Senior Officer, Global Communications

IRC

Background:

Marketing & Mobilization Marketing & Mobilization (M&M) is a dynamic team that is tasked with building the IRC’s global profile and brand, increasing private revenue from deeper donor engagement and partnerships, and influencing our target audiences. The team is responsible for all of IRC’s brand, communications, creative and content and digital engagement efforts. In alignment with our Strategy100 commitments, M&M has launched compelling multi-year campaigns that raise funding, profile and influence and will improve our share of voice and resonance in key geographies and globally. Lastly, they consistently work on innovating the IRC brand, which enables us to increase awareness, understanding of and support for our work so that we can raise more money and change policies to improve our crisis-affected clients’ lives around the world.

Global Crisis and Response Communications The Global Crisis and Response Communications (GCRC) Team, a part of the Marketing & Mobilization (M&M) team, is embedded in programmatic regions to establish trust and knowledge and streamline communications projects that leverage IRC’s frontline programs and staff, in line with global communications priorities. The GCRC team targets priority IRC markets and audiences to advance and protect our policy goals, brand and profile, works closely with IRC’s frontline programs to develop key external messaging for use across the External Relations department, uses proactive and reactive earned media (broadcast, digital & print) to support policy and income objectives, while also producing frontline storytelling to advance our cause.

Job Overview:
As a key member of the IRC’s Global Crisis and Response Communications Team, the Senior Officer, Global Communications will develop and execute communications strategies related to the IRC’s work on the Ukraine crisis. In turn, s/he will help to position the IRC as a global thought and practice leader.

The Senior Global Communications Officer will lead and collaborate on IRC communications efforts within a set portfolio and surge into crisis projects as needed, convening and leading multiple departments and stakeholders to deliver breakthrough communications results in IRC’s target markets, including the US, UK, Sweden, Germany and Brussels.

This position will initially be working from London, Brussels, Bonn, or Berlin, but may change as the IRC’s response to the crisis develops, with frequent travel in the region. The Senior Officer will act as a spokesperson as needed.

Major Responsibilities:

· Convene, collaborate, and engage with a dynamic range of IRC teams across the Ukraine crisis to develop and implement communications strategies that drive awareness of the IRC’s impact and advocacy, enhancing the IRC’s reputation, supporting fundraising objectives, and influencing target policy makers, particularly in the IRC’s target markets, including the US, UK, Sweden, Germany and Brussels.

· Work with (and persuade) internal stakeholders, including communications team-members, crisis response, recovery and development teams, advocates, fundraisers, and technical experts to facilitate and support dynamic communications tactics, including innovative media outreach, top tier op-eds, creative digital content and dynamic, audience-driven social media output.

· Deliver strategic proactive and reactive media relations, leveraging global insights and expertise in both international and humanitarian media to increase the IRC’s media share of voice and digital engagement.

· Deploy excellent writing skills to deliver pitches that land IRC-led features, high-level IRC messages for cross-organizational use, top tier landing op-eds, and talking points for spokespeople.

· Represent the IRC as a spokesperson to external and internal audiences, both via media interviews and contributing to digital content. Provide media training to spokespeople as needed.

· Surge up to 20% of capacity to provide strategic guidance to country and regional teams on their communications and advocacy efforts.

· Partner with in house and external experts to produce digital content and communications outputs that are integrated with strategic external relations objectives, aligned to clear distribution, and measurement, working closely with other external relations teams.

· Gather content through multiple digital mediums — photo, video, audio etc. — using industry standard practices and equipment.

· Contribute to quarterly reports on media coverage and content results using industry standard metrics and bench-marking.

· Strengthen / develop internal systems and processes to deliver on communications objectives.

· Coordinate and lead crisis and emergency communications, including high profile field visits and high-speed content gathering.

· Deliver and lead executive communications for IRC leaders, including the CEO, as needed.

· Expand and nurture IRC’s communications network.

Key Working Relationships: **

Position Reports to: Associate Director, Global Crisis and Response Communications

Indirect Reporting: n/a
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Work with global communications colleagues, writers, content creators, IRC advocates, fundraisers, program leadership and on the ground program delivery staff
External: Work with journalists, media producers and editors, strategic influencers, content creators and peer humanitarian organizations

Job Requirements:

Education: **

Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, international affairs or related field

Work Experience: **

Minimum: Six to eight years of professional experience in communications, preferably with a focus on international affairs or issues that cross with the humanitarian sector.

Language(s)

· English

· Ukrainian a bonus

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

Minimum: **

· The Communications Officer must demonstrate a flexible approach and ability to navigate ambiguity, as well as multiple projects and competing priorities at once.

· They must be able to balance partnership with various departments and creative, breakthrough communications efforts.

· Also, able to work effectively, efficiently, diplomatically and calmly in a high-pressure environment on issues that are often complex and politically sensitive.

· They will have deep knowledge and experience of working successfully with major global media, especially in the US, UK, and Europe.

· Experience in producing and editing, under tight-deadlines, accurate and dynamic communications materials, including press-releases, op-eds, talking points and digital content.

· Record of creativity in developing compelling content, and creative pursuit of targets in achievement of communications objectives across different channels (media, social, web etc.)

· Excellent capability and creativity using digital cameras and audio gathering tools and editing suites.

Working Environment: **

Standard office work environment with frequent travel to visit IRC programs**

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

How to apply

Please apply through our website


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