Communications & Advocacy Manager

JOB PURPOSE

The purpose of the Communications & Advocacy (C&A) Manager is to manage World Vision Jerusalem – West Bank – Gaza’s field communications and support its advocacy efforts nationally within Palestinian society and internationally. The role provides strategic and technical support and resources to engage audiences to raise funds and the profile of WV Jerusalem – West Bank – Gaza (JWG), manage its reputation and brand, and advocate for policy reforms.

The Communications & Advocacy Manager reports directly to the World Vision JWG national director and is part of the Leadership Team and the Impact & Results team

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITES

STRATEGY & PLANNING (10%)

• Develop/Update all Communications, Advocacy and External Engagement strategies and Emergency Communications Plan considering the context, national strategy, WV’s global brand and campaign on ending violence against children, and the regional meta-narrative on fragility and fragile childhoods.
• Identify and create a vision for the types of stories World Vision JWG should tell to marry the needs of Palestinian children with the interest of national and international audiences for advocacy and positioning.
• Develop an annual Communications, Advocacy and External Engagement work plan in collaboration with the External Engagement Working Group (EEWG) and other key staff a clear set of Advocacy and Communications deliverables and associated metrics based on the NO priorities.

EVIDENCE-BASED ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION (20%)

• Maintain current understanding of the political and policy context
  • Map and analyse the political and policy context continually to inform ongoing advocacy work
  • Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of spaces for policy influence
  • Use context-appropriate analysis tools to select and prioritise focus areas for advocacy
  • Base advocacy approaches and tactics on a thorough analysis of the political and policy environment
• Support ELA in preparation and production of advocacy reports, position papers and concept papers on child well-being issues that can contribute to policy dialogue, with particular emphasis on giving children a voice.
• Provide evidence, messaging, impact and capacity statements, and action items to external and internal audiences on WV key messages and priorities as aligned to the External Engagement Plan. These include the needs of children and communities in the oPt, violence against children, fragility, resilience, and transformation through W JWG’s programmes.
• Manage all advocacy and communications reporting requirements at national office and other levels within the broader World Vision Partnership such as the relevant sections of Maturity Framework and Advocacy Success Matrix dialogue and provide quarterly updates for the National Director.
• Work with Evidence, Learning & Accountability (ELA) to measure, report, and learn from the annual Advocacy Strategic Measures (ASM)

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT (20%)

• In collaboration with monitoring & communications officers, key staff and partners, source content in the form of video, photos, and stories in accordance to the External Engagement Plan, Communications Plans, and International Advocacy and Influencing Plan.
• Manage the production of multimedia resources, both through field level and partnership level support.
• Provide support for grant acquisition and positioning by development project specific communications plans and ensuring their implementation.
• Manage the production of written materials including stories, capacity statements, and reports.
• Ensure materials produced contribute to the positioning of WV JWG and have meaningful child participation and voice, wherever possible.
• Manage content systems such as Story Hub and Content Flow.
• Contribute to the recruitment and use of freelance and consultant capacity to produce the resources above, when needed.

MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA ENAGEMENT & DIGITAL PRESENCE (15%)

Develop a media engagement strategy as part of an integrated communications plan.

• Maintain World Vision JWG webpage on wvi.org, ensuring content is kept up to date and regularly refreshed with compelling media for positioning and fundraising.
• Ensure the delivery of social media content on World Vision JWG social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and ITAW sites.
• Clarify, prioritize and service key WV Partnership and Support Office media and social media objectives and expectations in coordination with Regional and Partnership communications colleagues (such as participation in relevant, key global moments).
• Establish internal connections with relevant Support Offices to promote international media engagement while adhering to the Global Media Protocols and guidelines.
• Coordinate and screen journalist / blogger field visit requests regarding timing, approvals, logistics, issues, security, etc.
• Co-ordinate visits by WV leaders and delegations, influencers and media including required approvals, scheduling, photo opportunities, media interviews, coordination with Support Office media teams, video production and messaging, etc.
• Train other key staff and act as spokesperson for the office.
• Analyse and report quarterly on key communications and external engagement metrics and adapt as needed for improved reach and share of voice.

REPRESENTATION, COORDINATION AND ENGAGEMENT (15%)

Internal

• Actively participate in relevant leadership teams.
• Actively collaborate across WV JWG departments and zonal offices to ensure effective and quality strategy and program implementation.
• Closely collaborate with Regional and Partnership Communications and Advocacy counterparts to ensure WV JWG is adequately aligned with partnership requirements.
• Raise awareness about the work done in JWG through Ignite channels, Leadership communications, and Wvi.org/view
• Engagement with Support Offices to facilitate communication and advocacy materials to help continue prepositioning WV JWG with donors and other key external stakeholders.

External

• Build and maintain productive working relationships/partnerships with key national government partners, peer agencies (including the Association of International Development Agencies or AIDA), the Palestinian public, and other key stakeholders to scale advocacy and programs for the most vulnerable children in World Vision JWG’s context.
• Coordinate and co-lead the It Takes a World Campaign to End Violence in and Around Schools with relevant technical leads and external partners. Map out and participate in additional advocacy coalitions and initiatives related to JWG or as the global WV partnership creates new ones.
• Represent WV in dialogue with external stakeholders on core humanitarian/nexus concerns requiring advocacy engagement, including (but not limited to) issues of child protection, violence against children, humanitarian access, etc.
• Ensure any events are high quality in terms of content, brand, and purpose, amplifying then toward the overall external engagement plan.

RISK & REPUTATION MANAGEMENT (15%)

• Advise WV JWG’s Leadership Team and the Impact & Results Team on issues of importance or concern regarding humanitarian/nexus communications and advocacy as well as overall communications metrics.
• Develop internal and external messaging as relevant.
• Support national and regional staff and relevant WV partnership stakeholders on responding and mitigating key communications/advocacy risks.
• Contribute to incident management team (IMT) as required.
• Update risk and risk mitigation measures in Riskonnect.
• Support in the follow up of Ethics Point cases, as required.
• Be the Reputation Management champion and oversee the development of local media response strategies and media sensitization projects at country-level, for positioning, humanitarian outcomes and risk mitigation.

CAPACITY BUILDING AND OTHER DUTIES (5%)

• Build the national and local capacity in both communications and advocacy and lead the integration of advocacy across programming in partnership with the technical leaders.
• Ensure communications training for communications and non-communications staff as well as local implementing partners. Ensure they are trained in global communications standards, systems, brand and relevant skills for creating content.
• Advice, train and guide staff in consistently using the brand across all content and external engagement. Advise and mentor officers to ensure that all zonal level events and content adhere to WVI’s Global Brand and the specific brand choices and strategy for World Vision JWG.
• Attend and participate in WV’s spiritual nurture and other organizational activities and events.
• Be responsible of own security and actively contribute to a positive security culture.
• Abide by the security policies and procedures and report any incidents or breaches to line manager and / or security manager.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Line Manager

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE

Required Professional Experience

• At least five years of progressive work experience in communications and/or advocacy in international development context
• Experienced in external engagement/lobbying with high level stakeholders Ministerial, Ambassadorial, UN- counterparts, institutional donors, local and national authorities, and other decision-makers relevant to the humanitarian industry.
• Understanding of humanitarian relief, recovery and development work
• Excellent networking, relationship building and people management skills.
• Excellent spokesperson skills.
• Solid research, reporting, policy analysis and writing skills.
• Strong journalistic skills, ability to facilitate the collection of photo, video, story and social media resources.
• Ability to work in difficult, insecure and stressful conditions.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, manage to plan and meet deadlines.
• Prior experience with World Vision is a distinct advantage.

Required Education/certification

• Master’s degree in Law, Humanitarian Aid, International Development, Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Social Sciences or related field.

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

• Solid knowledge in Microsoft Office and other Communication software.

Travel and/or Work Environment Requirement

• The position is based Jerusalem or Ramallah.
• The position requires ability and willingness to travel up to 30% domestically to project sites.
• The position may require occasional international travel.

Physical Requirements

Must be in good physical health

Language Requirements

English written and spoken fluency, required

Arabic written and spoken fluency.

Hebrew not required, but a plus.