Tunisia CO - International Consultant in Diplomatic and Strategic Communication

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. 

UN Women’s Tunisia country office is supporting Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs organize a series of specialized training sessions in diplomatic communication for senior diplomats. In an era of diplomacy marked by media immediacy, the proliferation of channels of influence and the importance of reputational issues, mastery of strategic communication tools is now a key skill for any diplomat called upon to exercise representative and negotiating responsibilities. This training course therefore aims to equip participants with the analytical, methodological and operational tools necessary for effective institutional communication.

This initiative is part of an integrated strategic approach aimed at increasing the effectiveness of diplomatic efforts, ensuring consistency and coherence in official discourse in various bilateral and multilateral forums, and strengthening Tunisia's influence and visibility on the international stage.

The training will be provided by an experienced expert in strategic communication, holding specialist certifications and possessing in-depth knowledge of the requirements and practices specific to the diplomatic field. The consultant will be reporting to the program coordinator, and will be supported by a program officer, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The selected consultant will position  the strategic design and implementationof a comprehensive five-day training program, leading the consolidation of a modern, structured and effective institutional communication system promoting a positive and credible image of Tunisia on the international stage, and equipping senior Tunisian diplomats to efficiently defend the country’s interests and strategic positions. 

The training sessions will cover the foundations and recent developments in diplomatic communication, key aspects of institutional communication and country image, advanced public speaking techniques, strategic communication and crisis management, relations with national and international media, communicational leadership and gender issues in diplomacy, and practical simulations (press conferences, official statements, interviews).

 

Objectives of the training program

The training sessions aim to strengthen the communication skills of Tunisian diplomats in order to optimize the impact, credibility and consistency of Tunisia's diplomatic action at bilateral and multilateral levels. The specific objectives of the sessions include:

• Institutionalizing modern diplomatic communication techniques and tools.
• Strengthening skills in negotiation, argumentation and influence.
• Developing and establishing communication strategies and operational action plans.
• Structuring and consolidating strategic relational and media networks.
• Professionalizing written and oral communication in Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Mastering non-verbal communication and body language.
• Managing public appearances, press conferences and critical situations.
• Embedding and operationalizing communication management skills in times of crisis.

Target audience

The training session’s target audience includes 24 experienced diplomats, identified as eligible to hold positions of responsibility and officially represent Tunisia abroad.

Content

The consultant will serve as the lead technical expert and strategic advisor, providing high-level technical leadership in the development and delivery of this flagship capacity-building initiative. The consultant will set the strategic direction, design the institutional framework, and ensure alignment of the training modules with Tunisia's diplomatic priorities and international best practices in strategic communication. The selected consultant is expected to further tailor and develop the suggested modules based on their thematic and contextual expertise.

Modules Main content 1. Operational foundations of diplomatic communication Conceptual and strategic framework of diplomatic communication, role and strategic positioning of diplomats as strategic communication actors within the state, diplomatic writing with high strategic value, alignment with foreign policy orientations and ensuring inter-institutional coherence. 2. Public speaking, influence and media management Strategic speaking and communication leadership, structuring diplomatic messages, techniques for argumentation, persuasion and influence, mastering body language and stress management. Managing relations with national and international media, preparing for interviews, handling sensitive questions, supervising press conferences. 3. Crisis communication and management of sensitive situations Types of diplomatic crises, developing a crisis communication plan, coordination with institutional partners, managing media and diplomatic pressure, communication under time constraints, managing misinformation, protecting the country's image. 4. Digital diplomacy, digitalisation and artificial intelligence Challenges of e-diplomacy, strategic management of official social media accounts, media monitoring and opinion analysis, applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for rapid geopolitical analysis, foresight of prospective scenarios, speech preparation, and risks associated with the use of AI technologies in diplomacy.  5. Development, implementation and management of a diplomatic communication strategy Analysis and diagnostic of the diplomatic and institutional context, identification of reputational issues and risks, definition of strategic objectives, mapping of stakeholders, determination of key messages and narrative positioning, selection of communication channels, operationalization planning, integration of digital tools and AI solutions, definition of performance indicators (KPIs), measurement of media and reputational impact, strategic adjustment based on monitoring feedback.

Methodology

The training will take place over five days, for five hours each day, using an interactive teaching approach combining conceptual input, case studies, role-playing and practical simulations. Arabic will be the main language of instruction, with French used as a supplement as needed for teaching purposes.

Expected outcomes

This training will contribute to the structuring of an effective institutional communication system within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tunisia, based on professionalization, strategic planning and anticipation of reputational risks. It will improve Tunisia's international visibility, ensure better dissemination of its official positions and strengthen the ability of diplomats to act with confidence, consistency and effectiveness in complex and demanding environments. This session also aims to support women diplomats' access to senior positions by strengthening their communication skills, while reinforcing the institutional culture of professional equality and excellence.

At the end of the training, participant diplomats will be able to:

• Design and implement a coherent and proactive diplomatic communication strategy.
• Ensure effective institutional representation in the media and in public.
• Effectively defend Tunisia's official positions in different contexts.
• Contribute to the modernization of the Ministry's communication system.

Deliverables

Deliverable Expected completion time (due day)

1. Training materials

Key activities: Integrating detailed participatory methodology and training materials for the five training sessions; designing pre- and post-training evaluation forms to measure capacity development and assess learning outcomes. Including a preparatory meeting with the team of the ministry (03 working days)

3rd June 2026

2. Five in-person training sessions

Key activities: Providing pre-training tests; leading the five in-person training sessions with senior Tunisian diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; leading the post-training competency tests. (5 working days) 

 

08th June  2026

3. Final report with strategic recommendations

Key activities: leading the production a final report detailing the training outcomes with observations and recommendations for program sustainability, institutional integration of the knowledge transferred, and a roadmap for scaling training capacity across Tunisia’s diplomatic network (03 working days)

18th June  2026

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy which requires travel to Tunis, Tunisia for the delivery of the five training sessions.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Established international credibility in the field of diplomatic communication.
• Ability to ensure high-quality results under tight deadlines, coordinating competing priorities and activities.
• Openness to change ability to receive and integrate feedback. 
• Stakeholder management and partnership building in international contexts. 
• Ability to think strategically and find creative solutions to complex problems.

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in International Relations, Law, Political Science, Communication or a related field is required. 
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• An academic specialization or certification in strategic communication, diplomacy or negotiation would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible work experience in carrying out research and/or practice in diplomacy, strategic communication and crisis management in different contexts worldwide is required
• Experience working with international organizations or national authorities in the field of diplomatic communication, engagement with media and the elaboration of institutional communication strategies is required.
• Previous experience as a consultant or training facilitator, with a proven track record in effective capacity-building and knowledge transfer is required. 
• Familiarity with the applications and risks of new technologies such as AI for diplomatic communication, foresight and geopolitical analysis is an asset. 
• Knowledge of the North African context (in particular, Tunisia) and the foreign policy challenges in the region is an asset. 
• Excellent analytical skills with strong drive for results and capacity to work independently is an asset.
• Excellent Arabic communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to work in a multicultural environment is required.

Languages:

• Fluency in Arabic and French are required.
• Knowledge of any other UN official language is an asset.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)

 

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.