Head of Communications and Advocacy

SOS MEDITERRANEE is a civil European rescue association founded in 2015 to face the humanitarian tragedy and the lack of adequate state rescue capacity in the Mediterranean on the deadliest maritime migratory route in the world since 2014. Created by a group of European citizens, our maritime and humanitarian organisation has three missions:

1. To rescue people in distress at sea.
2. To protect and assist survivors on board our ship.
3. To bear witness and raise awareness about the tragedy unfolding in the central Mediterranean.

Today, SOS MEDITERRANEE is a network composed of four European entities (Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland) sharing the objective to support our rescue operations at sea. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations have been carried out since February 2016 in the Central Mediterranean off the Libyan coasts with the chartered ships Aquarius and Ocean Viking. To date, over 38.000 people have been rescued by SOS MEDITERRANEE.

AIM OF THE POSITION

Under the supervision of the Director of Operations based in Marseille, the Head of Communications and Advocacy works with the support of the Operations team (onboard and on shore) and in close collaboration with the national teams in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

The Head of Communications and Advocacy is part of a team composed of a Communications Manager, 3 Communications Coordinators (alternate bw onboard/off/onshore), 2 Audiviosual Communications Officers, an Advocacy Manager.

The role of the Head of Communications and Advocacy is to initiate, develop and lead the implementation of the communications and advocacy strategies for SOS MEDITERRANEE’s operations department.​

The person will:

1 . Elaborate the operations’ communication & advocacy strategies ​

• ​Lead the internal process of defining communications and advocacy strategies
• Advice SOS MEDITERRANEE’s Director of Operations and European directors on risks, dilemmas, priorities, and benefits of operational communications and sensitive public positioning, in close collaboration with the Advocacy and Communications Managers. ​
• ​Elaborate position papers, communications lines and key messages in collaboration with the team
• ​Define the operations communications editorial plan linked to the Ocean Viking activities for awareness-raising, fundraising, sensibilisation, advocacy purposes, and institutional memory on the central Mediterranean crisis and the plight of people rescued at sea.​

​2. Implement advocacy and communications’ projects​

• ​Manage and provide support to the operations’ advocacy & communications managers
• ​Lead mid/long-term communications and advocacy projects (thematic reports, pedagogical multiformat contents, SOS MEDITERRANEE 10-year anniversary operational project, advocacy campaigns and communications tool).
• ​Act as a spokesperson in public events and in emergencies with high media pressure.
• Monitor SAR European public policies and SAR events and identify key moments for public positioning and communication
• Initiate space and / or partnership with external stakeholder to create opportunities

3. Coordinate the implementation of the communication and advocacy strategy with key internal stakeholders​

• ​Consult SOS MED General Directors (Excom) and Directors of operations (Dirops) on advocacy and communications strategic decision-making ​
• ​Coordinate the publication of contents with SOS MEDITERRANEE’s European communications’ network.
• ​Lead SOS MEDITERRANEE’s communication steering committee on operations and sensitive communication and advocacy decision-making ​
• ​Liaise with SOS MEDITERRANEE’ partners (IFRC – MDM – ACF) on joint narrative, communications and project

4. Manage the communication and advocacy team members

Vocational qualifications and certifications

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

Work Experience

• At least 10 years of work experience in communications and advocacy in international development contexts
• Solid working experience in team management

Technical expertise

• Knowledge of humanitarian sector and migration issues
• Excellent networking, relationship building and people management skills
• Solid research, reporting, policy analysis and writing skills
• Experience collecting and using data analytics to inform program activities
• Knowledge of context of migration in the Mediterranean Sea
• Knowledge of maritime law and SAR conventions, maritime industry an added value

Languages

• Excellent command of English
• Knowledge of French, German, or Italian is an added value

Interpersonal competencies

• Ability to work in an international structure with a strong civil mobilization and many volunteers
• Ability to work with a network of associations
• Solid management skills
• Sound teamwork experience
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving, conflict management skills
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, autonomous
• Ability to step back from hostile external contexts
• Good understanding of cross-cultural issues
• Capacity to work with remote teams
• Ability to cope with uncertainty and frequent change of plans
• Ability to respond to requests quickly and accurately

Conditions

• Open-ended contract (Permanent contract)
• Position based in Marseille, other locations to be discussed (Paris, Berlin, Milan)
• Possibility of homeworking 2 days a week
• Necessary to have a valid work permit to work within the EU
• Annual gross salary: from 48 000 EUR annual gross, can vary subject to location and experience
• Tickets restaurant, mutuelle covered 100% by employer
• 25 days of paid leaves + 11 compensation days per year