Exciting Opportunity: UNV Communication and Advocacy Assistant – UNDP Global Youth Team (Remote)

Application Deadline: May 31, 2026

Mission and Objectives of the Host Entity

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. UNDP Global Youth Team is embedded within the Open and Inclusive Public Sphere (OIPS) team of the Governance, Rule of Law and Peacebuilding (GRP) Hub, under the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS). As part of UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN), the Youth Team works across global, regional and country levels to advance youth empowerment as a core governance and development priority. Positioned at the intersection of governance, participation, peacebuilding and sustainable development, the team supports UNDP programmes and partners to strengthen meaningful, inclusive and safe youth participation in public decision-making, with a particular focus on young women and young people from marginalized and under-represented groups.

UNDP remains a key contributor to the UN Youth 2030 Strategy, supporting governments, civil society, and diverse partners to strengthen youth leadership, innovation, and participation. It partners closely with the UN Youth Office, and other UN entities working on and with youth, and participates actively in the Inter Agency Network on Youth Development, the Youth 2030 Working Group, and the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security.

Generation17 Initiative

Generation17 is a joint flagship initiative by UNDP and Samsung Mobile, launched in 2020 to empower and amplify young leaders driving solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It combines mentorship, global advocacy platforms, and access to technology with a strong storytelling approach that places youth voices at the center using human-centered, digital-first content to inspire action and shift narratives. This is reinforced by the Samsung Global Goals App, installed on hundreds of millions of Galaxy devices, which educates users on the SDGs and enables everyday actions such as ad-based contributions and donations – to support global development.

To date, UNDP and Samsung have supported 20 young leaders from different regions through mentorship, networking and technology.

Assignment Information

• Assignment Title: Communication and Advocacy Assistant
• Host Entity: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
• Duty Station: Bonn, Germany (Remote)
• Assignment Type: National UN Volunteer – Associate UCoS from April 2026
• Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)
• Expected Start Date: August 3, 2026
• Work Schedule: Full-time
• Number of Assignments: 1

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNDP Youth Empowerment Specialist or their designated representative, the Communication and Advocacy Assistant will deliver the following tasks:

Content Creation, Graphic Design and Digital Communications

• Support the development of timely, youth-focused and visually engaging content for UNDP Youth platforms, including contributions to UNDP.org pages, social media channels, and relevant digital spaces
• Design and develop original visual content and reusable templates using Canva, including social media carousels, cards, one-pagers, presentations and short publications, in line with UNDP branding guidelines
• Assist in drafting and visually packaging communication products such as blogs, human interest stories, newsletters, and short updates reflecting the work of the Open and Inclusive Public Sphere Youth Team
• Gather inputs, photos, and basic multimedia materials from country offices, regional bureaus, and partners and translate these into compelling visual and digital storytelling products on youth empowerment
• Coordinate with UNDP communications experts to source, refine, and disseminate content related to youth empowerment activities, including highlighting the Generation17 initiative

Social Media Planning, Design and Engagement

• Support social media planning and content preparation for global youth engagement initiatives, including preparing captions, visuals, and basic media packages
• Create original social media assets and campaign visuals (including carousel formats) to support advocacy, events and global observance days, including International Youth Day
• Assist with creating content, publishing, and monitoring social media activity and tracking engagement across UNDP4Youth corporate channels, while identifying youth-related trends to inform content and visual design development

Campaigns and Advocacy

• Support the coordination and rollout of communication and advocacy activities and campaigns related to UNDP’s global youth initiatives, including those linked to the 2030 Agenda, civic engagement, digital participation, and the Open and Inclusive Public Sphere portfolio
• Contribute to global observance days relevant to youth, democracy, digital rights, peace, inclusion, and governance by co-developing campaign narratives and visual materials, including International Youth Day (observed on 12 August)
• Assist in gathering content and designing communication materials for youth-related campaigns, webinars, and global or regional events
• Support the engagement of Generation17 young leaders throughout the year, across global and regional platforms, both in-person and online, in close coordination with the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy
• Identify and engage with potential UNDP goodwill ambassadors or champions to amplify visibility and outreach of youth empowerment initiatives, including Generation17

Knowledge Management and Documentation

• Support the preparation and visual layout of communication materials for knowledge products, training offerings, and learning events on youth empowerment and participation in governance
• Develop, maintain and update a set of Canva-based templates for recurring Youth Team communication needs, ensuring consistency, accessibility and reusability
• Assist with maintaining a structured digital filing system for communication assets, including photos, videos, templates, and partner logos
• Upload and maintain youth-related content on internal and external platforms, ensuring information is accurate, up to date and visually coherent

Multimedia and Production Support

• Provide basic support in the coordination of video content production, including gathering footage, drafting storyboards, supporting editing processes, and following up with service providers when required
• Design presentations, infographics, or visual assets using Canva and other standard tools, adapting content for different audiences and platforms

Engagement with UNDP Teams and Partners

• Coordinate with global, regional, and country-level communications experts and focal points to collect youth-related content and ensure alignment of both messaging and visuals with UNDP corporate communication and branding guidelines
• Support youth consultation processes by documenting outcomes, preparing summaries, and producing visually engaging communication materials that highlight youth voices

Events and Logistical Support

• Provide logistical and communication support for webinars, workshops, and global youth engagement events, including designing invitations, visual materials, support note taking, and content capture
• Assist with outreach to youth networks and partners to promote events, campaigns and knowledge offerings
• Support engagement and visibility of the Generation17 initiative in global and regional events

Administrative and Other Support

• Maintain contact lists, partner directories, distribution lists, and youth engagement databases
• Provide any other communication, advocacy, design or coordination support required by the supervisor to advance the work of the OIPS Youth Team

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 – 80 years
• Required Experience: 1 month (minimum)
• Nationality: There are no nationality requirements for remote assignments. Successful candidates will need to provide proof of citizenship, residency and/or right to work in their remote work location. In the case of refugees, candidates need to provide proof of their protected status in the country. Proof of address will also be required.

Assignment Requirements

Relevant Experience: 2 years

Languages:

• English, Level: Fluent (Required)
• French, Level: Working knowledge (Desirable)
• Spanish, Level: Working knowledge (Desirable)

Required Education Level: Master’s degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Technologies, IT, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or related field

Competencies and Values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Skills and Experience

• At least two years of experience in communication, social media support, digital content creation, youth engagement, advocacy or a related field
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to draft, edit and package clear, concise and audience-appropriate communication materials
• Interest and familiarity with social media platforms and digital engagement, including how to prepare posts, visuals, and youth-focused content, as well as an understanding of how content contributes to outreach and engagement
• Practical experience in designing visual content using simple tools such as Canva or similar platforms, including the creation of youth-friendly social media assets, carousels, presentations, simple publications and reusable templates
• Excellent organizational and coordination skills, including maintaining files, content libraries, templates and simple databases
• Ability to work collaboratively and respectfully in a multicultural environment and communicate effectively with colleagues and partners at different levels
• Solid computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and use of online collaboration tools
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work with minimal supervision, manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Motivation to learn and apply UNDP communication standards, branding guidelines, youth engagement approaches, and advocacy practices

Desirable Experience:

• Experience engaging with youth networks, youth organizations, or youth-led initiatives is an advantage
• Familiarity with communication for development, youth empowerment, digital participation, or civic engagement is desirable
• Exposure to the UN system or another development organization is an asset
• Demonstrated interest in youth empowerment, democratic governance, digital rights, peace, inclusion or the 2030 Agenda
• Affinity with the values of volunteerism and multilateral cooperation

Area(s) of Expertise

Communication

Other Information

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.

Living Conditions and Remarks:

The assignment is to be performed remotely for UNDP’s Global Youth Team based in Bonn.

Volunteer Living Allowance for remote assignments is based on the national entitlements of the country of residence.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station using the UNV entitlement calculator.

The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available on the UNV website.

Inclusivity Statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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How to Apply

Application Link: Click here to apply