Publishing Officer – Apply Now

Job Summary

ECA's mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 SDGs and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA's five new strategic directions which are: advancing ECA's position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent's problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa's position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues. This position is located in the Publications, Conference and Knowledge Management Division, Publications and Conference Management Section and the incumbent reports to the Chief, Production Services.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Publishing Officer may be responsible for the following duties:

• Ensures implementation of publishing and information programs to support priority issues and/or major events, to include drafting publishing strategies, coordinating production efforts, monitoring and reporting on progress, taking appropriate follow-up action, and analyzing the outcome.
• Monitors and analyzes current developments in publishing, design and digital distribution, identifies issues and trends, and advises management on appropriate actions/responses.
• Undertakes activities to promote dissemination of UN publications (e.g. print, electronic, and multimedia publications), to include development of outreach and distribution plans, initiating proactive engagement with partners, consulting with clients on design and production needs, disseminating materials, undertaking appropriate follow-up action and analyzing and reporting on reach and impact.
• Produces or oversees production of a wide range of publishing and design products (e.g. reports, newsletters, periodicals, books, brochures, infographics, interactive digital publications, audio-visual materials, etc.), to include proposing topics, undertaking research, determining appropriate medium and target audience, preparing production plans, writing drafts, obtaining clearances and finalizing texts, editing copy, and coordinating design approval, printing procedures and distribution while ensuring accessibility standards and UN brand fidelity.
• Prepares, on the basis of official UN documentation and other sources, initial drafts of content for inclusion in UN publications and knowledge products.
• Initiates and sustains professional relationships with key constituencies, including authors, editors, translators, designers, printers and vendors.
• Acts as focal point on specific publishing issues, monitoring and reporting on developments, responding to inquiries, etc.
• Participates in selecting information and materials to be published and disseminated to key constituencies.
• Provides guidance and supervise more junior staff, while also contributing directly to design jobs and mentoring staff on publishing workflows, design assignments, and production tasks.
• Collects and analyzes publishing-related data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.

Competencies

Professionalism:

• Knowledge of and proven ability to produce digital publications with interactive content.
• Demonstrated creative approach to visual and/or multimedia presentation of information.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make recommendations, and provide expert advice and guidance;
• Shows pride in work and in achievements;
• demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
• is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
• shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
• Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.
• The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.

Creativity:

• Actively seeks to improve programmes or services;
• offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs;
• promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas;
• takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas;
• thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things;
• is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

Client Orientation:

• Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view;
• establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions;
• monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects;
• meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Managing Performance:

• Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority;
• makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member;
• accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills;
• monitors progress against milestones and deadlines;
• regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff;
• encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative;
• actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff;
• appraises performance fairly

Qualification

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in publishing, print and media technology, multimedia design, communication, or related field.
• A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is an advantage
• A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the field of visual communications including publications and other print projects, preferably while working with international or private organizations is required.
• Experience managing and supporting digital production is required.
• Experience producing material for interactive publications (videos, photos, webpages, augmented and virtual reality products, etc.) is required.
• Experience in developing and producing digital interactive publications and multimedia content while working with international or private organizations is desirable.
• Experience in multimedia storytelling is desirable.
• One year or more of experience in data analytics or a related area is desirable.