I am Nicola Simmonds, an Elder Communication Advocate and Celebrity Collaborator with a director-producer-filmmaker background and a writer-editor toolkit. I craft comprehensive advocacy materials for development and humanitarian partners, building partnerships with celebrities and champions to amplify organisations’ results, messages, and mandates. Based in Geneva, I work across many programme countries, leveraging my global contacts to create campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences through film, TV, radio, digital media, and music. I approach each project with thorough research, digging into celebrities’ life stories and target audiences’ preferences. This meticulous, network-driven method helps ensure ambassadors and messages are authentic and impactful. I collaborate with technical teams, governments, donors, field partners, high-profile talents, philanthropists, and beneficiaries, delivering end-to-end communications from concept to final product. My career spans private sector media, UN development work, and NGO partnerships, often integrating CSR in collaboration with brands like IKEA and Nikon. I also mentor and train teams and youth in documentary storytelling using mobile technology.

Nicola Simmonds Elder

I am Nicola Simmonds, an Elder Communication Advocate and Celebrity Collaborator with a director-producer-filmmaker background and a writer-editor toolkit. I craft comprehensive advocacy materials for development and humanitarian partners, building partnerships with celebrities and champions to amplify organisations’ results, messages, and mandates. Based in Geneva, I work across many programme countries, leveraging my global contacts to create campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences through film, TV, radio, digital media, and music. I approach each project with thorough research, digging into celebrities’ life stories and target audiences’ preferences. This meticulous, network-driven method helps ensure ambassadors and messages are authentic and impactful. I collaborate with technical teams, governments, donors, field partners, high-profile talents, philanthropists, and beneficiaries, delivering end-to-end communications from concept to final product. My career spans private sector media, UN development work, and NGO partnerships, often integrating CSR in collaboration with brands like IKEA and Nikon. I also mentor and train teams and youth in documentary storytelling using mobile technology.

Available to hire

I am Nicola Simmonds, an Elder Communication Advocate and Celebrity Collaborator with a director-producer-filmmaker background and a writer-editor toolkit. I craft comprehensive advocacy materials for development and humanitarian partners, building partnerships with celebrities and champions to amplify organisations’ results, messages, and mandates. Based in Geneva, I work across many programme countries, leveraging my global contacts to create campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences through film, TV, radio, digital media, and music.

I approach each project with thorough research, digging into celebrities’ life stories and target audiences’ preferences. This meticulous, network-driven method helps ensure ambassadors and messages are authentic and impactful. I collaborate with technical teams, governments, donors, field partners, high-profile talents, philanthropists, and beneficiaries, delivering end-to-end communications from concept to final product. My career spans private sector media, UN development work, and NGO partnerships, often integrating CSR in collaboration with brands like IKEA and Nikon. I also mentor and train teams and youth in documentary storytelling using mobile technology.

See more

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Content Producer / Consultant at UN Organisations (Multiple, including UNICEF HQ, Geneva; IOM)
August 1, 2022 - Present
Short contracts delivering advocacy content and mapping traditional and digital media use by users; developing proposals; writing/producing/directing animations; leveraging local talent (artists, musicians, young talents) to maximize reach and resonance; coordinating with technical teams, donors, field partners and beneficiaries.
Branding & Communications Consultant at IOM HQ Geneva (RRM)
November 1, 2021 - August 1, 2022
Branding assessment, proposals and presentations for IOM (RRM). Through detailed research and an extensive network, developed a comprehensive list of national, regional and global celebrities suitable for IOM. Produced social media posts on Ukraine response; organized a private sector event (Venice Biennale – migration photography).
Content Producer at UN in Sub-Saharan Africa
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2021
Produced a combined approach to advocacy across six countries (Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia). Collaborated with UNICEF HQ and other UN agencies to develop and disseminate content for education, gender, child protection, and health initiatives; created and coordinated media assets (films, animations, PSAs, radio, photography).
Campaign Manager at UNICEF Somalia
June 1, 2013 - October 1, 2013
Designed and rolled out the back-to-school campaign (Somali Go-2-School Initiative); produced YouTube PSAs; secured ambassadors including Iman and Angélique Kidjo.
Producer – High Level Radio Debate at UNICEF East & Southern Africa
March 1, 2013 - May 1, 2013
Produced a high-level radio debate on Birth Registration and Civil Registration during the African Union's 50-year celebrations.
C4D Consultant at IOM Ghana & UNICEF Ghana
September 1, 2012 - February 1, 2013
Designed and implemented a child protection toolkit for training of trainers and the illiterate in marginalised communities in rural Ghana, focusing on education and the prevention of child trafficking and slavery.
Consultant Documentary Producer at UN Projects (Italy)
September 1, 2010 - August 1, 2012
Conceived concept, sourced talent, wrote scripts, directed shoots and editing for YouTube documentaries addressing issues such as FGM, ECD, and poverty.
Author at Lonely Planet
January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2010
Researched and wrote Africa-based guidebooks for Lonely Planet across Zimbabwe and the Southern Africa region.
Communications Director at IOM Zimbabwe
August 1, 2007 - March 1, 2008
C4D Campaign Director; Member of the UN Communications Task Force in Zimbabwe; led communications strategy and advocacy.
Campaign Creator at UNICEF Angola
October 1, 2004 - January 1, 2005
Campaign creator for UNICEF Angola; development of outreach and advocacy materials.
Radio Programme Producer/Director/Trainer at UNICEF Angola
February 1, 2005 - April 1, 2005
Producer/Director/Trainer for youth HIV/AIDS radio programme; contributed to awareness and education campaigns.
Presenter / Producer / Director at Fox TV
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2002
Presenter / Producer / Director on Box Office (Fox 8 Australia).
Freelance Writer / Researcher at UK publications (The Economist, The Daily Mirror, Marie Claire, Sunday Telegraph)
January 1, 1992 - December 1, 1995
Freelance writing, researching for major UK publications.

Education

BA English and Linguistics (double major in Mass Communications and Literature) at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
January 11, 2030 - January 29, 2026

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization, Education, Government, Professional Services