated documentation of pipeline progress in E&F SharePoint sites.
• Asana used as a working tool with pipeline for up to 42 products
• Written updates to E&F Chief and Research Chiefs responsible for GRASSP every two weeks.
• Supervision of two consultants (one designer and one editor) and additional service providers as needed.

Publication production
Tasks:
• Work with GRASSP focal point and E&F Communications Specialist (Managing Editor) to determine the appropriate treatment for each publication (e.g. whether copy editing is needed; whether and which template to use for layout).
• On receipt of draft text from the GRASSP researchers and partners, ensure that text is copyedited (if required) according to the UNICEF style.
• Ensure that all necessary materials are provided to designers, copy-editors and proofreaders including Word documents, PDFs and EPS, SVG and Excel assets.
• It is envisaged that some of the editing work will be undertaken by one Editor who will be contracted to support this project. The Project Manager will supervise the work of this Editor. The Project Manager will provide the interface between the Editor and the research teams, ensuring, for example, that complete text and related information (figures, tables) are obtained from the research teams and provided to the Editor. Similarly, the Project Manager will communicate the comments from the Editor to the research teams and help resolve any questions or concerns.
• Depending on the flow of documents from the research teams, which is yet to be determined and subject to change because of the data collection and writing process, the Project Manager will also judge whether there is a need to contract editing work out to other service providers. In this case, the Project Manager will oversee the process of obtaining quotes for services, setting up contracts, and liaising with the external editors. The Project Manager will also revise text based on feedback from external editors.
• Similarly, the Project Manager will oversee the work of a designer. For the bulk of the products, this designer will lay out the publications according to templates (which will be provided by the Innocenti Design Specialist). For the synthesis report, the designer will work with the Innocenti Design Specialist to produce a bespoke layout.
• As for the editing and proofreading, the Project Manager may also need to contract additional external resources for layout, given the volume and flow of publications.
Deliverables:
• Final publications (up to 42) ready for upload to the Innocenti website, with copyediting (where appropriate), layout and proofreading completed and checked.

Supervision and work arrangements:
Work will be conducted under Communications Specialist (Managing Editor) within the Editorial and Flagships unit.
Work can be done remotely.

Timeline
• 15 November 2023 – 30 September 2024
• Bulk of work expected between November and June

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

• Advanced university degree in relevant areas of social sciences, communication, journalism, publishing, international development or a related area
• Professional experience of project management and supervision of editing, design and proofreading services.
• Understanding of copyediting, design and proofreading processes
• Strong and demonstrated capacity to project manage complex processes with multiple internal and external partners
• Experience in international contexts, in particular writing and editing in the United Nations system
• Absolute commitment to rigorous and ethical approach in all aspects of the job
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Low-income/low-middle-income country work experience is considered an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks: 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.