Local Social Media Voter Outreach Expert

Background:

The OSCE Presence in Albania (PiA) through the ExB “Support to Electoral Reform and Process in Albania” project, supported by Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S Mission to the OSCE and Poland, aims to contribute to an all-inclusive and participatory electoral process in line with OSCE commitments and OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.

The PiA contributes in strengthening the electoral framework and promoting inclusive citizens’ participation. In view of the 11 May 2025 parliamentary elections, there is an increased focus on engaging underrepresented groups, particularly youth and special groups of interest (women, minorities, people with disability, etc.). In this regard, PiA will support the CEC to implement a broad voter outreach strategy, focusing on social media and digital outreach to engage young voters and special groups of interest in the elections.  

Traditional outreach methods are widely considered by CEC and other election-related stakeholders as insufficient to capture the attention and engagement of these groups, who are increasingly using digital communication channels. To address this challenge, the project seeks to engage a senior local expert to coordinate with the CEC in implementing a comprehensive voter outreach strategy which will aim at informing, engaging and motivating young voters and special groups of interest in Albania to help achieving a more inclusive electoral process.

Objective of Assignment: 
The objective is to implement a comprehensive voter outreach strategy that effectively informs, engages and mobilizes young voters and special interest groups to achieve higher voter participation in the 11 May 2025 elections. Specifically, the expert will coordinate with the CEC to implement a detailed strategy for engaging and mobilizing in-country and out-of-country voters, focusing on youth and special interest groups. The existing strategy will be implemented using targeted social media and digital outreach methods tailored to local trends and demands to enhance knowledge of and participation in the 11 May 2025 elections. The expert will actively engage with youth organizations, minority advocacy groups and disability networks to ensure inclusivity and adaptability of the outreach strategy.

Duration of Assignment:
This consultancy is envisaged to last during a period of 3 months, starting from February until May 2025.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

1.    Upon consultations with the CEC, PiA and in alignment with the current CEC voter outreach strategy, the expert should develop a detailed work plan. The latter will include specific activities, milestones, and a timeline for engaging and mobilizing voters. 
2.    Establish key performance indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the outreach strategy taking into account Albania’s legal framework, electoral environment and demographic characteristics; provide recommendations for local–level data collection and analysis; suggest methods for reporting and continuous improvement.
3.    Design, create and implement targeted digital campaigns to engage voters residing in Albania and abroad. The campaigns will include tailored content that resonates with young voters and underrepresented groups, utilizing platforms and formats most relevant to these audiences. The expert will ensure that content integrates gender-sensitive messaging, addresses barriers faced by underrepresented groups, is reflective of local cultural background/trends and follows best practices in voter outreach. The digital campaign content should include: short videos, infographics; step-by-step, interactive content such as polls, quizzes, or Q&A sessions; educational posts 
4.    As per CEC’s needs, coordinate and organize online and on-site meetings with stakeholders, including CEC and relevant civil society organizations representing/working with youth and special groups of interest in line with the voter outreach strategy.
5.    Prepare a final report which includes an executive summary and details all activities undertaken, outputs achieved, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future initiatives.

Deliverables:

- Develop a work plan for carrying out the assignment.

- The work plan should include the format and approximate length of digital content, the estimated number of posts per month, and projected audience reach and engagement rates. The plan must outline specific activities, milestones, and a timeline for engaging and mobilizing voters, and in alignment with the current CEC voter outreach strategy.

- Draft a framework for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the outreach strategy. The framework should specify clear, measurable quantitative, qualitative indicators and social media engagement metrics. 

- Create and post digital content across CEC’s social media platforms, with priority but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, as per the identified needs of CEC. Deliver monthly information on content created and reached audience.

- Submit a final report, which includes all relevant research, proposed strategies, and assessments.

Necessary Qualifications:

•    Advanced university degree in communication, journalism, political science, social science or related field; 
•    A minimum of ten years of professional experience in designing and implementing communication campaigns, with experience in election-related campaigns considered an asset.
•    Proven experience in creating multimedia content and proficiency in managing social media tools to ensure impactful outreach and engagement, particularly in the context of electoral processes or political campaigns;
•    Familiarity with Albania’s socio-political and cultural dynamics.
•    Knowledge of international practices in the area;
•    Excellent communication skills in Albanian and English;
•    Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, and ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities;
•    Computer literate and able to adjust to online working.

Remuneration Package:

Remuneration will be based on the selected consultant's/expert's qualifications, experience, the tasks and deliverables for this position and in accordance with the OSCE established rates.

If you wish to apply for this position, please use the OSCE's online application link found under https://vacancies.osce.org/.

The OSCE retains the discretion to re-advertise/re-post the vacancy, to cancel the recruitment or to offer an appointment with a modified job description or for a different duration.

Only those candidates who are selected to participate in the subsequent stages of recruitment will be contacted.

The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply to become a part of the Organization. 

Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model.

Please be aware that the OSCE does not request payment at any stage of the application and review process.