Advocacy and Communications Officer – UNICEF (San Jose)

About the role

UNICEF is seeking an Advocacy and Communications Officer to lead and coordinate initiatives that promote children’s rights, influence policy, and strengthen stakeholder engagement in Costa Rica. The role combines strategic advocacy planning with dynamic communication campaigns to generate measurable impact for children and adolescents.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement advocacy strategies with clear objectives, outcomes, and theories of change.
• Identify advocacy opportunities through analysis of political, economic, and social trends.
• Design and execute communication and public‑engagement initiatives that support advocacy goals.
• Lead digital communication campaigns, create content, and manage audience engagement.
• Build and maintain relationships with media outlets and journalists.
• Monitor, evaluate, and report advocacy results using evidence‑based approaches.
• Manage project work plans, budgets, and resources transparently.
• Strengthen internal advocacy and communication capacities through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Establish strategic partnerships and stakeholder networks to advance UNICEF priorities.

Required profile

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Political Science, International Development, Public Policy, Communications, or related fields.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible experience in advocacy, campaigning, and communications.
• Proven experience in advocacy strategy development, policy influence, and communication tactics.

Required skills

• Strategic planning and theory of change development.
• Digital campaign design and content creation.
• Media relations and public‑engagement expertise.
• Data‑driven monitoring and evaluation.
• Project and budget management.

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence policies that affect children’s lives.
• Professional development within a global humanitarian organization.
• Collaborative, diverse, and purpose‑driven work environment.