Tunisia office - Diplomatic and Strategic Communication Specialist - International Consultant - Home-based

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. 

UN Women’s Tunisia country office is supporting Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs organize a series of specialized training sessions in diplomatic communication for senior diplomats. In an era of diplomacy marked by media immediacy, the proliferation of channels of influence and the importance of reputational issues, mastery of strategic communication tools is now a key skill for any diplomat called upon to exercise representative and negotiating responsibilities. This training course therefore aims to equip participants with the analytical, methodological and operational tools necessary for effective institutional communication.

This initiative is part of an integrated strategic approach aimed at increasing the effectiveness of diplomatic efforts, ensuring consistency and coherence in official discourse in various bilateral and multilateral forums, and strengthening Tunisia's influence and visibility on the international stage.

The training will be provided by an experienced expert in strategic communication, holding specialist certifications and possessing in-depth knowledge of the requirements and practices specific to the diplomatic field. The consultant will be reporting to the program coordinator, and will be supported by a program officer, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The selected consultant will position  the strategic design and implementationof a comprehensive five-day training program, leading the consolidation of a modern, structured and effective institutional communication system promoting a positive and credible image of Tunisia on the international stage, and equipping senior Tunisian diplomats to efficiently defend the country’s interests and strategic positions. 

The training sessions will cover the foundations and recent developments in diplomatic communication, key aspects of institutional communication and country image, advanced public speaking techniques, strategic communication and crisis management, relations with national and international media, communicational leadership and gender issues in diplomacy, and practical simulations (press conferences, official statements, interviews).

Objectives of the training program:

The training sessions aim to strengthen the communication skills of Tunisian diplomats in order to optimize the impact, credibility and consistency of Tunisia's diplomatic action at bilateral and multilateral levels. The specific objectives of the sessions include:

• Institutionalizing modern diplomatic communication techniques and tools.
• Strengthening skills in negotiation, argumentation and influence.
• Developing and establishing communication strategies and operational action plans.
• Structuring and consolidating strategic relational and media networks.
• Professionalizing written and oral communication in Tunisia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Mastering non-verbal communication and body language.
• Managing public appearances, press conferences and critical situations.
• Embedding and operationalizing communication management skills in times of crisis.

Target audience:

The training session’s target audience includes 24 experienced diplomats, identified as eligible to hold positions of responsibility and officially represent Tunisia abroad.

Content:

The consultant will serve as the lead technical expert and strategic advisor, providing high-level technical leadership in the development and delivery of this flagship capacity-building initiative. The consultant will set the strategic direction, design the institutional framework, and ensure alignment of the training modules with Tunisia's diplomatic priorities and international best practices in strategic communication. The selected consultant is expected to further tailor and develop the suggested modules based on their thematic and contextual expertise.

Modules Main content 1. Operational foundations of diplomatic communication Conceptual and strategic framework of diplomatic communication, role and strategic positioning of diplomats as strategic communication actors within the state, diplomatic writing with high strategic value, alignment with foreign policy orientations and ensuring inter-institutional coherence. 2. Public speaking, influence and media management Strategic speaking and communication leadership, structur