Communications Officer, Chattogram Bangladesh

A Communications Officer is sought to provide media advocacy and media relations assistance to support an integrated, strategic communication approach to help create public support for strong road safety policies, programs and measures. The Communication Officer will engage journalists, generate media stories, optimize social media, and implement a multi-platform strategy to support government and BIGRS partners’ efforts. They will also support efforts to run social marketing/paid mass media campaigns that are complimented by enforcement strategies.

Specific duties include:

• Work closely with Vital Strategies, government and initiative partners to align work priorities;
• Create a strategic communication workplan annually, regularly adjust it to keep up-to-date and help execute to maximize the quality and quantity of media coverage on the government road safety initiatives;
• Develop and maintain calendar used to plan for local release of important international road safety reports or developments;
• Write regular blogs and social media posts to communicate local progress, disseminate information and contribute to BIGRS newsletter;
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists to engage around road safety focus;
• Pitch local journalists on relevant news and offer up information sources, thus building relationships with them that can help convene journalist meetings to facilitate conversations around road safety;
• Serve as a resource for BIGRS partner organizations to deliver knowledge and understanding on the local media environment and to help publicize milestones and relevant news on road safety issues;
• Organize press events around major BIGRS milestones as well as social marketing campaign launches; write press releases and press notes and assist with translations
• Monitor local news coverage and maintain a media tracking list
• Contribute to curriculum and methodology development for the journalism workshops and fellowship programs, and carry out journalist trainings, oversee follow-up efforts and maintain master list of trained journalists across all regions;
• Act as coordinator and facilitator of social marketing/paid media campaigns, working closely with Vital Strategies team, suppliers including creative agencies and media planners, as needed.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Journalism or government PR background
• Excellent communication skills
• At least 5 years’ experience in communications
• Academic qualifications – at least Bachelor’s level
• Public health experience would be an advantage
• Familiarity with public policy, media relations and advocacy
• Strong writing and editing skills in (local language), as well as ability to produce written media relations materials such as press releases, talking points and fact sheets.
• Proven capacity to work with colleagues in multidisciplinary or multi-agency setting
• English language proficiency
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook);
• Consistent and reliable internet access is required to be able perform this role;
• Current residency in Chattogram, Bangladesh