Communications Specialist

Host entity: UNDP

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information, Digital and social media

Application deadline: 25/09/2026

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Within this mandate, UNDP approaches youth empowerment through a broad portfolio and systems‑based lens, recognizing young people not as beneficiaries, but as positive agents of change, partners and leaders in governance, climate action, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

Assignment context

The UN SDG Action Campaign is a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and based in Bonn, Germany.

Its mission is to accelerate progress toward a just, inclusive, and sustainable future by amplifying unheard communities, nurturing changemakers, and harnessing creativity to inspire hope and bold action.

The UN SDG Action Campaign’s work is structured around three main pillars:

Engagement Support: The UN SDG Action Campaign believes in the importance of meaningful civic participation to policy making and processes related to the SDGs at all levels to ensure a more inclusive multilateral system and greater accountability. This is why the Campaign convenes strategy meetings and consultations with civil society organizations, youth, and other stakeholders and facilitates their engagement in UN-led events and SDG processes to strengthen representation in global decision-making.

Advocacy and Communications Support: Creativity, communication, and co-creation have the power to shape narratives, mobilize communities, and drive meaningful change. The UN SDG Action Campaign harnesses these forces through creative, open-source campaigns, impactful exhibitions, and strategic communications to inspire hope and action towards inclusive, peaceful and sustainable future.

The Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards: This signature programme of the UN SDG Action Campaign champions initiatives and committed that use creativity and innovation to drive transformative change. Through the Awards programme, the Campaign is committed to showcasing the heroes of tomorrow while sending a message of hope and possibilities.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the future we are shaping is a collective one. The UN SDG Action Campaign centers its efforts on advancing economic justice and solidarity, promoting gender equality and inclusion, and driving climate action and sustainable food systems.

In order to deliver on its mandate, the UN SDG Action Campaign is seeking to recruit a Communications Specialist to provide support across editorial content development, social media engagement, and Campaign communications, ensuring consistent messaging, visibility, and outreach aligned with the Campaign’s messaging and priorities.

Task description

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Policy and Partnerships Specialist, the Communications Specialist will:


1. Lead and coordinate the Campaign’s Communications and Advocacy Strategies and Workplans
• Develop and implement communications and advocacy strategies and workplans, including digital strategies, to raise awareness, drive engagement, and build support in line with Campaign priorities.
• Lead the communications for flagship events, including the UN SDG Action Awards, and other relevant Campaign events and activities.
• Manage editorial planning and content calendars, and craft compelling narratives and messaging across Campaign platforms.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report on communications activities, capturing lessons learned.

2. Lead Content Development, Creative Communications and Media Outreach
• Produce high-quality editorial content such as blogs, newsletters, reports, presentations, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with organizational branding.
• Oversee the development and dissemination of multimedia content (e.g. videos, infographics and digital art) and compelling storytelling products to drive engagement.
• Oversee the development and dissemination of creative content, including artistic content and exhibits.
• Identify media opportunities, prepare press kits, media pitches and coordinate media outreach during campaigns and events.
• Ensure that all communications and advocacy products adhere to high-quality standards, branding guidelines, and deadlines.

3. Oversee Content Dissemination across Digital Platforms
• Oversee and contribute to the growth of the Campaign’s social media presence on digital platforms ensuring consistency in messaging and branding across all channels.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of the Campaign websites, in coordination with relevant colleagues, including managing full digital project lifecycles and annual redesigns.
• Supervise consultants, external vendors and developers, ensuring efficiency and alignment with UNDP data governance policies.
• Monitor and analyze performance metrics across digital platforms (social media, newsletters, websites) to evaluate effectiveness and drive steady growth and share reports.
• Leverage and optimize digital tools to enhance engagement in events.

4. Oversee the Internal Communication Workflows and Support Strategic Partnerships
• Oversee and streamline communication workflows between the communications and other workstreams to enhance efficiency, quality, and strategic alignment of Campaign events and initiatives.
• Coordinate regular team meetings for content planning and editorial production ensuring timely delivery of assets.
• Support the engagement and collaboration with strategic creative partners to amplify the Campaign’s advocacy impact.
• Identify and maximize joint communication opportunities with partners including the UN system and collaborate with external partners, donors, and stakeholders to deliver joint outreach and advocacy initiatives.
• Support donor and partner engagements by monitoring partner and donor communications and tailored outreach materials.
• Supervise one PSA Communications Analyst and one PSA Web Developer.
• Supervise consultants as required, including offshore development teams.

5. Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to theassigned thematic areas.
• Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible widerapplication.
• Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities ofpractice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
• Promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressingdevelopment trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDPcommunications staff.

The Communications Specialist performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary forthe efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Skills and experience

• Proven excellent drafting skills, including articles, newsletters, web content, blogs, and talking points.
• Proven track record in managing media relations and facilitating media engagement for UN teams.
• Experience in coordinating communications for high-level international events, including United Nations (UN ) events.
• Experience in digital platforms and social media management.
• Experience in digital community building is an asset.
• Experience in donor relations and partner engagement is an asset.
• Substantive knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and current international debates and negotiations on major global issues related to the Goals is an asset.

Competencies and values

• System Thinking
• Advocacy strategy and implementation
• Media Relations Social
• Media Digital content creation
• Storytelling
• Event planning and execution

Living conditions

The duty station of this International UN Volunteer assignment is located in Bonn, Germany. Bonn, Germany, is a vibrant, safe, and family-friendly city on the banks of the Rhine River, renowned as Germany's federal city and a major global hub for sustainability and international cooperation. As a Category H (Headquarters) UN duty station, it hosts more than 20 UN entities and offers a high quality of life with excellent public transit, beautiful green spaces, and a rich cultural heritage.


Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor. This is a volunteer assignment, not employment. By sharing your time, energy, and talents, you can support communities in need and become part of something greater than yourself — a global movement for peace, development, and humanitarian aid.

Volunteering strengthens trust, solidarity, and reciprocity among citizens, and it can promote a sense of belonging and purpose. The UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging her/his own housing and other living essentials.

The Summary of UNV Entitlement (International Specialist): All paid in USD
• Current Monthly Living Allowance (MLA): USD 2680.86
• Entry allowance (one-time payment): USD 3500
• Exit lump sum (paid on successful completion of assignment) : $225 for each month served, paid on completion of contract
• Family allowance:$250 per month for one dependent. $450 per month for two or more dependents
• Private insurance: Private Health Insurance by CIGNA
• Annual leave : 2.5 days per month

Notes: 1) The allowances are in no way to be understood as a compensation, reward or salary in exchange for the volunteer work. 2) It's important to note that UNV assignments are volunteer assignments, not employment. The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. 3) You can check full entitlements at the duty station: https://app.unv.org/calculator 4) Please read the complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.