Job Description

UNANZ Media Communications Officer

About us

The United Nations Association of New Zealand (UNA NZ) is a national community organisation and a registered charity. It is made up of a number of regional branches, an independent youth association (UN Youth New Zealand) and affiliates across New Zealand. UNA NZ was founded shortly after the United Nations itself in 1945, and is formally associated with the UN Department of Public Information. UNA NZ is committed to the ideals embodied in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the crucial role of the UN at the centre of multilateral cooperation to promote world peace and justice, and to eradicate poverty and hunger. We recognise that the UN has far to go to achieve its objectives, and are committed to its improvement. We work in a variety of ways to highlight the importance of the UN, and to engender the skills within our young people to cope with this extraordinarily challenging international environment. We educate New Zealanders about the activities of the UN and its agencies, New Zealand’s involvement, and how to get involved. Our current focus is working together with others to raise the importance of finding ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Global Security and UN Renewal.  You can found out more about our specific activities here: https://www.unanz.org.nz/about-us/what-we-do/ 

Overview

A large part of UNA NZ’s work is organising events that promote engagement with and education about the United Nations. We cannot do if people do not know about the work we are doing to advocate and collaborate with the government, the events we are running or the research and reports we are writing. We communicate with a large number of people via or newsletter, annual publication, website and social media channels, however, our reach through traditional media is slim. We need someone to support and strengthen our current communication channels but creating website content and to strengthen our traditional media relationships. 

Specific Duties 

• Build a relationship with media e.g. email meet for coffee with key media contacts at media outlets such as RNZ, newsroom
• Draft and distribute press releases about key activities such as changes in office holders and events
• Write topical articles to be included as blogs, social media posts and where relevant sent to media 
• Write letters to the editor in response to relevant UN-related articles 
• Liaise with the president and other key members of the executive to get approval and feedback on all articles while ensuring they are produced and distributed in a timely manner. 
• Work with parliament, ministers, public sector organisation and diplomats (and their respective embassies or high commissions) to form and execute suitable media plans for collaborative activities. 
• Support our social media comms officer in their role. 

Candidate attributes

Essential 

• High quality, clear and accurate research and writing skills 
• Self-starter and self-sufficient 
• Excellent proof-reading and editing skills 
• Good relationship management skills 
• Quickly able to understand the UNA NZ brand and purpose and communicate this too media 
• Teamwork and communication skills
• Availability to quickly draft letters to the editor or similar 
• Experience writing and distributing press releases

Prefered

• Lives in Wellington 
• Confident using google drive/similar

To apply:

Please email your CV to [email protected]