Background
Within the framework of the 2020 Media Section’s UB Project and as a part of the Media + Public Relations Policy Initiative, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo intends to enhance public relations and media communication skills of senior executive representatives of Kosovo Serb predominately inhabited municipalities and their support staff. To achieve desired results, the Media Section designed activities aimed at providing the selected beneficiaries with an opportunity to obtain the skills relevant for their professional performance that encompasses frequent communication with media outlets and the public. The activities also strive to address specific needs of the municipal authorities who are the main service providers and first respondent in communication with the public at the local level.
Within the scope of the project, the OSCE Mission will facilitate two separate in-person training sessions for relevant municipal representatives in the course of two days. If the public health situation deteriorates and does not allow the in-person implementation of the activity, the training sessions will be conducted online in duration of two half days each. In addition, the beneficiaries will be also offered a possibility to seek online/remote mentoring services related to the field of public communication and media relations from a local consultant/trainer who will be hired to design and deliver the training sessions. In total, more than 25 municipal representatives from Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Gjilan/Gnjilane regions expressed their interest to attend the training and enhance their public communication skills. A tentative list of beneficiaries includes one mayor, three deputy mayors, several directors of departments, municipal information officers and mayors’ chiefs of staff from the targeted municipalities.
To conduct the activities, the OSCE Mission searches for a local/consultant with sufficient relevant experience and expertise to strengthen the targeted beneficiaries’ knowledge related to delivering public speeches/interviews and conveying clear and concise messages through written statements and social media. Throughout the training and the mentoring process, the consultant should provide the municipal representatives with practical skill that would improve the overall transparency, accountability and performance of the targeted municipalities.
Objective
The OSCE Mission seeks to engage an experienced Serbian-speaking local consultant/trainer to design, prepare and deliver two separate training sessions on media communication and public relations for the identified municipal representatives in line with their specific needs. The consultant/trainer will also provide remote/online mentoring services related to media communication and public relations upon a request of the beneficiaries Therefore, the overall objective of the consultancy is to build the existing capacities at various levels of the municipal structures to communicate with the public effectively by using conventional and modern media tools and communication techniques. In general, the consultant should strive to prepare the participants for a successful public appearance at municipal level by identifying their main audiences and tackling identified gaps in communication with the public through mock interviews and group discussions.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Within the period of engagement, the consultant will be tasked to carry out the following assignments:
- At the beginning of the one-month engagement, the consultant/trainer is expected to fully develop a training session on public communication and media relations for the identified municipal representatives in line with their specific needs. The training should focus on basics of verbal and non-verbal communication, essential aspects of an effective public presentation, characteristics of targeted audiences, formulating and getting across authentic messages, overcoming the stage freight and achieving desired public impacts. It should also strive to improve the targeted beneficiaries’ on-camera performance, teach them how relevant media outlets operate and how to promote their ideas through successful media communication, present them some useful tips and advices for writing press releases, disclose secrets of contemporary. social media communication and prepare them to respond to media inquiries and questions even in unexpected situations;
- As a part of the preparation phase, the consultant/trainer will design and prepare training materials on the identified topics, as well as the agenda and well-structured plan of the training, and submit them to the Mission for review;
- Before the implementation of the training, the consultant/trainer will create an adequate tool that would allow him/her to assess the general level of trainees’ skills and knowledge prior and after the session and evaluate the overall impact of the activity;
- Following the preparation phase, the consultant is expected to deliver two separate training sessions to the targeted beneficiaries in Gjilan/Gnjilane and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica regions over two consecutive days;
- Alternatively, depending on the public health situation in Kosovo, the consultant/trainer will adjust the training to online modality and deliver four half-day online training session, two per each region;
- During the sessions, the consultant/trainer will collect the written and oral feedback from the participants based on the methodology previously agreed with the Section;
- After the completion of the training, the consultant/trainer will offer and provide remote/online mentoring services related to the field of public communication and media relations directly to the beneficiaries upon their request. Within the scope of the process, the consultant will offer practical advices and feedback related to their tools, mechanisms and products of public communication or any other inquiry that falls under the training subject matters;
- Based on the conducted activities, the consultant/trainer will draft and submit a final activity report that should consists of the following elements: summary of his/her presentation overall, assessment of the pre-training knowledge/skills of the trainees, description of the progress and impact achieved with the realization of the training and provision of mentoring services, as well as the main recommendations.
Deliverables:
The contracted local consultant/trainer, in a close communication and coordination with the Mission Activity Manager, is expected to deliver the following results:
- By 05 November, the recruited consultant/trainer prepares and submits via e-mail the content of the public communication and media relations training sessions, including relevant presentations, training material, agenda and plan, to the OSCE Mission Activity Manager;
- By 10 November, the consultant/trainer develops and submits for review the designed methodology/tool for evaluation of the pre- and post-training knowledge of participants;
- By 15 November, the consultant/trainer delivers the two training session to selected beneficiaries in Gjilan/Gnjilane and Mitrovicë/Mitrovica regions;
- By 25 November, the consultant/trainer offers and delivers online mentoring services to the beneficiaries;
- By 30 November, the consultant/trainer drafts and submits the final activity report to the OSCE Mission’s Activity Manager. The report should not be less than three pages long but should also not exceed five pages and should summarize the main findings of the training, including the content of the sessions, overall assessment of the pre-training knowledge/skills of the trainees, description of the progress made and impact achieved with the realization of the training and the provision of mentoring services, as well as the main recommendations
Performance Indicators:
The following key performance indicators will allow monitoring of the implementation process, as well as achieved results of the selected consultant/trainer:
- Relevant training material is promptly and adequately designed to cover the identified public relations and public communication challenges of the targeted beneficiaries;
- The developed pre and post-training assessment methodology and tools allow effective evaluation of the progress achieved and impact made through the implementation of the activity;
- Relevant training sessions are prepared and implemented within the planned timeframe and in line with the required scope of services;
- Online mentoring services are adequately and promptly provided to the beneficiaries upon their request;
- The final report is drafted and delivered on time, in an appropriate format and with detailed information as requested by the Activity Manager;
Necessary Qualifications
- University degree in social studies, languages, journalism, general law or media law, or political sciences;
- At least five years of relevant working experience in the field of media and human rights;
- Professional knowledge of media landscape and media legislation in the south-eastern Europe with focus on the relevant regional policies and media-related developments;
- Relevant experience in delivering public relations and media communication training to various organizations and institutions, both through in-person and online modalities;
- Desirable familiarity with local self-government issues and municipal affairs;
- Professional knowledge of Serbian and solid command of English language;
- Computer literacy and skills needed for conducting the training sessions online.
Remuneration Package
Remuneration will depend on the qualifications and experience of individual experts as well as the detailed work plan to be agreed upon and will be based on the current OSCE consultancy rates.
How To Apply
In order to apply for this position you must complete the OSCE's online application form, found under https://jobs.osce.org/. Applicants are encouraged to use the online recruitment and only fully completed OSCEapplications will be accepted. However, if you have technical difficulties with the system you may use the offline application form found under https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/offline-application-form and forward the completed form quoting the vacancy number by e-mail to: consultancy.omik@osce.org. In line with your qualifications please indicate preference to one or more field of expertise listed above (while using the online application the field of expertise preference can be indicated in the cover letter part). Kindly note that applications received after the deadline, submitted in different formats than the OSCE Application Form or in other languages than the English language would not be considered. The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and socialbackgrounds to apply.