Flex Emergency Strategic Communications Advisor

Context & Mission

As part of the communications and fundraising department based in Geneva/Dakar, the Strategic Communication Advisor (SCA) position is one of the six public positioning referent to provide strategic advice, coordination and execution from a public positioning perspective including visibility and local communications at time of emergencies and crisis.

The strategic communications Advisor is the referent, focal point and the first responder for a portfolio of countries and/or topics for all public positioning and communications matter (internal/external) within the emergency cell or an operational cell.

They lead on PR strategies for OCG countries and topics, developing compelling messaging for public audiences as well as media plan and partnerships in line with Telling It as It is vision.

Under the leadership of the RP (Program managers) and in collaboration with the relevant Advocacy Advisor, they have a senior role to play in providing their analysis, contributing inputs about positioning^[1], advices on tactics as well as identifying messages and powerful tools for a portfolio of countries and themes to achieve the biggest impact and have a strategic role to play with the deputy director of the fundraising department. Positioning discussion should happen in triangular mode between RP, SCA and AA and with other inputs (negotiation, UREPH, Dirop, GD…) when relevant.

They validate a regular flow of information on MSF response to humanitarian crises, both within (OCG), the movement and externally, and liaises with international media, in partnership with the existing units in the department of operations and the department of communications and fundraising, with the 4 other OCs, the new entities and the hubs.

They go to the field to cover MSF emergency response in assigned country, and act as a sparring and strategic partner of our program managers, heads of mission and field coms staff.

The strategic communications advisor reports to the head of operational communications. They act as back-up to members of the team who are away.

Main function & Responsibilities

· Under the leadership of the relevant RP (Program managers) and in collaboration with the relevant Advocacy Advisor, initiate, develop, advise and drive timely operational communications strategies and tactics.

· Define, Propose and Drive implementation of plans for public position and communications, engagement strategies, messaging and tools from an emergency perspective to get the biggest impact in consultation with the Program Managers, Heads of Mission and field communications staff.

· Gather, develop, and check the accuracy of information with thorough research into accessible narratives.

· Has “a nose for news” seeking to find ways to tell the story and impact through engaging articles, video scripts/narration, social media posts/plans and make decisions regarding content and offering solutions.

Description of duties

1. Be a first responder for Emergencies and to Crisis Communications

· Be On call 24/7 and able to travel abroad on short notice

· Drive and provide communications expertise and response to the emergency programme manager and the emergency desk in its communications initiatives and/or the other desks to cover the emergencies to achieve the biggest impact.

· Be the first source of information (reactively and actively) for the Communications and Fundraising department and for the wider MSF network on OCG activities in a given portfolio or topic

· Attend crisis calls/meetings, write and share internal/external updates. Ensure an appropriate flow of internal and external information and handle media requests, liaise with international media, organize the visit of journalists to the field in collaboration with the media units in Geneva or MSF sections/ Field teams and the cell as needed.

· Be a member in crisis management teams on critical incidents

2. Public Positioning referent

–> Strategic Advice on public position the cell and the field teams

· As the sparring partner of the Cell Manager and in close collaboration with all internal players shape, flag, develop and validate coherent messages and tools to position MSF publicly (videos and Opinion pieces), greenlights press releases and lead strategic communications plan/tactics for public use, identify speaking out/ “Telling It as It Is” opportunities and lead/ drive strategic planning and concrete outputs.

· Provide field focused analysis, timely strategic advice on the core identity of the organization and bridge the gaps between the perceived and desired identity of MSF based on offline and online narratives; Ensure up-to-date monitoring, risk and context analysis on perception and local communications and actor mapping;

· Represent OCG operations in intersectional platforms, including operational, hubs, entities and partner sections and ensuring consistency of messages across the movement to maximise OCG positioning. Provide and integrate MSF OCG views on intersectional positioning and operational updates.

· Translates ideas, objectives, MSF position into messaging that relates to the topic, speaker and intended audiences (offline and online). Develops and writes briefings and other communications for executives; articles/White papers, blog, web content translating complicated concepts and ideas. Ensures external and internal communication is joined up and complementary

–> Senior Content Management: Design, Conceptualize, Coordinate and validate content.

· Produce, validate and is accountable of timely production of: articles, press releases, packages and other communications materials such as Q and As/talking points, in order to provide quality and coherent communication materials, messaging to the MSF network.

· Act as a spokesperson. Set-up media opportunities for operations and specialist staff in liaison with communications colleagues.

· Be a focal point, lead, drive and coordinate public communications by engaging audiences across the globe on OCG topics and countries on behalf the department of communications and fundraising and to MSF network.

· Develops narratives around key initiatives to be shared across MSF network. Oversee tools and produce strategic content, public communication materials such as opinion piece, public facing report, speech for senior management, talking points, public communications guidance (reactive and proactive line) and optimize the form and dissemination of public positioning materials.

· Approves all communications content on behalf of the program manager, unless formally delegated to other communications staff within an agreed frame:

o Approval of visibility and acceptance communications packages and products

o Approval of leverage communications packages and products, ensuring messages are pre-agreed with PM/DPM/HoM

o Approval of social media content

o Approval of country sections in MSF annual reports, including the International Activity Report and the OCG annual report

o Approval of Fundraising content

· Builds an internal network with relevant units at OCG, other operational centers and hubs to identify public communications opportunities and provide communications guidance and support; participates in related working group.

3. Field Communications Management/support and Capacity building

· Cover temporarily field coms or other colleagues and provide support, mentoring to develop communications strategies and tools.

· Undertake regular field visits to work on strategy, and on specific public positioning in country throughout the year.

· Animate and Define the conception, preparation and implementation of training modules for communications and operational staff.

· Contribute to the feeding, updating and propose new items of the Online Communication Tool Box.

· Brief/debrief senior expatriates going on missions.

· Works closely with other communications colleagues in terms of monitoring, feedback and retrospective/evaluation impact, and generating ideas and content for campaigns

· Field HR management: listening, matching, recruitment and management of field communications staff. Mentoring, emotional and technical support.

Specificities:

· Act as back-up in Geneva or in country of operations.

· Based part time in Geneva and part time in country of operations

· Participate in the unit and department’s meetings/working groups.

· Upon request of the Head of operational communications, take on any specific project.

· Flex contract.

Your profile

Education

· University Master in a relevant discipline such as political science, international relations, journalism, communication management or public relations

Experience

· 5-8 years’ work experience journalism and/or communications, and/or content generation (inside or outside of MSF) in the humanitarian sector, and/or MSF ops experience

· Excellent public communications skills and sound knowledge of the media environment

· Proven capacity to work in stressful environment and to tight deadlines

· A year of MSF and/or field experience a strong asset.

· An understanding of humanitarian interventions, their principles and ethics.

· Track record of developing successful communications

Languages

· Highly effective oral and written communication skills in English

· Other languages: An asset, such as French

Skills / technical competencies

· Solid understanding of dilemmas associated with humanitarian assistance

· Strong knowledge of crisis communications and public relations skills

· Available to travel to the field with very short notice and 50 % of her/his time

· Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills including ability to accurately synthesize complex and sensitive material to produce content for publication

· Demonstrated understanding of how media works at national, local and international level

· Ability to deliver multiple simultaneous projects

Personal qualities

· Aligns with the core values of MSF

· A sense of humour

· Demonstrates behaviours in ways of working: Articulate, creative, strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly, innovate fearlessly, tenacious.

Working conditions

· Open-ended contract

· Working place: 50% Geneva office, 50% in the field

· Ideal Starting date: 01.06.2022

· Gross annual salary: from CHF 91’663.- to CHF 10’5179.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)