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UNLEASHING THE BLUE ECONOMY OF THE CARIBBEAN (UBEC)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST

1. Background

The Blue Economy is defined as an approach to promote sustainable and integrated use of marine resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job generation while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.  It covers a range of interdependent sectors, including fisheries, coastal tourism, and waste management.  Fisheries, for example, provide the hospitality industry with quality and affordable seafood, while the tourism sector supports fisher livelihoods and generates employment. Waste management, meanwhile, is crucial to the health of fisheries and other marine resources and ecosystems which are, in turn, critical for the beaches and other natural assets that attract holiday makers. Going forward, anticipating and adapting to the impacts of climate change will be an essential component of the blue economy, ensuring that low-carbon and climate-resilient measures are incorporated across sectors to ensure sustainability of marine resources and continued generation of their benefits.

The Government of Saint Lucia recognizes that the sustainable management and protection of its extensive ocean space and associated marine and coastal resources, particularly in the face of increasing climate change, are crucial to economic growth, job creation, and diversification. On its pathway towards blue growth, Saint Lucia has embarked on several projects and strategic plans that helped advance protection of its blue space and grow the island’s blue economy.

1. Project Description

The Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) will be implemented as a Series of Projects (SOP) in three distinct five-year phases over a fifteen-year period (each project will have a life cycle of five years) involving multi-sectoral blue economy investments to support Caribbean countries to strengthen their climate resilience and accelerate economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Phase 1 of UBEC, to be implemented between fiscal years 2022 and 2028, involves Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS Commission and focuses on three interrelated blue economy sectors: tourism, fisheries, and waste management.

The project development objective of the SOP and Phase I is to strengthen the enabling environment for the blue economy, economic recovery, and resilience of selected coastal assets in participating countries and provide immediate and effective response to an eligible emergency. Phase I of the SOP is designed to foster economic recovery and support marine and coastal resilience in Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of two critical, interconnected sectors – tourism and fisheries – and one underlying enabling infrastructure service, waste management. The SOP will achieve its objectives by: 1) strengthening regional and national policies and institutional frameworks to bring back business and attract new investments, (2) scaling up innovative financing mechanisms aimed at enhancing employment and productivity in the tourism, fisheries, and waste management value chains through establishment of a regional MSME matching grant program  and a regional climate-risk fisheries insurance scheme, (3) supporting investment in coastal infrastructure to reduce risk and leverage private investment in blue economy activities and strengthen climate resilience, and (4) adopting a contingency emergency response mechanism to respond to future extreme weather events. 

The SOP consists of four components: (i) Strengthening Governance, Policies, and Capacity Building; (ii) Scale Up Access to Finance and Infrastructure Investment; (iii) Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC); and (iv) Project Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Communication.

1. The Project Implementation Unit

The Government of Saint Lucia (GoSLU) is establishing a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in the Department of Finance at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) responsible for implementing the UBEC project national-level activities and coordinating with relevant ministries, including but not limited to Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Enterprise Development, and Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority. The PIU will have the following positions: Project Manager, Financial Management Specialist, Procurement Officer, Environment Safeguards Specialist, Social Safeguards Specialist, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, and Communications Specialist.

The PIU will be a fully integrated part of the MoF structure, relying on UBEC resources to deliver UBEC Project activities, including project planning, financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, environmental and social safeguards, and reporting in accordance with both Government and World Bank requirements.

1. Objectives of the assignment

The Government of Saint Lucia is seeking a Communications Specialist to be part of the PIU and manage the communication, information, and knowledge management aspects of the UBEC project. The Communications Specialist will be directly supervised by the Project Manager.

1. Key tasks and responsibilities

• Work closely with the PIU, the MoF and key stakeholders on communications, advocacy and awareness of all project activities. This includes the development, launching and dissemination of program materials, human interest stories, factsheets, info graphs to key stakeholders through relevant media channels.
• Lead in developing media materials for the UBEC project, in consultation with relevant stakeholders. This includes drafting and editing media articles, and press releases and scripts for mass media dissemination; as well as maintaining a library of related media coverage articles and clips.
• Work closely with the Project Manager to develop, maintain, and update the UBEC Project webpage on an ongoing basis. This role includes working in close consultation with the MoF staff and media officers.
• Provide support in the organization of special events to promote Project materials and development goals. Plan, design, organize, and coordinate knowledge-sharing events; and coordinate/manage communications aspects for training events, as requested.
• Review and finalize the stakeholder engagement plan in accordance with the project operation manual and other relevant documents associated with the UBEC project; and undertake any other processes and procedures necessary to ensure successful stakeholder engagement and management.
• Produce and edit all internal and external communication about the project in a consistent style, tone and flow.
• Ensure strategic and timely flow of information and messages.
• Develop effective communication strategies based on inputs from other UBEC PIU staff.
• Liaise with media houses and handle all request for interviews, statements etc.
• Initiate new and foster existing relationships with stakeholders of the project.
• Analyze the need for communication intervention and organize response strategies such as press conferences, meetings, seminars etc.
• Collaborate with printing press and marketing professionals to produce printed or video graphics about the Project.
• Perform damage control where and when necessary.
• Assist the project manager and other staff to design outreach strategies.
• Develop procedures, guidelines, and good practices on a range of knowledge and communications products.
• Work with task teams and the Project Manager to prepare knowledge products and management briefs for purposeful structure, clarity of ideas, and logical, persuasive presentation.
• Any other knowledge management and communications related task as requested by the Project Manager.

1. Duration, location, coordination and reporting arrangements

• Duration. The Communications Specialist is a full-time position required for five (5) years, renewable annually based on performance.
• The contract is subject to a probationary period of six months and may be subject to satisfactory achievement of key deliverables.
• Performance will initially be reviewed after six months, and thereafter subject to annual reviews.
• This is a full-time position based in Castries, Saint Lucia.
• The Communications Specialist will work from the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the UBEC project where he/she will be assigned a workstation and will participate in face-to-face or virtual meetings, as is the case.

• The Communications Specialist will frequently and adequately coordinate with all PIU staff, as relevant.

• Reporting arrangements. The Communications Specialist will report directly to the Project Manager.

1. Selection Criteria

• A Master’s degree in Communications, International Relations, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Political Science or other related field, with a minimum of one year of relevant professional experience in communications and/or information management; or a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three years of relevant experience.
• Experience in managing the communication, information, and knowledge management aspects of projects, and in roles with similar responsibilities. Experience with donor funded projects is desirable.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills English is required. Verbal skills in French Creole is desired.
• Experience with basic design and layout skills for communication and branding materials.
• Knowledge and understanding of sustainability and environmental topics.
• Strong ability to write on development, environment, natural resources, blue economy and climate change or similar topics in English for non-technical audiences.
• Expert computer literacy skills with the ability to use standard office software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Photoshop and design skills are a plus.
• Proven ability to plan and implement effective internal and external (including online) communications strategies.
• Ability to synthetize and convey complex ideas in a clear, direct, and engaging style for a variety of internal and external platforms, including digital media.
• Ability to draft routine correspondence and prepare reports independently.
• Strong ability to prepare, package, and adapt material into appropriate and effective content.
• Ability to effectively manage time, multi-task and meet stipulated deadlines as directed by the Project Manager.
• Proven planning and organizational skills, ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
• Advance numeracy and research skills and the ability to conduct basic inferences from raw data and be able to decipher significant facts from raw data.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines, juggle multiple tasks, and work effectively under stress.
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external partners in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to easily interact effectively with diverse individuals of different backgrounds and seniority.

1. Applying for this post

Applications for the post should be made to:

Permanent Secretary

Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy

4^th Floor Finance Administrative Center

Pointe Seraphine

Castries

Saint Lucia

Tel: 1 (758) 468- 5503

Email: Olivia.alfred@govt.lc

Applications must include the following format and content:

1. A brief covering letter introducing yourself, and explaining why you are interested in this post (maximum 1 page); and

1. A resume (CV) showing personal details, work experience, and education, along with the names of three work related references (maximum 3 pages).

Note: unsuitable candidates will not be acknowledged. Applicants whose minimum qualifications and experience conform to the Terms of Reference will be short-listed and invited attend and interview for further consideration.