Hi, I’m
HEIDI MIRZA
Communication Specialist
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
Summary
Accomplished Communications Officer with 5 years of experience growing client bases via strategic marketing and project implementation. Works with major corporate clients to identify and address public, media and promotional needs. Delivers high-impact, dynamic product presentations to drive revenue growth and community change.
Overview
7
years of professional experience
5
Certifications
2
Languages
Work History
UNESCOCairo, Egypt
Communications Officer
02.2024 - Current
Job overview
- Led the Communication and Information Sector at the UNESCO Cairo Office working closely with ministers, national media institutions, civil society organizations, media professionals and journalists, youth, women and vulnerable communities.
- Sole project implementer under the Communication and Information (CI) Sector in both Sudan and Egypt for 30 projects.
- Designed and delivered projects focused on disinformation, hate speech, and the safety of Sudanese journalists, reaching professionals across conflict zones and exile.
- Implemented projects on: Media and Information Literacy (MIL) for youth and women, Digitization and preservation of audiovisual/documentary heritage under the UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme, and raising awareness and capacities on Open Educational Resources (OER) and digital equity.
- Responsible for drafting 100+ concept notes, project agendas, and detailed reports for all CI programs, ensuring alignment with UNESCO standards and donor requirements.
- Maintained budgetary discipline and efficient resource allocation to meet project goals and donor expectations.
- Produced high-quality communication materials, reports, and updates to support visibility, donor engagement, and internal coordination.
- Supported the office's Communication Officer in content creation and visibility across digital platforms.
- Built and maintained an extensive media network, including journalists, bloggers, broadcasters, and online creators from across Egypt, Sudan and the region.
- Organized media forums, workshops, and public events to mobilize stakeholders and amplify CI sector initiatives.
- Successfully drafted and presented project proposals to secure funding and strategic buy-in from internal leadership and international donors.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure consistent messaging across all platforms and materials.
- Monitored media coverage of the organization closely to identify opportunities for proactive outreach.
- Managed crisis communications, effectively mitigating potential reputational damage.
- Spearheaded public relations efforts that led to successful partnerships with influencers within the industry.
- Crafted speeches for company executives, reinforcing brand identity.
- Streamlined communication channels between departments, enhancing overall efficiency and intersectional activities.
- Reduced risks and emergency response issues by observing public safety field units.
UNESCOKhartoum
Communication & Information Consultant
08.2022 - 02.2024
Job overview
- Project assigned to lead the UNESCO Sudan Media Law Reform project, working with lawmakers, government ministries, and media stakeholders to develop new legal frameworks that uphold freedom of expression and protect journalists’ rights.
- After the war broke out in April 2023, I designed and delivered several for the sector focused on disinformation, hate speech, and the safety of Sudanese journalists, reaching professionals across conflict zones and exile.
- Collaborated with the Regional Office in Cairo to implement a cross-sectoral initiative on eLearning and digital communication, improving education access for Sudanese youth in crisis.
- Designed and implemented a digital project focused on building the capacities of digital content creator on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) to counter Hate Speech during crisis.
- Spearheaded a crisis response project to evacuate at-risk Sudanese journalists and media workers, coordinating relocation logistics and financial support to host countries.
- Maintained budgetary discipline and efficient resource allocation to meet project goals and donor expectations.
TGE CommoditiesKhartoum
Vice President of Operations
02.2021 - 08.2022
Job overview
- Overlooking an Agri-based team of 7 operations-based employees with a close eye on all the 4 production facilities, production quantities and shipments to ensure a smooth process. Direct Communication with 5 client desk abroad, trade desks, dealing with 3 shipping lines and their procedures, documentation for the various countries being aware of each process and serving as a communication point between external clients, the internal employees and the management.
- Setting up communication accounts on 3 social media platforms for the company to increase its exposure to the media and facilitate media-based campaigns across the country.
- Incorporated UNSDGs in the company’s corporate social responsibility memorandum.
- Technical difficulties are addressed by quickly identifying and troubleshooting customer issues to achieve timely first-time resolution.
- Delivered monthly, quarterly and annual forecasting reports, identifying areas for growth and celebrating revenue successes.
- Managed high-value projects within cost, quality and timeframe targets through professional team coordination.
- Monitored compliance with agreed management systems, enabling prompt identification and remedy of risk factors.
- Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and productivity.
- Streamlined operations by identifying inefficiencies and implementing process improvements.
- Set clear goals to monitor targets and offered real-time input on performance and motivation.
AFPKhartoum
Translator / Ground Reporter
03.2019 - 06.2020
Job overview
- Worked as an AFP Correspondent with the role of ground reporting during the revolution, documenting live marches and events, and speaking to civilians to understand needs and objectives as well as interviewing 30 martyrs’ families for breaking stories and how their lives were affected.
- Worked closely to assist Non-Arabic AFP reporters in translation of interviews and reports on sites as well as when writing their articles.
- Covering events at large for feature stories reflecting the Sudanese country to international audiences.
- Edited interview audio files precisely, selecting relevant clips for broadcast and distributing accordingly.
- Verified and collated evidence and information to support stories using relevant information sources, including internet, archives and databases.
- Followed leads from police, public and press conferences to generate ideas for stories and features.
- Identified potential interviewees, prepared questions and conducted both live and recorded interviews.
- Monitored content trends and demands, aiding future content generation to meet reader appetite with special focus on the international communities.
- Translated documents from Arabic to English and French.
- Reviewed final work to spot and correct errors in punctuation, grammar, and translation.
Education
Arab Film School Cairo
Diploma from Filmmaking
06-2023
University Overview
- Completed Coursework: Filmmaking and Directing of Short films in category Drama
University Of Medical Sciences and TechnologyKhartoum, Sudan
Bachelor’s degree from Mass Communication
01.2021
University Overview
- I am a mass communication graduate with a 4.82 GPA and first-class degree. I specialize in Public Relations. My graduation thesis was entitled "The impact of audience responses on branded social media marketing" in which I got the best graduation project in my department.
- GPA: 4.82 GPA
ABC Language SchoolKhartoum, Sudan
IGCSE
08.2016
University Overview
I took my IGCSE exam in science subjects.
Skills
Detail Oriented
Hardworking
Ability to Multitask
Effective Time Management
Crisis management
Resource Mobilization
Certification
Training course in a Sudanese National Radio Station (99.3 FM) in the preparation and presentation of various news items through solid theoretical classes and practical implementations.
References
- Abdelmoniem, Abu-Idrees, abuedries@yahoo.com, AFP
- Areej, Atalla, a.atalla@unesco.org, UNESCO
- Wael, Mustafa, w.mustafa@unesco.org, UNESCO
- Abdelgadir, Abdin Salih, ab.salih@unesco.org, UNESCO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Reporting
- An active Instagram account that served as a source of reliable information since the beginning of the Sudanese revolution up until the present date covering a variety of news concerning Sudan and its development.
- To access account: https://www.instagram.com/heidi_mirza/profilecard/?igshid=dzE1MWw2Nnd2Y3o5
Timeline
Communications Officer
UNESCO
02.2024 - Current
Communication & Information Consultant
UNESCO
08.2022 - 02.2024
Vice President of Operations
TGE Commodities
02.2021 - 08.2022
Translator / Ground Reporter
AFP
03.2019 - 06.2020
University Of Medical Sciences and Technology
Bachelor’s degree from Mass Communication
ABC Language School
IGCSE
Arab Film School
Diploma from Filmmaking