Associate Social Media Officer

H (no hardship)

FamilyFamily

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

July 11 2025

Associate Social Media Officer

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

In line with its Global Communications Strategy UNHCR requires skilled communications professionals to conceive and execute a range of activities that help us lead the narrative on forced displacement generate empathy and mobilize action.

UNHCRs Associate Social Media Officers need to cultivate a keen understanding of our target audiences including an up-to-the-minute grasp of the methods and tone of voice that resonate deeply win trust and spark quality engagement. They must remain vigilant about editorial and journalistic standards be attentive to protection concerns and political sensitivities and focus on communicating successfully with key demographics. These audiences will vary by location language and platform among other factors as well as whether the aim is to inform advocate or raise funds.

Social media is one of UNHCRs most important public communications channels. Its global accounts are among the organizations leading drivers of public communications information sharing and engagement delivering compelling shareable content to targeted and priority audiences advancing awareness advocacy and fundraising objectives. UNHCRs global social media channels have millions of followers worldwide. Competent management of social media is essential to meeting the objectives of the Global Communications Strategy and UNHCRs broader objectives.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter UNStaff Regulations and Rules UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core functional cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCRs core values of professionalism integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

• Bring dedicated specialized capacity with strong political and editorial judgement technical social media skills and keen audience awareness.

• Draft engaging social media copy for UNHCRs social media channels.

• Produce visual content and made-for-social videos for various platforms.

• Support the development and implementation of social content strategies to effectively reach target audiences via UNHCRs social media accounts.

• Coordinate and support the development of social media packs working together with content producers and editors and drawing on UNHCRs extensive photo and media library.

• Monitor listen to and respond to trends by adapting existing evergreen content or swiftly creating new content in order to position UNHCR as a leading voice on issues relating to its mandate and to reach and engage new audiences.

• Publish content and messaging on UNHCR social media accounts.

• Submit creative ideas for social content draft scripts and provide timely feedback and editing/production support as needed.

• If at HQ: source content from country operations and field officers for potential use on the global accounts; if in operation: share made-for-social content with regional and HQ teams for potential use on the global accounts.

• Contribute to the smooth running of the weekly content calendar for UNHCRs social channels actively coordinating with team members and using planning project management and scheduling tools.

• Identify photos from UNHCRs Refugees Media library and archives for use on the social accounts.

• Engage in community management: monitor and moderate social media channels respond to queries engage in comments and flag risks and opportunities to deepen engagement.

• Support social media strategies/plans for milestone communications efforts campaigns and key moments/events including those involving Goodwill Ambassadors and social media influencers.

• Support in the production of analytics reports and provide recommendations on tactics to improve social media presence.

• Ensure alignment with UNHCRs global branding and messaging in social media content and on platforms.

• Contribute to the development of news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on forced displacement and show UNHCRs impact; create emotive storytelling to generate empathy and mobilize action by signposting concrete steps people can take to help refugees.

• Contribute to UNHCRs refugee-led strategy to identify and amplify refugees displaced and stateless people on social media including by amplifying their posts and co-creating content with them.

• Support internal communications as required including distribution of social media packs within internal networks and for key partner networks (NGOs donors UN family etc.).

• Keep track of activities of other UN agencies and non-profit partners identifying content to be amplified and shared on UNHCRs platforms.

• Support the development of social media partnerships and collaborations.

• Support the development of strategies for distribution from the outset boosting the visibility of content on relevant UNHCR channels and placing it on external channels.

• Stay on top of social media trends platforms and tools; test and innovate.

• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making is risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).

• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree

Field(s) of Education

Journalism; International Relations; Political Science;

Communication; Public Information; Digital Communications and Media/Multimedia

Cinematography and Film/Video Production; or other relevant field.

Certificates and/or Licenses

Not specified.

(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Professional experience in social media journalism and/or communications mainly at the international level. Experience managing social media accounts for an international brand or organization. Experience writing copy and producing social content for various platforms. Experience working on social media campaigns. Experience with social media analysis of impact engagement trending conversations etc.

Desirable

Experience working on social media partnerships and digital collaborations. Experience in training and capacity-building. Experience working as part of a geographically diverse team (across time zones). Experience working with Goodwill Ambassadors and other high-profile influencers. Active personal social media presence.

Functional Skills

CO-Digital content production
CO-Social media content production

CO-Editing

CO-Journalism (incl. print broadcast photography video layout & graphics)

CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches

CO-Public Speaking

CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)

(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Competency Requirements

All jobs at UNHCR require six core competencies and may also require managerial competencies and/or cross-functional competencies. The six core competencies are listed below.

Core Competencies

Accountability

Communication

Organizational Awareness

Teamwork & Collaboration

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Client & Result Orientation

Managerial Competencies

Empowering and Building Trust

Judgement and Decision Making

Cross-Functional Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Innovation and Creativity

Political Awareness

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse harassment including sexual harassment sexism gender inequality discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The candidate must have an excellent understanding of made-for-social optimized content and a proven track record of producing impactful news and storytelling content for key platforms particularly Instagram TikTok WhatsApp Channels LinkedIn and Bluesky. The candidate must have extensive experience in managing large social media accounts at the global level as well as excellent industry knowledge and technical social media production skills especially in-app. The candidate must have very strong social copywriting skills for each platform. The position requires great time management skills and an ability to work in a highly organized way to meet deadlines. The position requires a personable team player who thrives on working in a diverse team.

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station please visit this link: of Position:

The Associate Social Media Officer is a key member of UNHCRs Global Social Media Team which leads and guides the organizations use of social media. This role is the main platform expert and producer of the team.

The incumbent drives platform-specific audience-driven social production based on user behaviour and algorithms implementing social strategies. They ideate social products that work for each platform produce scripts work with editors/designers on the production draft engaging copy and publish content on UNHCRs social media channels. They source social content from country operations and field offices and repurpose it for the global accounts.

They coordinate and support the development of social media packs for key moments and emergencies. They work closely with strategic communications colleagues on news-driven and authoritative social messaging to lead the narrative. They monitor listen to and respond to news and trending conversations by swiftly creating new content to position UNHCR as a leading voice on issues relating to its mandate and to reach and engage new audiences.

The incumbent contributes to the smooth running of the weekly content calendar for UNHCRs social channels actively coordinating with team members and using planning project management and scheduling tools.

They lead on community management by monitoring and moderating social media channels responding to queries engaging in comments using opportunities to deepen engagement and flagging risks to crisis communications colleagues.

The successful candidate leads on the management of UNHCRs global priority accounts ensuring the content is optimized for platform features industry trends and accessibility. They provide expert guidance and training for others in the organization regarding social production as well as optimization on those platforms.

The incumbent along with the rest of the team will be dedicated to ensuring a diverse participatory and inclusive approach to how we represent affected people on social media focusing on refugee-led storytelling and that all communications adhere to our ethical guidelines working closely with teams across the Global Communications Service as well as Private Sector Partnerships Divisions UNHCRs regional Bureaux and operations to deliver on the above-mentioned responsibilities.

Living and Working Conditions:

This position is based in Madrid Spain and sits within the HQ Social Media Team of the Creative Services Section in the Global Communications Service. Flexible and hybrid working arrangements may be considered. Travel will be required at times to meet with colleagues partners displaced and stateless people as well as host communities including in refugee-hosting countries.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

CO-Digital content production CO-Editing CO-Journalism (incl. print broadcast photography video layout & graphics) CO-Preparation of key messages/talking points/speeches CO-Public Speaking CO-Social media content production CO-Video production for digital platforms (including news organizations)

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Cinematography and Film/Video Production Bachelor of Arts: Communication Bachelor of Arts: Digital Communications and Media/Multimedia Bachelor of Arts: International Relations Bachelor of Arts: Journalism Bachelor of Arts: Political Science Bachelor of Arts: Public Information

Certifications

Work Experience

Competencies

Accountability Analytical thinking Client & results orientation Commitment to continuous learning Communication Empowering & building trust Innovation & creativity Judgement & decision making Organizational awareness Political awareness Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

This position requires Functional Clearance