Professional Communication Writers on Long Term Arrangement – open to National Consultants only Individual Consultant Long-term contract National Position

Professional Communication Writers on Long Term Arrangement – open to National Consultants only

Job no: 592239

Contract type: Consultant

Duty Station: Skopje

Level: Consultancy

Location: North Macedonia

Categories: Communication

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Protection

UNICEF Country Office is looking to establish a minimum of two and maximum of four long-term agreements with individual professional photographers and photojournalists to provide photographic services (visual documentation in digital original format) on a need’s basis. The selected photographs will be used for UNICEF advocacy and communication purposes and used to produce public campaigns, communication products and public advocacy materials to be used by UNICEF’s internal and external partners, including other UN agencies and across various platforms.

How can you make a difference?  

Scope of Work:

Under this Long-Term Agreement (LTA), the consultant will be engaged on a consumption-based basis, according to programme needs. Specific assignments (including scope, timelines, and deliverables) will be shared and confirmed via email for each writing mission. The consultants develop written communication and advocacy products, ensuring that all content reflects cultural, gender, and diversity sensitivities in line with UNICEF guidelines, ethical standards, and child safeguarding principles. All written products must be suitable for diverse audiences and have universal appeal.

The consultant will be responsible for the following:

• Write, edit and finalize (but not limited to) concise human-interest stories, blogs, reports, articles, op-eds, media and advocacy materials, and text for photo and multi-media essays, and other communication materials for website, prints and other applications as required.
• Research issues being documented, including in-depth interviews with programme staff, community, service providers, government counterparts and beneficiaries, while being mindful of the sensitivities of specific situations, to support the content writing.
• Work in close coordination (where required and when a photographer has been engaged) with photographers and videographers to capture relevant powerful images and video footage for stories, photo-essays and multi-media communication stories.
• Work with programme sections to develop key messages.
• Develop advocacy and programming briefs as requested by the sections.
• Write digital media content as required including for website and social media.

In all written products the following considerations must be made:

• Protecting the rights of the child must be given priority above all considerations when collecting and writing stories and other materials.
• Ensuring evidence generation adheres to UNICEF Procedure for Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis.
• Ensuring clarity, readability, logic, appropriateness as well as engaging writing in all products.
• Ensuring language accuracy. The final product must not require further editing/copy-editing. Proof-read, including spelling checks, country and city names as well as acronyms and other abbreviations (making sure that they follow official UNICEF terminology and conventions), style consistency, references, etc.
• Ensure adherence to UNICEF style book and guidelines and alignment with the regional and country programme objectives. (UNICEF style guide will be provided by the UNICEF Country Office).
• Ensuring factual accuracy including accurate representation of the issues and programmes;
• Be available for feedback and inputs as per the requirements of the office.
• Be available for several rounds of editing with regards to stories.

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

• The consultant is expected to uphold the highest ethical, professional, and confidentiality standards throughout the assignment.
• Demonstrate sensitivity, respect, and dignity toward all individuals being filmed, with particular attention to children and vulnerable populations.
• Safeguard child rights at all stages of content gathering and publishing, in line with UNICEF policies and guidelines.
• Ensure that informed consent forms are signed by children and/or their parents or legal guardians, as required under UNICEF guidelines, and submit digital copies of all signed consent forms together with the final deliverables.
• Maintain full confidentiality in all aspects of the assignment and not share any materials, or information with third parties without prior written authorization from UNICEF.
• Acknowledge that all outputs produced under the assignment are the exclusive property of UNICEF and may not be reused or distributed independently.
• Refrain from including personal names, logos, or branding on any final outputs; only UNICEF branding may be used, if required.
• Demonstrate a client-oriented approach, tact, and the ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ensure effective and efficient delivery of services, including adherence to agreed timelines, deadlines, and commitments.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…  

Minimum requirements:

Minimum Qualifications required*:

– Degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations; or equivalent professional work experience in the communication area, combined with an advanced university degree in a related discipline.

*Minimum requirements to consider candidates for competitive process.

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required * :

• At least five years experience in writing, editing communication materials and in journalism at a reputable media organization in North Macedonia. Experience in writing for UN (including UNICEF) or other International Organizations is highly desirable. 
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality, creative communication materials that meet the highest international standards. This includes ability to write outstanding materials and turn ‘technical’ language into engaging content for a wider audience; Excellent ability to conduct interviews; Excellent ability to craft compelling stories based on material gathered in interviews
• Possess excellent research, logical, analytical and writing skills; Knowledge and understanding of North Macedonia and its development context is an asset
• Knowledge of child rights issues is desirable
• Well organized and structured, good attention for detail; Professional work ethic, integrity, and initiative
• Highly responsible sense of journalistic ethics and in-depth understanding of child protection issues in the broadcast/digital environment.
• Fluency in English and Macedonian or Albanian (Oral & Written) required.

*Listed requirements will be used for technical evaluation in the competitive process.

Evaluation Criteria

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

1. Relevant educational qualification – Degree and/or certificate (5 points)
2. Experience in writing, editing communication materials, and journalism in North Macedonia; exposure to UN work – as demonstrated in CV and 3 reference letters submitted with application (10 points)
3. Ability to produce high-quality, creative communication products meeting international standards; storytelling skills – As demonstrated in minimum 4 writing samples, published articles submitted with application (35 points)
4. Research skills, logical structure, and understanding of North Macedonia’s development context – as demonstrated in sample published investigative published story (10 points).
5. Reliability, attention to detail, integrity, initiative, and professional conduct – as confirmed in 3 reference letters (5 points).
6. Fluency in English and Macedonian or Albanian – As demonstrated in written samples of publish work noting that of the four samples at least 2 should be in English and 2 in either Macedonian or Albanian (10 points).

B) Financial Proposal – maximum of 25 Points

In order to apply, please submit: 

1. Your most recent CV
2. Motivation letter
3. Minimum four (4) writing samples of published articles
4. Financial proposal, by using this table:    FINANCIAL PROPOSAL.docx

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

[ add the 8 th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role ]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children.  The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone , irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. 

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:   

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here .

Advertised: 09 Apr 2026 Central European Daylight Time

Deadline: 26 Apr 2026 Central European Daylight Time

Advertised: 09 Apr 2026 Central European Daylight Time
Deadline: 26 Apr 2026 Central European Daylight Time

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