Freelance Journalist and Storytelling Consultant

TERMS OF REFERENCE  (to be completed by Hiring Office)

Hiring Office:

UNFPA CO in Ukraine

Title of consultant

Freelance Journalist and Storytelling Consultant

Purpose of consultancy:

UNFPA Ukraine looks for services of a professional journalist with experience in developing original texts and articles for digital communication resources, including media and social media, printed publications, and reports in Ukrainian and English.

Scope of work:

(Description of services, activities, or outputs)

The overall objective of is to collect and articulate interesting stories and interview from UNFPA programmes and activities. The Consultant is expected to write interesting articles that should be in line with the UNFPA mandate: gender equality and women’s empowerment, prevention and response to gender based violence, reproductive health and rights, youth empowerment.

The Consultant is expected to work with the Communication and Advocacy Analyst as well as Programme Officers to identify and collect stories regarding their activities and conducting thematic interviews with them.

The Consultant is expected to provide comprehensive journalist work, including developing of the topic, finding of key speaker son selected topic, organizing interviews and creating the final material with possible allocating in media resources.

Duration and working schedule:

Contract duration: from 17 February  to 31 December 2020 with possible extension.

Schedule: remote mode of work, upon  request.

Place where services are to be delivered:

Remote mode of work.

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):

Deliverables should be provided in electronic format (*doc file) by email.

The deadlines will be agreed per each request.

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

Monitoring and progress control will be done by UNFPA through regular formal communication by email. All written communications from the consultant should be addressed to zubchenko@unfpa.org, Alona Zubchenko, Program Analyst, Communication and Advocacy.

Supervisory arrangements:

The services will be supervised by Alona Zubchenko, Program Analyst, Communication and Advocacy.

Expected travel:

If travel is required and authorized by UNFPA, and a ticket is not provided by UNFPA, the individual consultant is entitled to reimbursement of ticket cost(s), upon presentation of used ticket and ticket stubs in an amount not to exceed the economy class fare or excursion fare, if applicable. The individual consultant will receive a daily subsistence allowance at United Nations authorized base rates when traveling outside Kyiv, Ukraine. Other necessary travel related expenses approved by UNFPA may be reimbursable on the basis of UNFPA’s current practice and authorized rates.

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• A high-school diploma, certifications of  journalist, linguist or editor courses  and/or equivalent professional work experience in the Communication and Journalism areas
• One to three years of progressively responsible professional work experience in creating text material
• Advanced skills and strong experience in writing and editing. Good quality portfolio
• Ability to handle multiple assignments with competing deadlines. Able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines and capacity to work for long hours when required
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Availability per request and ability to work in the required deadlines
• Knowledge of Ukrainian, Russian and English is a must
• Previous experience working with the development or social sector is an asset
• Personal blog or popular personal page on social media is an asset.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

Communication Policy and Procedures will be provided to the Consultant, including the UNFPA Identity Style Guide, Writing and reporting for UNFPA, Publications Policy. Other materials also will be shared with journalist. Materials can consist of UNFPA’s data as well as external data and interviews.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

Payment will be done after each article (after receiving the final version):

• 100% upon acceptance by UNFPA of the final deliverables.
• Any remarks, proposals, complaints or claims to the consultant regarding services being provided in line with these terms of reference should be submitted to the consultant in writing within 10 days of submission of consultancy deliverables or reports by the consultant. The scope of works to be performed by the consultant under these terms of reference, as well as other conditions of the consultancy, could be modified, if required, through a written agreement between the consultant and UNFPA.

Intellectual Property

All information pertaining to this project (documentary, pictures, digital, cyber, project documents, etc) belonging to UNFPA, which the consultant may come into contact with in the performance of his/her, duties under this assignment shall remain the property of UNFPA who shall have exclusive rights over their use. Except for purposes of this assignment, the information shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever without written permission of UNFPA in line with the national and International Copyright Laws applicable.

How to apply:

Please, send your CV, completed cost-estimated form (attached file) and your portfolio (or link to the portfolio) to the email address: ukraine.office@unfpa.org  before February 11, 2020, 10.00 under the subject Journalist.