Chief of Creative Services Section(m/w/x)

# Chief of Creative Services Section **Geneva, Switzerland** | **Full time** **Hardship Level** H (no hardship) **Family Type** Family **Family Type** Family **Residential location (if applicable)** **Grade** PR5 **Staff Member / Affiliate Type** Professional **Reason** Regular > Regular Assignment **Target Start Date** 2025-10-01 **Deadline for Applications** July 11, 2025 **Standard Job Description** **Chief of Creative Services Section** **Organizational Setting and Work Relationships** The Chief of Creative Services Section reports to the Head of the Global Communications Service. S/he directly supervises four interconnected teams delivering a suite of editorial and creative services for the organisation across social media, video, digital and website design, writing/editing and photography. S/he works closely with the Chief of Strategy & Coordination Section to ensure seamless collaboration across the entire service. The postholder will play a lead role in developing and executing UNHCR’s communications strategies across owned channels, including leveraging the website and global social platforms, so that we are effectively targeting and engaging key audiences in support of UNHCR’s main objectives following an audience-centric approach. They will also ensure content distributed to media organisations and other partners and networks is tailored for audience and help drive creative external collaborations. They will put into place a partnership model providing strategic counsel and support for HQ divisions and entities to find appropriate creative, impactful communications solutions, working with the strategy and coordination pillar to deliver communications plans based on priorities and with an audience focus. They will also work closely with the private and public sector fundraising teams to create compelling digital communications products and experiences contributing to the supporter journey and deploying strategies to drive awareness and engagement. The postholder will foster a creative environment within the team focused on reaching the right audience with the right message and through the relevant platform and format: nurturing an innovative mindset guided by data, audience insights and trends analysis; elevating and mainstreaming external and internal best practice; conducting regular reviews to assess content performance and incorporate after-action learnings. 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, UN Staff 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 UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. **Duties** * Oversees the delivery of a suite of editorial and creative services across the Section, ensuring clear and integrated workplans and an effective and prioritised use of resources based on objectives, putting relevant performance and measurement metrics in place to inform decisions across channels. * Provides vision and leadership for the use of UNHCR’s main channels, including ensuring clear strategic direction for the website, social media accounts and other key channels, to advance the organization’s broader communications goals and maximize awareness, favourability and engagement with priority audiences. * Leads efforts to build a creative communications culture, incorporating creative industry trends and AI and technological developments, to drive the organisation’s strategic use of new and existing platforms, formats and collaborations. * Establishes and nurtures relationships with external stakeholders, including social media companies, technology leaders, media organisations and other partners to help UNHCR reach its key audiences. * In line with the organisation’s communications objectives, drives production of high-impact audience-centric content that effectively informs and engages external audiences, developing comprehensive plans in line with the key priorities and target audiences identified. * Ensures that collaborative and smooth-running workflows and editorial planning and coordination mechanisms within and beyond GCS are in place for content ideation, production and distribution across channels and in the different core languages managed. * Ensures the teams are empowered and equipped to develop impactful multimedia stories, spanning video, editorial and photography, managing UNHCR's external relations-related content in line with strategic objectives. * Supports and partners with the Private Sector Partnerships team to ensure our communications across channels is optimised for supporter engagement, working with PSP to find effective ways to enhance the supporter experience across different donor categories in line with marketing objectives. * Ensures, either directly or through the social team, and together with Head of GCS, that the Senior Executive Team receives relevant support for their professional social media activities. * Ensures strong coordination and alignment between Creative Services Section and other GCS Units, to maximise the strategic potential of the creative suite of services in line with established internal and external communications priorities and the partnership model developed with other divisions, entities and regional bureaux. * Oversees and drives the development of relevant technical guidelines and training for staff on best practice across the Creative Services, including incorporating AI tools into UNHCR’s creative suite. * Supports and oversees the development of a freelancer roster and outsourcing setup to ensure UNHCR has the right creative resources on hand to scale up and down according to needs to support core staff. * Ensure photos and videos and appropriately stored, distributed and archived, considering the need for a self-service access and the need to assign varied levels of access to UNHCR staff, partners, journalists, scholars and other external clients. * Ensures high-level message and branding consistency across channels, products and platforms. * Participates in relevant professional meetings and events to build active relationships across the industry; represent the Organization externally when required. * Lead risk assessments and discussions with team(s) to proactively manage risks and seize opportunities impacting objectives. Ensure that risk management principles are integrated in decision-making both at strategic and operational levels. Allocate resources for planned treatments with resource requirements in Strategic Plans. Ensure that risks are managed to acceptable levels and escalate, as needed. If a Risk Owner, designate the Risk Focal Point and certify that the annual risk review is completed and ensure that the risk register is updated during the year, as needed. * Perform other related duties as required. **Minimum Qualifications** **Years of Experience / Degree Level** *For P5 - 12 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 11 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 10 years relevant experience with Doctorate degree* **Field(s) of Education** *Communication;                   Journalism;                          Public Information;* *International Relations;       Public Relations;                  Political Science* *or other relevant field.* **Certificates and/or Licenses** Not specified. (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk\* are essential) **Relevant Job Experience** ***Essential*** Minimum 12 years of progressively responsible experience, of which 10 years should be at the international level, managing communications teams, content production, agencies and creatives, and global institutional channels for public engagement. Proven experience of managing and delivering audience-centric communications and developing and evaluating communications strategies and performance using analytics. Sophisticated understanding of the communications landscape, including trends in social media and across the creative industry, with a proven ability to strategically assess and embrace new tools and platforms. Demonstrable experience in delivering multi-platform campaigns and products, managing reputational risk across platforms and in supporting senior leadership on their communications for socials and other platforms. Highly organised strategic thinker with the ability to prioritize, think creatively and analytically, and with a strong background in team leadership and management in a fast-paced and time pressured environment. Strong diplomatic and negotiation skills with an ability to build partnerships internally and externally. ***Desirable*** Not specified. **Functional Skills** *CO-Public Information* *CO-Publication skills* *CO-Experience reporting, writing, editing for magazines, newspapers and websites* *CO-Strategic Communication* *CO-Spokesperson skills* *CO-Public Speaking* *CO-Media relations* (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 & Building Trust* *Judgement & Decision Making* *Leadership* *Managing Performance* *Managing Resource* *Strategic Planning & Vision* **Cross-Functional Competencies** *Analytical Thinking* *Planning & Organizing* *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. **Desired Candidate Profile** The candidate needs to demonstrate strong international experience managing communications teams, content production, agencies and creatives, and global institutional owned channels for public engagement including social media. They need to have proven experience of managing and delivering audience-centric communications and developing and evaluating communications strategies and performance using analytics. The role requires a sophisticated understanding of the communications landscape, including trends across the creative industry, with a proven ability to strategically assess and embrace new tools and platforms and build external collaborations. They must have demonstrable experience in delivering multi-platform campaigns and products, working closely with Private Sector Partnerships to help achieve their marcoms goals, managing reputational risk across platforms and in supporting senior leadership on their communications for social and other platforms. The candidate must be a highly organised strategic thinker with the ability to prioritize, think creatively and analytically, and with a strong background in team leadership and management in a fast-paced and time pressured environment. Strong diplomatic and negotiation skills with an ability to build allies and partnerships internally and externally. They will work closely with the other Chief of Section in GCS to ensure coordinated objectives and seamless collaboration across teams. The postholder will be expected to team-build in order to create new workflows and sense of inter-team collaboration following significant restructuring in GCS. They will have to respond to refugee emergencies as well as work simultaneously on multiple projects and workplans under considerable pressure. The role involves senior level engagement and requires a high degree of maturity and professionalism. **Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):** , **Desired languages** , **Operational context** ## Occupational Safety and Health Considerations: ## Nature of Position: The Creative Services Section sits within the Global Communications Service (GCS) and reports to the Head of the Service. The role is based in Geneva supervising four interconnected teams within the Section delivering a suite of editorial and creative services across social media, video, digital and website design, writing/editing and photography. The postholder works closely with the Chief of Strategy & Coordination Section to ensure seamless collaboration across the entire service. As head of Section, the postholder lead the development and execution of communications strategies across owned channels, including leveraging the website and global social platforms, so that we are effectively targeting and engaging key audiences in support of UNHCR’s main objectives following an audience-centric approach. They will also ensure content distributed to media organisations and other partners and networks is tailored for audience and help drive creative external collaborations. They will put into place a partnership model providing strategic counsel and support for HQ divisions and entities to find appropriate creative, impactful communications solutions, working with the strategy and coordination pillar to deliver communications plans based on priorities and with an audience focus. They will also work closely with the private and public sector fundraising teams to create compelling digital communications products and experiences contributing to the supporter journey and deploying strategies to drive awareness and engagement in line with marketing goals. The Chief of Section will work as part of the headquarters global communications team in a collaborative and creative environment where innovation and new ideas are encouraged. The postholder will foster a creative environment within the team focused on reaching the right audience with the right message and through the relevant platform and format: nurturing an innovative mindset guided by data, audience insights and trends analysis; elevating and mainstreaming external and internal best practice; conducting regular reviews to assess content performance and incorporate after-action learnings. They will work collaboratively to add value to integrated initiatives across DER and with colleagues and teams across all regions. ## Living and Working Conditions: This position is based at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, but will require some travel - including to remote and difficult situations - and flexibility with regard to working hours and missions and assignments on short notice. The role can involve long hours and high intensity. Deadlines are tight and workload is considerable. He/she must be prepared to travel to UNHCR field operations, including hardship duty stations. **Additional Qualifications** *Skills* CO-Media relations, CO-Publication skills, CO-Public Information, CO-Public Speaking, CO-Reporting, writing, editing for magazines, newspapers and websites, CO-Spokesperson skills, CO-Strategic Communication *Education* Bachelor of Arts: Communication, Bachelor of Arts: International Relations, Bachelor of Arts: Journalism, Bachelor of Arts: Political Science, Bachelor of Arts: Public Information, Bachelor of Arts: Public Relations *Certifications* *Work Experience* **Competencies** Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Leadership, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Strategic planning & visions, Teamwork & collaboration **UNHCR Salary Calculator** ## ## Compendium Add. 1 to the Bi-Annual 2025 Compendium - Part B **Additional Information** **Functional clearance** This position requires Functional Clearance