Project Specialist (Voter Awareness Planning) [Open to Tier 0, 1 & 2 applicants]

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The Voter Outreach for Transparent Elections (VOTE) Fiji project is working with the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) to improve transparency, foster civic awareness, and implement a robust gender-sensitive approach across all its programming. The project is designed to contribute to the establishment of a representative and inclusive democracy, addressing barriers that could hinder effective electoral processes. The Project has four Fiji specific outputs:  

1. Advanced Civic and Voter Education for Heightened Public Engagement, Participation, and Trust.  
2. Improved Civic Education Election Curriculum Fostering Youth Knowledge and Understanding.  
3. Enhanced Operational Templates for Improved Election Efficiency, Confidence, and Transparency.
4. Strengthening ESAG: Elevating Election Security, Collaboration, Preparedness.  

As part of Output 1, the project is currently supporting the planning and preparations of outreach and awareness programs for the elections scheduled for 2026 and 2027. Beyond this immediate priority, the position is also intended to provide the FEO with sustained capacity to effectively manage not only the general elections but also all subsequent electoral processes, including local government elections and any future national or special elections. By establishing this role as a long-term support function, the FEO will strengthen its institutional ability to consistently deliver transparent, inclusive, and efficient electoral processes well past the project life.

This Program and Project align with the UNDP Multi-Country Program Document (2023-2027) Strategic Plan outcome, "No-one left behind," which centers on equitable access to opportunities and a rights-based approach to ongoing human agency and human development. The project's outputs directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), Country Program Document (CPD), & Regional Programme Document (RPD).

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project Specialist will advise on the implementation of a comprehensive public outreach campaign for the upcoming elections. This will include providing strategic guidance on the design and execution of social media strategy with tailored content to enhance voter awareness and engagement; offering expertise in branding and mass media marketing to inform the development, production, and placement of key messages across various platforms; and advising on the planning, training, and monitoring of Community Election Advocates to ensure effective grassroots voter education and feedback collection.

Beyond these immediate priorities, the specialist will play a critical role in strengthening the FEO’s long-term communications and outreach capacity, ensuring that lessons learned and systems developed are embedded and applied to future electoral cycles. In this way, the position will contribute to sustainable voter education and enduring public trust in electoral processes.

The Project Specialist (Voter Awareness Planning) will work under the VOTE Fiji Program Manager.

Within delegated authority, the Project Specialist (Voter Awareness Planning) will be responsible for the following duties:

Social media Advisory Support:

• To enhance public awareness, engagement and trust in the electoral processes, the specialist will support the FEO on developing consistent, engaging, and inclusive social media content. This will include guidance on creating a content calendar aligned with civic education goals, recommending specific strategies for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and advising on the use of diverse content formats such as videos, infographics, and livestreams. Support will extend to reviewing analytics to improve reach among underrepresented groups, providing templates and training to staff, and advising on design services, message development, and crisis communication planning to counter online misinformation and harmful gender stereotypes.

Branding and Mass Media Marketing Advisory Support

• Providing advisory support to help the FEO build a strong, recognisable, electoral brand that promotes neutrality, inclusion, and citizen participation. This work will involve guidance on refreshing the visual identity, developing integrated marketing campaigns across traditional and digital platforms, and advising on the design of branded materials and strategic media placement. Emphasis will be placed on using storytelling techniques that highlight women’s leadership, youth voices, and diverse community perspectives, thereby strengthening democratic values and participation. The role will also involve reviewing creative outputs, advising on media planning and budgeting, and recommending pre-testing and feedback mechanisms to ensure messages are inclusive, culturally appropriate, and effective.

Community Election Advocate (CEA) Planning and Monitoring Support

• Strengthening the role and effectiveness of Community Election Advocates by advising the FEO on field planning, training, and monitoring. This includes refining roles and responsibilities, co-designing frameworks for grassroots activities, and supporting the development of training modules that promote voter inclusion, gender equality, and strategies to counter misinformation. The role will also involve development of templates, monitoring tools, and community feedback systems, with ensuring that perspectives of women, youth, and marginalised groups are captured. Advisory support will extend to recommending approaches to logistics, outreach material design, and real-time troubleshooting to ensure grassroots voter education is both inclusive and effective.

Knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy 

• Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training and other relevant capacity building activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia. 
• Proactively identify and pursue opportunities for the documentation and communication of best practices, programme results, and lessons learned under the project.
• Actively participate in and make substantive contributions to external networks and communities of practice to promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends. 
• Support establishment of knowledge platforms and innovative mechanisms for capturing and disseminating knowledge

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.

Competencies

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Communications

• Advocacy strategy and implementation: Ability to create and implement advocacy strategies which lead to impactful change

Partnership management

• Strategic engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives

Business Management

• Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs.; Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
• Partnerships Management: Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

Business Direction & Strategy

• Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Effective Decision Making: Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
   

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in journalism, communications or related field is required, or
• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years (with Master’s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of working experience in relevant professional experience in areas such as governance, democratic governance, elections, civic education, or inclusion fields.

Required skills:    

• Experience working with Election Management Bodies outreach or communications, applied to electoral processes is required.
• Experience in designing and implementing voter outreach programs for diverse voter groups.
• Proven track record of expertise in civic and voter education planning and electoral operational processes.”
• Experience working with election officials, community leaders, and media partners to enhance outreach efforts.
• Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired Skills:

• Experience in the Pacific region preferred
• Proven track record in managing and developing voter/civic education programs
• Have experience in developing targeted voter messaging and coordinating multi-channel outreach (mass media, social media, and community engagement).

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in written and spoken English language required
   

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.

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