South Sudan: Long Term Agreement with Various Communications Consultants (National and International)

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), South Sudan Country Office is one of the largest and longest serving actors working to ensure the survival, protection and development of children in South Sudan. Communications and advocacy is an important component of UNICEF’s work, with a range of output products being produced to engage with national and international audiences. To bolster its communications efforts, UNICEF South Sudan is seeking to engage suitable national and international consultants on a Long Term Agreement (LTA) basis. Consultants on LTAs will be expected to provide professional support on a short-term basis as required by the needs of the office and will be paid based on the actual deliverables agreed upon for each assignment.

Location : Juba, South Sudan, with frequent remote field travel

Period : maximum 90 working days over 9 months period (March to December)

Start Date : 1, March 2016

Reporting to : Chief of Communications

Photographer

Required to address visual communications needs on an ad hoc and as-needed basis.

Scope of Work

The Photographer will be required when the need to visually document UNICEF activities arises. He/she will be required to have own equipment and be available for travel immediately as needed. The Photographer will be paid a standard fee equivalent to a mid-scale L3 position and per diem as applicable. All photographs will remain the property of UNICEF. The Consultant will work closely with field staff under the supervision of the Communication Officer, or Chief of Communications, according to the assignment.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

· Document and illustrate the situation of children and women as may be decided by UNICEF

· Take photos that provide visibility to UNICEF’s work

· Independently identify opportunities to document UNICEF activities.

· Provide advice on suitable cutline (photo description) for photographs accompanying UNICEF stories or reports

· Provide information about when and where the photo was taken, who it is about and its relevance to UNICEF work

· Provide detailed caption information for selected photographs

· Get consent for use of photos from relevant persons/authorities.

Expected deliverables

At the end of the consultancy, the incumbent is expected to have delivered:

· Photographs – both colour and black and white – portraying the situation of children and women.

· “Best of” selection of photographs that have been taken during the assignment.

· A range of photos - close and wide, and landscape and portraits.

· Photographs shall be provided to UNICEF on a CD

· Captions and consent forms for all photos.

· Recorded voices and sounds that match selected photos.

Desired background and experience

· Formal training or the equivalent experience in photography with a minimum of 5 years of work experience

· Proven ability in photography and experience in humanitarian response

· Ability to assimilate and communicate complex visual messages in an engaging and child-friendly manner

· Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s humanitarian principles

· Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s activities in South Sudan

· Experience working in a conflict/ post-conflict environment desirable

· Fluency in English; fluency in another UN language, especially Arabic, an advantage

Videographer

Scope of Work

The Videographer will be required when the need to visually document UNICEF activities arises. S/he Videographer will be required to have own equipment and be available for travel immediately as needed. The Videographer will be paid a standard fee equivalent to a mid-scale L3 position and per diem as applicable. All videos will remain the property of UNICEF. The Consultant will work closely with field staff under the supervision of Communication Officer, or Chief of Communications, according to the assignment.

Specific Tasks

• With UNICEF guidance, develop plan and schedule and contacts for video pre- production, production, and post-production.

• Film scenes demonstrating the situation of children and women; success and challenges

• Film UNICEF activities as may be guided

• Film interviews with UNICEF staff.

• Film interviews with beneficiaries.

• Provide draft videos / images for approval

• Provide shot list to guide in editing and B-roll use.

• Take details of each item filmed.

• Provide split version of video.

• Clearly identify location, name and age of interviewees and any relevant details.

• Obtain consent for video usage from concerned people/authorities.

• Film scenes that show visibility for UNICEF’s work.

Methodology

• Based on discussions in Juba, write production plan (e.g., narrative outline, shooting

• Schedule, post-production editing.

• Film on site in agreed locations (to be discussed in Juba)

• Draft first edited video product (15 to 18 minutes)

• Submit draft films for review and approval

• Submit final approved documentary

• Video outtakes for B-roll use in DVD format.

Expected Deliverables

1. One feature documentary(not more than 20 mins – length according to individual assignment) and additional footage

2. Short list of all tapes to guide in editing.

3. Provide rough cuts on DV format.

4. Provide draft video on DV format for editorial input.

5. Provide six 5 minute videos in DV format (topics to be identified)

Expected Background and Experience

· Formal training or the equivalent experience in videography with a minimum of 5 years of work experience

· Proven ability in videographer and experience in humanitarian response

· Ability to assimilate and communicate complex visual messages in an engaging and child-friendly manner

· Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s humanitarian principles

· Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s activities in South Sudan

· Experience working in a conflict/ post-conflict environment desirable

· Fluency in English and another UN language

Writer/Editor

The Writer/Editor will edit documents and human interest stories as may be guided by the Chief of Communication and may be required to travel to field locations to gather relevant materials. The Writer/Editor will be required to have his or her own equipment. The Writer/Editor will be paid a standard fee based on qualification and experience and per diem as applicable. All write ups will remain the property of UNICEF. The Consultant will work closely with field staff under the supervision of the Communication Officer or Chief of Communications, according to the assignment.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• The Consultant will edit UNICEF reports, stories and other relevant documents in line with UNICEF’s style guide.
• The consultant will take notes and write documents as may be guided by the chief of section.
• Collect suggestions and contacts for possible human stories in consultation with the UNICEF Communications supervisor.
• Contacts identified persons and select the most interesting/impacting human story angle.
• Travel to the project sites and meet with relevant people of the project activities – children, families, service providers, local authorities etc;
• Coordinate with the UNICEF Communications supervisor topics and outline of the expected human interest stories

Expected deliverables

At the end of the consultancy, the incumbent is expected to have delivered:

• Human interest stories
• Feature articles (250-4000 words – depending on agreement for each assignment) written in English and submitted to UNICEF within the dateline set by UNICEF.
• Brochures/factsheets written and edited.
• Provide any relevant documentation (photos or recordings) on the subject that supplements the write-up.

Desired background and experience

• A first university degree, preferably in journalism, media or similar field
• Proven writing skills in English.
• At least five years of experience of producing articles, short features, vignettes or reports for public audiences preferably in a media or development environment
• Ability to assimilate and communicate complex visual messages in an engaging and child-friendly manner
• Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s humanitarian principles
• Awareness and/or experience with UNICEF’s activities in Southern Sudan
• Experience working in a conflict/ post-conflict environment desirable
• Fluency in English and another UN language

Conditions of Service applicable to all the 3 Consultancies

§ The Consultant will be responsible for all required digital equipment.

§ Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays.

§ Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.

§ No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant.

§ The Consultant will be required to sign a health statement for consultants/ individual contractors prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that she/he has appropriate international health insurance.

§ The form “designation, change or revocation of beneficiary” must be completed by the consultant upon arrival, at the HR Section.

§ As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to amaximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary”.

§ The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.

Interested qualified and experienced candidates should forward their applications (a cover letter, CV, and signed P11 form which can be downloaded at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc), quoting the daily and or monthly fees by cob 23 February 2016 to:

The Human Resources Manager

UNICEF South Sudan Country Office

Email address: jubavacancies@unicef.org

Applications submitted without the daily and or monthly fees will not be considered. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.