• Duration: Permanent 

• Hours: 35 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered 

• Disclosure Level: Basic.  This role involves no direct or indirect work with children  

• Reports to: Director of Planning and Strategy (Public Engagement)  

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world.  We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children.   

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights. 

ABOUT THE TEAM 

The Strategy function at UNICEF UK is home to the Knowledge and Insight, Strategic Planning, Strategic Communications and Project Management Office teams, sitting within the Executive Director’s office. This team cuts across the whole of the organisation to guide, coordinate and facilitate teams to achieve their objectives. 

With a clear mandate to deliver an extraordinary provision in insight, strategic planning and communications, facilitation, project management and critical thinking – this team is pivotal to the organisation’s decision making and success. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

As the Head of Strategic Communications, you have a multifaceted role. You are a lead force in ensuring the organisation's external voice is not only is coherent, but integrated, optimised and unified. Alongside that, your leadership ensures our newly formed Public Engagement directorate focuses on the right activities in the right way to meet our objectives. This role ensures we have the right strategies, plans, performance monitoring and coordination across the directorate. Managing two line reports, and working closely with the Knowledge and Insight team, this role champions the use of insight to ensure it is at the heart of all decision making, that we are audience led, and that all work undertaken by the directorate is aligned to the organisational strategy.   

What we will expect you to achieve 

• Lead the team to deliver an extraordinary provision in strategic communications to both the organisation and within the Public Engagement directorate  

• Manage the conceptual umbrella in which UNICEF UK takes its lead for its external voice. From high level strategic communisations planning to the calendar of key moments – you ensue the organisation is one voice. 

• Lead the development of the marketing and communications strategy for the Public Engagement directorate – including sub strategies within teams 

• Oversee the process to planning, performance, budget allocation and forecasting across Public Engagement  

• Support the development of high level owned, earned and paid media plans to support our objectives for both day to day and major campaign moments  

• Develop  a programme of strategic briefs that are focused on delivering public engagement objectives. 

• Act as a critical friend to the Public Engagement directorate. A neutral voice to support their activities. 

• Working closely with colleagues in International Programmes, support the organisations rapid and effective response to humanitarian emergencies.  

• Provide strategic communications leadership for humanitarian emergencies  

• Oversee the management of the squads in Public Engagement. Ensuring their work is planned, resourced, monitored and evaluated.  

• Provide strategic communications support specific and identified priority projects – such as Soccer Aid for UNICEF 

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work. 

This role has a dotted line report into the Director of Communications and sits on the Communication Leadership Team to ensure close alignment with the function. 

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS 

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed in order to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential 

Effective behaviours 

Supporter driven and mission aligned 

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child.   

Communication and Influence 

• Conveys complex ideas in a compelling manner, tailoring arguments to persuade the audience. Builds and maintains credibility and trust at all levels of the organisation  

Collaboration 

• Highly collaborative. Consults others and shares expertise, know-how and ideas with colleagues for best results.  

• Values diversity, respecting and drawing on colleagues’ different perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge 

Efficiency and Effectiveness 

• Balance multiple projects and conflicting priorities using insightful interpretation and resourceful solutions  

Relevant experience 

• Experience in development and leadership of strategic communications plans 

• Experience in managing a high performing, critical thinking team 

• Demonstrable success in working in a strategic capacity either inhouse or in an agency planning environment 

Specific knowledge and skills 

• Demonstrate strategic thinking and drive with a proven ability to lead others to develop strategies 

• Strong facilitation skills to develop and drive forward strategic plans and work 

• Excellent programme and project management skills to optimise the use of resources and deliver on target