JOB DESCRIPTION

Deadline for Applications

September 9, 2025

Hardship Level

B

Family Type

Family

Family Type

Family

Residential location (if applicable)

Grade

GS7

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

Target Start Date

2025-10-01

Standard Job Description

Senior Communications Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Communications Associate is normally supervised by a Communication Officer or other position as decided by the senior management in the area of responsibility (AoR). The supervisor provides the incumbent with regular guidance, who works quite independently on regular assignments with an oversight from the supervisor. S/he keeps frequent contacts with staff at various levels in the office and occasionally with staff at the same level in other duty stations and/or Headquarters; with media, local suppliers, NGO, implementing partners, embassies and UN agencies. The incumbent normally supervises some support staff.

The Senior Communications Associate, depending on the organizational structure and location, may also be required to provide support in executing a range of communications activities in the fields of news and media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, video production, Goodwill Ambassadors and other influencers, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, analytics and brand. The incumbent may also be required to help strengthen coordination and editorial planning in the AoR, support advocacy, awareness-raising and digital fundraising efforts as well as strengthening analytics to inform the social media strategies and work plans.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR”s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
– Support the implementation of communications strategies for countries, situations and special projects within the AoR; help identify thematic priorities and target audiences to meet UNHCR”s global, regional and country-level communications objectives of leading the narrative, generating empathy and mobilizing action for forcibly displaced and stateless people.
– Monitor news and popular trends to insert UNHCR”s messaging into ongoing conversations; identify key moments for proactive communications.
– Help forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce and promote UNHCR content, activities and messaging as well as provide research insights to improve communications; promote the work of engaged businesses and civil society actors.
– Support the development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCR”s impact (e.g. interviews, press releases, flagship reports, speeches), create emotive storytelling to generate empathy (e.g. stories, multimedia content) and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees (e.g. digital diplomacy, action-driven campaigns, fundraising).
– Help ensure that content created reaches maximum impact by supporting the development of strategies for distribution from the outset, boosting the visibility of our content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.
– Monitor the implementation of communications projects and adjust accordingly.
– Assist in research, preparation, editing and production of professional media and communications materials for target audiences and ensure their timely dissemination via UNHCR”s communications channels, ensuring highest quality standards.
– Continually maintain and upgrade communications skills, keeping abreast of emerging platforms and tools, and systematically reviewing media impact results and other measurement tools for learning purposes.
– May be required to support the implementation of campaigns, events and other initiatives in support of UNHCR”s strategic objectives, including its need for a leading share of voice on refugee and related matters.
– May be required to undertake missions and field trips with media and other official visitors in support of UNHCR and its work.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 – 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not specified.

Certificates and/or Licenses
Journalism, Social Sciences, Humanities or related fields
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential:
Excellent computer skills and knowledge of MS Office applications. Excellent drafting skills.

Desirable:
Experience implementing communications strategies. Professional writing and editing skills. Experience working on advocacy campaigns.

Functional Skills
CO – Drafting and editing content for International Organizations
CO-International Media Contacts
CO-Journalism (incl. print, broadcast, photography, video, layout & graphics)
CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)
CO-Editing
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile

Operational Context

UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and other forcibly displaced people. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

The UNHCR Zambia Multi-Country Office covers Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. UNHCR supports the Governments of Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe to provide an enabling protection environment that allows asylum seekers, refugees and former refugees to be protected, be self-reliant and achieve durable solutions.

The three countries have adopted a comprehensive refugee response approach as envisioned by the New York Declaration of 2016 and the Global Compact on Refugees of 2018, which guide the countries’ refugee and asylum responses. The framework envisages an all-of-society approach with solid investment and support from the international community to meet both immediate life-saving humanitarian needs and long-term solutions through development action.

As of 31 July 2025, Zambia hosts some 111,916 forcibly displaced persons (82,192 refugees; 11,615 asylum seekers and 18,109 former refugees and others of concerns) in three refugee settlements and other urban areas including Lusaka. The vast majority live in the three refugee settlements, namely Mayukwayukwa (27,051), Meheba (45,973), Mantapala (9,480), and some (28,757) have settled in urban locations. The Government of the Republic of Zambia coordinates asylum and refugee management through the office of the Commissioner for Refugees in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security and in close collaboration with other government departments and the inter-governmental steering committee established for this purpose, with the direct support of UNHCR. UNHCR in Zambia has three field offices/units (one in Solwezi, one in Kawambwa, one in Kaoma) and a Representation Office in Lusaka.

Malawi hosts some 240,461 forcibly displaced persons (35,143 refugees; 23,263 asylum-seekers and 182,051 internally displaced persons). Most of refugees in Malawi live in the heavily congested Dzaleka Refugee Camp which has 14, 123 households located near the capital Lilongwe and was set up in 1994 to accommodate just between 10,000 and 12,000 people. While maintaining open borders for people seeking safety, the Government of Malawi has historically taken a restrictive approach to managing refugee situations by making several reservations to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Its domestic legal framework reflects these reservations and consequently refugees face restrictions on their freedom of movement through the encampment policy, experience limited access to self-reliance opportunities.

Zimbabwe hosts some 23,790 forcibly displaced persons (9,294 refugees; 13,480 asylum seekers and 1,016 others of concern). The Government of Zimbabwe has made several pledges at the Global Refugee Forums in 2019 and 2023, including commitments to transform Tongogara Refugee Camp into a settlement and service center. Tongogara refugee camp is located in a region prone to climate-related shocks with risks human-wildlife conflict (drought and floods).

Nature of the Position
The Senior Communications Associate – Government Liaison is based in Lusaka and reports to the External Relations Officer in the Multi-Country Office, Zambia. S/he will be responsible for matters related to communications, partnerships, and resource mobilization, for the countries covered by the Multi-Country Office, while providing direct support to the Multi-Country Representative on liaison responsibilities with government and other cooperating partners. The incumbent will work closely with managers across the multi-country operation, with counterparts at the Regional Bureau and Headquarters, and will engage with government counterparts, media, local suppliers, NGOs, implementing and cooperating partners, embassies, and UN agencies.

The incumbent will contribute to the design and implementation of communication strategies, including media relations, multimedia content production, social media engagement, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, analytics, and brand management. At the same time, the position requires active liaison with government and other stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, support policy implementation, and advance refugee protection and solutions priorities.

In 2024, the Government of the Republic of Zambia launched its first-ever National Refugee Policy and Implementation Plan, aimed at delivering long-term local solutions for refugees and former refugees. Building on Zambia’s pledges under the Global Compact on Refugees, the Senior Communications Associate – Government Liaison will play a critical role in facilitating UNHCR’s support to the Government in implementing this policy. This includes leveraging UNHCR’s convening role to mobilize new partners and ensure that the partners in Zambia receive regular information updates on new developments.

The incumbent will be expected to establish and maintain strong working relations with key government ministries in Zambia, as well as relevant counterparts in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Close monitoring of political, legislative, and operational developments will be essential to anticipate implications for UNHCR’s work and to guide the office’s communications and advocacy strategies in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

A critical part of the role is to shape narratives, identify priority themes, and target audiences to meet UNHCR’s global, regional, and country-level communications objectives: leading public discourse, generating empathy, and mobilizing action for forcibly displaced and stateless persons. The incumbent will also analyse political developments with potential operational impact, including those related to the Global Compact on Refugees, Global Refugee Forum, and other UN initiatives.

The Senior Communications Associate – Government Liaison will further be responsible for developing strategic partnerships with media actors, civil society, and the private sector to amplify UNHCR’s messaging and strengthen visibility. The role includes producing and disseminating high-quality communications materials, supporting the rollout of campaigns and events, and ensuring that UNHCR maintains a strong, credible, and empathetic voice in refugee and statelessness matters across the region.

Desired Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have proven experience representing an international organization, government, or similar entity with professionalism, discretion, and political neutrality. The candidate should demonstrate a solid understanding of political dynamics, government structures, and decision-making processes, with the ability to provide informed policy advice and guidance. A strong background in policy analysis is essential, including the capacity to assess government policies and evaluate their implications for United Nations mandates and refugee protection priorities. The candidate must have experience in advocacy and promotion of institutional priorities, with a proven ability to build consensus and support among government counterparts, partners, and other stakeholders.
Professional experience in strategic communications is critical, particularly in the design and dissemination of key messages aligned with organizational goals.

The candidate should possess superior public speaking and presentation skills in English, with the capacity to brief senior officials and represent the organization effectively at high-level meetings and events. Advanced drafting and reporting skills are required, including the preparation of speeches, press releases, policy briefs, donor updates, and other high-quality communication products. Moreover, the candidate must have experience and skills in multimedia content production, social media engagement, video production, public outreach and campaigns, fundraising, and multimedia content visibility boosting.

Strong intercultural communication skills are essential, alongside the ability to adapt messaging and engagement strategies to diverse cultural and political contexts. Practical experience using both traditional and digital media platforms to enhance outreach, visibility, and stakeholder engagement is highly desirable.
The role requires significant stakeholder engagement expertise, with a proven ability to manage relationships with governments, NGOs, donors, civil society, the private sector, as well as the ability to build and sustain networks and long-term partnerships based on trust and collaboration. Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues, partnership forums, and roundtables is also required.

Knowledge of UNHCR operations, particularly in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, as well as strong political awareness and contextual understanding of refugee-related issues and policy environments in the region, would be considered an advantage.

The candidate should demonstrate readiness to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and the ability to meet deadlines while maintaining the highest professional standards.

Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):

English

,

,

Desired languages

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Additional duties of the position related to Government Liaison are as follows:

• Assist the supervisor in the establishment of close working relations with officials in various ministries especially Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Provide support to senior management in dealing with the challenges posed by the political context, developments with the Government and issues related to humanitarian and development processes.

• Draft correspondence, reports and assists in the drafting of briefing notes, background material, talking points, facts sheets as required.

• Coordinate with different units in the office that information presented to government authorities is duly verified and endorsed by the supervisor.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Negotiation & conflict resolution, Stakeholder management

UNHCR Salary Calculator

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted, and candidates may be required to sit for written test and/or oral interview.

Functional clearance

This position doesn”t require a functional clearance