Communication Officer (Partnerships and Donors), NO-A, Temporary Appointment, Sao Paulo, Brazil #137207

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to partnerships

UNICEF’s work is funded entirely through voluntary contributions from individual donors, corporate partners, philanthropists, and governments. Recognizing the importance of our donors – and the critical role communication plays in supporting fundraising efforts – UNICEF has established the position of Communication Officer for Partnerships and Donors. This role is focused on delivering core communication activities aimed at strengthening the UNICEF brand, enhancing donor visibility, and contributing to the achievement of fundraising goals.

For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the supervision of the Communication Specialist, working in partnership with Marketing Services Unit, and in close collaboration with Communication, Programme, and Partnerships and Fundraising teams – the Communication Officer (Partnerships and Donors) will design, implement, monitor, and evaluate communication strategies, with the objective of leveraging fundraising results and strengthening the UNICEF brand. This includes developing media outreach strategies, content creation (human-interest stories and organic social media posts), crisis management, and measuring the visibility and impact of UNICEF’s communication for partnerships and donor initiatives. It also includes brand‑strengthening strategies developed collaboratively by the Communications and Fundraising teams.

KEY EXPECTED RESULTS

1. Communication strategies: develop and implement communication strategies for partnerships and donors

• Design and implement joint communication plans, campaigns, and donor engagement initiatives across media, digital, social media, and web platforms to ensure visibility of corporate partnerships.
• Coordinate and manage the production of communication materials (e.g. briefing notes, human‑interest stories, images, videos, and web content), ensuring alignment with country and global standards, with a focus on partnerships and donors.

2. Media relations: deliver effective and timely media relations activities to strengthen the UNICEF brand and enhance visibility for partnerships and donors

• Develop and implement media engagement strategies that highlight UNICEF’s results and impact for children, with the support of partners and donors.
• Maintain and expand relationships with key journalists and media outlets across print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
• Produce and coordinate media content (e.g. press releases, articles, human‑interest stories) and support media training for UNICEF spokespeople to reinforce brand messaging and donor visibility.

3. Individual donors and special events: support donor‑focused campaigns, events, and initiatives through strategic communication guidance

• Develop and support communication strategies to maximize the reach and visibility of donor‑focused campaigns, projects, and events across media and social media.
• Provide communication support for reputational risk management and crisis communication, in coordination with PFP and Communication teams, before, during, and after key events and campaigns.

4. Monitoring and evaluation: ensure continuous improvement through monitoring and reporting of communication activities

• Monitor and assess the results and impact of communication activities for partnerships and individual donors.
• Compile metrics, analysis, and key insights for inclusion in donor reports and other internal and external reporting.

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: University degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 1 year of practical experience in communication, print and broadcast media or interactive digital media.
• Experience in communication planning and implementation, including campaigns and partnerships
• Experience in media relations across traditional and digital media.
• Experience in donor‑focused communication, supporting fundraising objectives.
• Experience of working with UNICEF or another United Nations agency or international non-governmental organization is an asset.

Skills

• Strong writing and editing skills for press, advocacy, and digital content.
• Ability to develop brand messaging and positioning.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate communication activities.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Portuguese required.
• Knowledge of Spanish will be considered as an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. 

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.]

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.