PFM Communications and Storytelling Associate

The Vaka Pasifika project supports Pacific Island countries in strengthening public financial management (PFM), accountability, transparency and the effective use of public resources to contribute to more inclusive and sustainable development outcomes. As part of its engagement with Pacific stakeholders, the project seeks to strengthen awareness and understanding of PFM issues by documenting practical experiences, lessons and examples from across the region.

Effective communication and storytelling can help translate complex PFM concepts into accessible and relatable narratives, demonstrating how public finance decisions, accountability mechanisms and the management of public resources can affect communities, public services and people’s everyday lives. Human-interest stories can also help bring Pacific perspectives and experiences into wider regional discussions on PFM and development.

Against this background, the PFM Communications and Storytelling Associate will support the Vaka Pasifika project team in researching, identifying and developing a collection of PFM-related human-interest stories for publication. The assignment will involve desk research, stakeholder engagement, interviews, information gathering, fact-checking and drafting of accessible stories that connect technical PFM issues with practical experiences and development outcomes.

Working under the guidance of the Vaka Pasifika project team, the UN Volunteer will contribute to the identification of relevant story themes and sources, support the coordination of interviews and research, and assist in developing and refining stories for the intended audience. The assignment will provide an opportunity to strengthen communication around PFM issues while highlighting Pacific experiences, perspectives and practical examples.

Under the overall guidance of the Vaka Pasifika project team, the Associate will support communication and storytelling activities aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of public financial management (PFM) issues and their relevance to people, communities and public service delivery in the Pacific.

The Associate will:

• Support research and identification of relevant PFM themes, issues, initiatives and country experiences that can be developed into accessible human-interest stories.
• Review existing Vaka Pasifika communication materials and previous journalist engagements to identify relevant lessons, story opportunities and potential sources.
• Support the development and implementation of a workplan for researching and producing PFM-related stories.
• Conduct desk research and gather relevant background information, data, evidence and other materials to inform story development.
• Identify and support engagement with relevant stakeholders, including government representatives, oversight institutions, civil society organisations, communities, development partners and other appropriate sources.
• Support the planning and coordination of interviews and consultations with identified stakeholders and document relevant perspectives, experiences and examples.
• Assist in translating technical PFM concepts and information into clear, engaging and accessible narratives for non-technical audiences.
• Draft human-interest stories, case studies and related communication content based on research, interviews and verified information.
• Support fact-checking and verification of key information, data and quotations used in communication products.
• Work closely with the Vaka Pasifika project team to refine story angles, structure, messaging and presentation.
• Incorporate feedback from the project team and support revisions through the UNDP review and clearance process.
• Contribute to the compilation and preparation of approved stories and supporting content for publication and dissemination.
• Support other communication, research and knowledge-sharing activities related to PFM and the objectives of the Vaka Pasifika project, as required.