Advocacy and Communications Officer (NO-3), FT, #00133192, San Jose – Costa Rica

Overview

The Advocacy and Communication Specialist is responsible for leading and coordinating advocacy and communication initiatives to promote children's rights, influence policy, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and increase public support for UNICEF’s mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advocacy strategies with clear objectives, outcomes, and theories of change.
• Identify advocacy opportunities through analysis of political, economic, and social trends.
• Design and execute communication and public engagement initiatives to support advocacy goals.
• Lead and support digital communication campaigns, content creation, and audience engagement.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with media outlets and journalists.
• Monitor, evaluate, and communicate advocacy results using evidence and data-driven approaches.
• Manage projects, work plans, budgets, and resources effectively and transparently.
• Strengthen internal advocacy and communication capacities through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships and stakeholder networks to advance UNICEF priorities.
• Perform additional duties as required to support advocacy and communication objectives.

Required Experience

At least five years of progressively responsible professional experience in advocacy, campaigning and communications is required. Experience in advocacy strategy development, policy influence, communication tactics, stakeholder engagement, coalition building, digital and social media, media relations, project management, budget management, monitoring and evaluation, children’s rights, public policy, development and humanitarian issues is required. Demonstrated experience in supervising people is required.

Qualifications

A completed Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in Political Science, International Business Relations, International Development, Public Administration, Economics, Communications, Public Policy and any other related fields is required.

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