Job Title: Communications
Officer
Reports to: Country Director
Job Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Contract Details: Grade A
Unaccompanied states 1 year fixed term contract
Start Date: ASAP
Closing Date: Wednesday, 05
October 2011
Job Purpose
A
Communications Officer is needed to support the emergency media and
communications needs of both the Kenya and Somalia teams and to ensure that
content needed by "head offices" in IRL/UK/US have support at field
level to produce content for appeals, media outreach, donor reporting and
advocacy engagement.
Communications
Officer will also support Kenya and Somalia field staff in managing media
traffic, conducting field-level media outreach to international media based in
Nairobi, and in producing core content (photos, program profiles, human
interest stories, key message, Q&A documents, etc.) on Concern's response
to the drought emergency to document both the ongoing humanitarian needs and
well as on our achievements and impact.
Communications
Officer is a vital link between field staff who are managing the programs and
the "home office staff" who are attempting to raise funds and raise
public awareness and influence target audiences with key messages and evidence
of needs on the ground and Concern's impact.
Main duties &
Responsibilities:
- Communications
Officer will manage, coordinate, and facilitate media traffic related to
the Kenya/Somalia drought emergency. (Coordinating requests for
interviews, journalist field visits, vital emergency updates and key info
for use by Communications teams in home offices in press releases and web
updates) in collaboration with Communications Heads in IRL/UK/US.
- Messages
relevant information to the drought emergency (separate messages for Kenya
and Somalia) that highlight urgent, unmet needs or issues on the ground
that impact the humanitarian community and Concern's work. NOTE: Key
messages are for media engagement, and should provide fresh story angles
and issues to raise with media that are linked to Concern's mission and
work.
- Communications
Officer will produce and regularly update core information resources on
the drought emergency and on Concern's needs and interventions. Such
resources include an emergency overview, with key facts and information,
and a Q&A for use by public engagement staff throughout Concern.
- Communications
Officer will produce core communications content and stories documenting
humanitarian needs of people affected, as well as Concern's interventions
and their impact. Such resources include photographs and captions; human
interest stories that illustrate needs and /or impact of our work; program
profiles illustrating what we do and how we do it; blogs; success stories
with evidence that our interventions had a significant impact;
evidence-based profiles of impact and success in our target communities;
updates on key issues for media and advocacy engagement. (i.e., info on
public health threats; info on pipelines and funding needs; issues
affecting women and/or marginalized groups; issues relating to protection
of water sources and long-term solutions to water shortages in pastoralist
areas; long-term needs to protect vulnerable pastoralist communities from
drought; climate change, etc).
- Communications
Officer will liaise with Concern Kenya Advocacy Officer and Concern
Somalia Program Advisor to identify evidence and key messages that can be
publicly communicated to reinforce key advocacy initiatives. Comms Officer
to work in collaboration and consultation with Country Directors and
program managers to maintain and update media and public information
guidelines, with sensitivities particular to each country program and
operating environment. Comms Officer to support Country Director with
review and screening of material on the drought emergency submitted for
approval by staff in home offices (US/UK/IRL).
- Communications
Officer to develop tactics to "position" Concern as a leader in
the response to the urban emergency in Kenya's slums. Also to develop
resources and tactics to position the Kenya drought emergency with media
(is still a very underreported crisis in relation to Somalia.)
- Communications
Officer to train Concern Kenya Communications Officer in production and
management of core information relating to key programs, success stories,
key issues, and interventions.
- Communications
Officer to train Concern Kenya Communications Officer on Concern's
"global" Communications infrastructure, and protocol and process
for liaising with Heads of Communications in IRL/US/UK to identify Comms
needs and to deliver core content for web, media, fundraising, and public
information.
- Communications
Officer to train Concern Kenya Comms Officer on guidelines and style for
producing case studies, blogs, Q&A documents, and Code of Conduct for
Images and Messaging.
- Communications
Officer to assist key staff with information
management systems in relation to the drought emergency
(filing, sharing, and updating situation reports; producing and updating
Q&A documents and key facts on emergency; filing, sharing, and
captioning photographs; organizing, sharing, and filing case studies and
success stories, etc.).
- Communications
Officer to track media coverage in relation to the drought emergency
affecting both Kenya and Somalia—and to share key media stories with CDs
and relevant Concern Comms, Advocacy, and Overseas staff. (To train
Concern Kenya Comms Officer to do same.)
Person specification: Essential
Education & Qualifications Required: Essential
- Undergraduate
degree in journalism, communications, or related field.
- At least three
years professional experience in communications, journalism, or editorial
work – preferably with an international non-profit organization.
- Overseas
experience in Public Information or
Communications Experience Required:
- Familiarity/Experience
in communications related to international development and humanitarian
policy and issues
- Professional
experience writing and editing for a range of target audiences and
customizing content for various stakeholders
- Experience
working with photographers and facilitating media field visits
- Knowledge of
international media and the news cycle.
- Experience
working with multi-sectoral teams at field level and head office level.
- Experience
working with teams from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
- Strong project
management skills and ability to prioritize and meet multiple deadlines
- Familiarity with
technical language and ability to translate technical language for
non-technical reader
- Special Skills,
Aptitude or Personality Requirements:
- Ability to work
in challenging, stressful, deadline-driven context with international,
multi-sectoral team
- Diplomacy,
flexibility, strong editorial judgment, maturity, strong team skills and
ability to collaborate and develop content in consultation with multiple
stakeholders
- Ability to work
within and uphold strict review and sign-off protocol
Desirable
- Ability to speak
Swahili
- Experience
producing public information for websites.
- Crisis
Communications experience (in collaboration with team, crafting key
messages for media and public information on complex, highly sensitive
issues).
- Photography
skills, video shooting/editing skills
- Professional
media relations experience and international media contacts To apply: All
applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net
by the application deadline.
Please ensure your CV and cover letter
are no more than 4 pages in length.
Application deadline is 5th October
2011
All candidates who are short-listed for
a first round interview will be notified via email after the application
deadline
Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and
a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure
the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to
clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the
programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of
them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive
for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their
workplace in accordance with Concern's core values and mission. Any candidate
offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme
Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix
to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant
Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge
that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of
Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct
themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.
Concern receives a substantial amount
of funding from external donors each year.
Increasingly donors are introducing
requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the
names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists
generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which
Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign
Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and
the United Nations (Consolidated List).
Any offer of employment (either paid or
voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check
being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our
web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.
Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities
employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
11:58 PM
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