INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technologies, with the mission to connect the world. To achieve this, ITU manages the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits at the international level, works to improve communication infrastructure in the developing world, and establishes global standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communication systems.
ITU applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. ITU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. Achieving gender balance is a high priority for ITU.
Content Development and Editing Consultant
Vacancy notice no: 2281
Sector: SG
Department: SPM
Country of contract: Switzerland
Duty station: Geneva
Position number: [[positionNumber]]
Grade: [[PositionGrade]]
Type of contract: Consultant
Duration of contract: 4 months
Recruitment open to: External
Application deadline (Midnight Geneva Time): 7 April 2026
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT
The General Secretariat directs administrative, human and financial resources and activities of the Union, including the implementation of the provisions of the administrative regulations on operational questions, the dissemination of information on telecommunication/ICT matters for operational and other purposes, and the provision of legal advice to the whole of the Union. The General Secretariat coordinates the implementation of the Strategic Plan, monitors the telecommunication/ICT environment and recommends as needed action relating to the Union’s future policies and strategy. The General Secretariat ensures inter-sectoral coordination and cooperation to advance a whole of ITU approach (One-ITU) in headquarters and the field. The General Secretariat provides logistical and information technology support to the Union’s activities including conferences and global forums; the coordination of the work of the Union with the United Nations system, and other international organizations; and the engagement of the Member States, Sector Members, and Academia. The General Secretariat manages corporate governance, and strategic communications and relations with the media, different stakeholder groups as well as the general public.
Within the General Secretariat, the Strategic Planning and Membership Department (SPM) advises the Secretary-General on strategic challenges and their implications for the Union in the fast evolving telecommunications/ICT environment; develops forward-looking strategic proposals to the ITU management team with a view to ensuring that the organization meets the objectives assigned by the membership; plans and coordinates the corporative and strategic activities with a view to ensuring their accordance with membership objectives; organizes and provides secretariat services to the Plenipotentiary Conference, Council, and other meetings in the general secretariat in order to achieve a high level of involvement from Member States and Sector Members, develops and maintains sound relations with Member States, Sector Members and other entities, the UN and other international organizations. The Department is also responsible for providing expert advice on communication and promotion strategies and for developing and implementing the Union's corporate communication plan in cooperation with the three Sectors with a view to promoting ITU leadership in the field of telecommunications and ICT.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide high quality drafting, editorial, and content development support for World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026, including preparing speeches, talking points, scripts, concept notes, and event scenarios; producing compelling WSIS implementation stories; ensuring accuracy and consistency across all communication outputs; supporting the development of WSIS Action Line roadmaps; and assisting in the editing and finalization of the Chair’s Report and other outcome documents to ensure coherent, strategic, and impactful messaging throughout the WSIS Forum 2026 and the broader WSIS process.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Under the guidance of the Head of WSIS and Stakeholder Engagement Division, the consultant will provide support to the team with speeches, briefing notes and reports for the WSIS Forum 2026:
- Draft, edit, and finalise speeches for high-level officials, ensuring alignment with strategic messaging and thematic priorities of the WSIS Forum 2026.
- Prepare briefing notes, background documents, and talking points to support senior leadership during events, meetings, interviews, and media engagements.
- Develop scripts for event moderators, hosts, and video segments, ensuring clarity, flow, and consistency with event objectives.
- Design full scenarios and run-of-show outlines for WSIS Forum 2026 activities, across all delivery formats.
- Write concept notes for thematic sessions, campaigns, and side events, clearly articulating objectives, outcomes, and relevance to the WSIS Process.
- Research and write compelling WSIS implementation stories, including impact stories and testimonials from stakeholders, to be featured in publications, social media and digital platforms.
- Collaborate with other team members and partners to gather content, ensure accuracy, and maintain consistency in tone and style across outputs.
- Assist with drafting WSIS Action Lines, roadmaps, including emerging trends and challenges.
- Assist in editing and finalising the Chair’s Report and other outcome documents of the event.
CONCRETE DELIVERABLES
- Submission of finalized speeches for high-level officials, aligned with WSIS Process strategic messaging.
- Preparation of briefing notes, background documents, and talking points for senior leadership, supporting events, meetings, and media engagements.
- Creation of scripts for event moderators, hosts, and video segments ensuring consistency with event objectives.
- Coordination of Run-of-Show and Event Scenarios for major WSIS Forum 2026 activities.
- Design of concept notes for thematic sessions, campaigns, and side events, detailing objectives and expected outcomes.
- Compilation of WSIS compelling stories, including impact stories, social media and stakeholder testimonials. Highlights of roadmaps, emerging trends and updates on WSIS Action Lines.
- Finalization of the Chair’s Report and other outcome documents of the event.
COMPETENCIES
- Advanced writing and editing skills: Ability to craft clear, persuasive, and engaging content, including speeches and reports, tailored to various audiences and occasions. Proficiency in writing tools such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
- Strategic communication and message alignment: Ability to align written materials with organizational goals, ensuring consistency across speeches, reports, and other communication outputs.
- Proficiency in research and content development: Excellent research skills and expertise in conducting thorough research to gather relevant information, analyse data, and transform complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives. Strong knowledge of global trends in the field.
- Content structuring and organization: Expertise in organizing content logically, ensuring clarity, coherence, and proper flow in both reports and speeches.
- Audience adaptation: Ability to tailor tone, style, and language to suit different audiences, from formal reports to engaging public speeches.
- Strong planning and organising skills: Capacity to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality outputs through structured and proactive planning.
- Effective collaboration: Ability to work effectively with senior officials and teams to gather input, refine content, and meet deadlines for high-quality deliverables.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
Education:
University degree in communications, translation, marketing, business, management, digital marketing or a related field OR education from a reputed college of advanced education with a diploma of equivalent standard to that of an University degree in one of the fields above.
Experience:
At least five (5) years of experience in professional writing and editing.
Languages:
Knowledge of English at advanced level. Knowledge of another official language of the Union (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) would be an advantage.
REMUNERATION INFORMATION
Lumpsum CHF 5,000.00 per month.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Travel cost to the duty station will be covered if needed.
INFORMATION ON RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the ITU Careers website. The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. ITU uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided. Messages originating from a non ITU e-mail account - @itu.int - should be disregarded. ITU does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
