Reference

PN/FJ/122/20

Consultancy Title

Strategic Communications Consultant

Duty Station

Suva, Fiji

Application deadline

25th Nov 2020                      

Type of Contract

Individual Contractor

Level

National Consultancy

Languages required:

English

Duration of Contract:

40 days between, December 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021

The UN Resident Coordinator (RC) provides leadership to the Pacific Joint UN Country Team and the UN’s programming work, as outlined in the UN Pacific Strategy, in support of national priorities. The RC has a team composed of national and international staff, forming the Fiji RC Multi-Country Office (RCO), and is based in Suva, Fiji. The RCO Fiji oversees 10 Pacific Small Island Developing States (Pacific SIDS or PSIDS), namely Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Twenty-six resident and non-resident UN entities are signatories to the UNPS and members of The Pacific Joint UN Country Team.

The RCO fulfils ten core coordination functions, namely strategic analysis and planning; oversight of the UN country programming cycle; representation of and support of UN Secretariat and UN agencies (incl. non-resident agencies); support to national coordination systems and processes; development and management of shared operational support services; crisis management preparedness and response; external communication and advocacy; human rights and development; joint resource mobilisation and fund management; and general UNCT oversight and coordination.

Strategic Communications Consultant will be based in the RCO Fiji and will work under the direct supervision of the Resident Coordinator and in close coordination with RCO Team Leader. The Communications Consultant works in close coordination with UN Communications Group and other stakeholders, internal and external clients.

The Consultant is expected to support the following activities:

• With a focus on the implementation of sustainable development programmes in the Pacific, takes the lead in strategy, planning, development and implementation of large, complex communications strategies and campaigns with both traditional and social media components;
• Works UN Communications Group (UNCG), to develop and implement system-wide campaigns and to incorporate the campaign message and themes into all relevant events and products;
• Provides advice and expertise to the RC and the UN Country Team (UNCT) on a range of communications and public affairs issues, methods, and approaches; anticipates and resolves communications/public relations issues/problems, to include the provision of an effective crisis communications support;
• Supports the work of the UN Communications Group (UNCG) and development of the joint UNCG annual workplan including establishment of the  communication performance indicators;
• Develops and coordinates strategic partnerships with key constituencies, including members of the UNCG, to elicit support for and maximize impact of promotional objectives;
• Develops of a diverse range of information and communications products in support of major campaign initiatives;
• Prepares official briefing materials, talking points, speeches, statements, op-eds and presentations as necessary.
• Drafts complex material for traditional and social media platforms, to include website, official social media accounts, newsletters, periodicals, reports and books, etc.;
• Evaluates results and impact of communications activities; reports on developments, trends and attitudes regarding the UN;
• In collaboration with the UNCG, and in coordination with the RCO colleagues supports results reporting and prepare the annual communication plan to publicize and communicate results with a focus on the UN’s development impact.
• Supports the day-to-day operation of the RCO including participating in coordination of substantive and administrative activities of the office related to communications and advocacy;
• Performs other related duties, as required.

Deliverables

• Monthly progress reports detailing achievements across key areas of work.

Location:

Consultant is expected to be based in Suva, Fiji during the duration of this assignment.

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will physically work from the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and will report directly to the Resident Coordinator

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Monthly Lump Sum Amount(number of working day per month x daily rate) . The daily rate  quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee ( Daily fees to include IC’s medical insurance costs),travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done on a monthly basis upon completion of the deliverables/outputs as assigned.

Academic Qualifications:

Minimum university degree in communication, journalism, international relations, public information or related field.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology.

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated anddetermined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial

criteria specific to the solicitation: Technical Criteria 70% (as indicated above in Experience and

Qualifications section) and Financial Criteria 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be

considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria – Maximum 70 points

• Criteria 1 -   A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in public information, journalism, international relations, public information or related area is required -  25%
• Criteria 2 -Minimum university degree in communication, journalism, international relations, public information or related field-10%
• Criteria 3 -   Two years of experience developing and implementing strategic, multimedia and public information campaigns for a diverse audience is required - 15%
• Criteria 4 - Two years of experience interacting with and managing relations with the media is required - 10%
• Criteria 5 - Excellent writing, planning, research, communication and reporting skills and demonstrated ability to perform well in a multi-cultural environment- 5%
• Criteria 6 - Fluency in English, excellent oral and written communication skills and outstanding interpersonal skills- 5%