Senior Officer, Country Communications

JOB SUMMARY: The position’s primary role is to support country team management in developing communications and media materials, support interactions with the media and to facilitate communication flows to ensure that internal and external stakeholders receive the information they need quickly.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation:

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•    Implement the communications and visibility plans of all current grants, and contribute to proposals by designing communications and visibility plans and budgets
•    Finalize written content for proposals, as well as internal and donor reporting. 
•    Gather content from different field teams and organize assets according to grant and date/location. 
•    Maintain a calendar of donor communications deliverables that is accessible to program and communications colleagues. 
•    Create engaging communications and media materials, such as stories, photos, videos, infographics, newsletters, brochures, and other communications products. This will include both creating and managing the content and distributing it in the appropriate ways. 
•    Engage in public outreach and awareness initiatives, including media relations and outreach (cultivating relationships with reporters, pitching stories, responding to requests, etc.), working closely with field teams.
•    Manage the communications and visibility budget lines for all active grants. 
•    Manage relationships with different colleagues in the country mission and at HQ level. 
•    Create engaging communications and media materials, such as stories, photos, videos, infographics, newsletters, brochures, and other communications products. This will include both creating the content and suggesting the communications format for it.
•    Visit field sites regularly to gather photos, and write success and human-interest stories, working closely with the field teams.
•    Monitor media trends in the country and identify potential media opportunities, including suggesting media outlets and pitching stories. Media-related duties also will include creating a media database of local and regional media outlets and journalists who cover the healthcare sector.
•    Uploading and filing content in an organized manner, including interviews, transcripts (in English and other appropriate languages), photos, videos, and other relevant materials on International Medical Corps’ systems. 
•    Implement social media plans, which includes maintaining the master document, posting, and scheduling posts and creating new content to post every week. 
•    Monitor trends on social media and use that information to increase traffic to the social media pages.
•     Coordinate with external vendors, such as agencies and independent filmmakers and photographers. 
•    Arrange all logistical operations with suppliers, in coordination with the logistics department, which will include finding new suppliers in the market, raising work orders and requests for quotations, following up on payments and finalizing contracts.  
•    Organize events (virtual or otherwise), workshops and meetings, develop related promotional materials and document events and activities. 
•    Update and manage shared folders, including story and photo/video files and country-related fact sheets.
•    Ensure consistent branding, in line with donor visibility guidelines.
•    Manage the communications-related efforts of other country staff, and coach them on best practices while building their capacity.

Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.

JOB REQUIREMENTS *

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

•    Typically, a bachelor’s degree in design, marketing, communications, journalism or another relevant discipline is required. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
•    Typically, 3+ years’ experience in corporate communications in a dynamic, fast-paced, high-volume work environment.
•    Ability to work successfully and effectively as part of a team, as well as independently, in a multicultural and participatory environment.
•    Solid computer skills, including the Microsoft Office suite. Familiarity with the design and production process.
•    Desirable experience with NGOs working in the humanitarian or development field.
•    Excellent copyediting and proofreading skills; able to interpret and simplify technical language to adapt it for a wide range of audiences.
•    Excellent research, interviewing and writing skills; adept at writing clean, engaging copy under deadline pressure.
•    Strong organizational and project-management skills; ability to oversee production of a high volume of quality work within tight timeframes, often including multiple simultaneous projects.
•    High level of attention to detail.
•    Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively with people inside and outside of the organization, and to manage working relationships diplomatically. Proven experience in managing and implementing communications plans.
•    Demonstrated creativity in social media; proven experience in managing social media posts. 
•    Experience in editing simple videos for social media use, using Adobe Premiere or other editing packages.
•    Experience and skills in design software such as Adobe Photoshop and InDesign.
•    Experience sourcing and managing content development and publishing.
•    Fluency in English, spoken and written. Additional language skills a plus. 

ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL OR LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Please note, for Lebanon-based roles, we are only able to accept applications from candidates who are eligible to work in Lebanon. Since the position is a national role, we are unable to progress applications that would require sponsorship.

Code of Conduct

As applicable to this position, an individual must promote and encourage a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the organization and maintain a clear understanding of International Medical Corps’ and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards. Staff are also responsible for preventing violations to our Code of Conduct and Ethics, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any violations to the Code of Conduct and Ethics or Safeguarding Policy, you have an obligation to report. If this is a supervisory position, one must set an example of ethical behavior through one’s own conduct and oversight of the work of others; ensure that those who report to you have sufficient knowledge and resources to follow the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct & Ethics; monitor compliance of the people you supervise; enforce the Code of Conduct & Ethics and International Medical Corps’ policies, including the Safeguarding Policy and the Protection from Harassment, Bullying and Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace Policy, consistently and fairly; support employees who in good faith raise questions or concerns.

Safeguarding

It is all staff shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, adults at risk, or LGBTI individuals; and any form of trafficking in persons.

Equal Opportunities

International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

Misconduct Disclosure Scheme

All offers of employment at International Medical Corps are subject to satisfactory references and background checks. International Medical Corps participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme from the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR). In accordance with this, we will request information from an applicant’s previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.