Communications Officer

Communications Officer
Kenya/Somalia
REF: RM/KEN/CO


Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Job Title:
Communications Officer

Reports to:
Country Director
Job Location:
Nairobi, Kenya
Contract Details:
Grade A
Unaccompanied states
1 year fixed term contract
Start Date: ASAP
Job Purpose:
A Communications Officer is needed to support the emergency media and communications needs of both the Kenya and Somalia teams and to ensure that content needed by “head offices” in IRL/UK/US have support at field level to produce content for appeals, media outreach, donor reporting and advocacy engagement.

Communications Officer will also support Kenya and Somalia field staff in managing media traffic, conducting field-level media outreach to international media based in Nairobi, and in producing core content (photos, program profiles, human interest stories, key message, Q&A documents, etc.) on Concern’s response to the drought emergency to document both the ongoing humanitarian needs and well as on our achievements and impact.

Communications Officer is a vital link between field staff who are managing the programs and the “home office staff” who are attempting to raise funds and raise public awareness and influence target audiences with key messages and evidence of needs on the ground and Concern’s impact.

Main duties &
Responsibilities:
•    Communications Officer will manage, coordinate, and facilitate media traffic related to the Kenya/Somalia drought emergency. (Coordinating requests for interviews, journalist field visits, vital emergency updates and key info for use by Communications teams in home offices in press releases and web updates) in collaboration with Communications Heads in IRL/UK/US.
•    messages relevant to the drought emergency (separate messages for Kenya and Somalia) that highlight urgent, unmet needs or issues on the ground that impact the humanitarian community and Concern’s work. NOTE: Key messages are for media engagement, and should provide fresh story angles and issues to raise with media that are linked to Concern’s mission and work.
•    Communications Officer will produce and regularly update core information resources on the drought emergency and on Concern’s needs and interventions. Such resources include an emergency overview, with key facts and information, and a Q&A for use by public engagement staff throughout Concern.
•    Communications Officer will produce core communications content and stories documenting humanitarian needs of people affected, as well as Concern’s interventions and their impact. Such resources include photographs and captions; human interest stories that illustrate needs and /or impact of our work; program profiles illustrating what we do and how we do it; blogs; success stories with evidence that our interventions had a significant impact; evidence-based profiles of impact and success in our target communities; updates on key issues for media and advocacy engagement. (i.e., info on public health threats; info on pipelines and funding needs; issues affecting women and/or marginalized groups; issues relating to protection of water sources and long-term solutions to water shortages in pastoralist areas; long-term needs to protect vulnerable pastoralist communities from drought; climate change, etc).
•    Communications Officer will liaise with Concern Kenya Advocacy Officer and Concern Somalia Program Advisor to identify evidence and key messages that can be publicly communicated to reinforce key advocacy initiatives. Comms Officer to work in collaboration and consultation with Country Directors and program managers to maintain and update media and public information guidelines, with sensitivities particular to each country program and operating environment. Comms Officer to support Country Director with review and screening of material on the drought emergency submitted for approval by staff in home offices (US/UK/IRL).
•    Communications Officer to develop tactics to “position” Concern as a leader in the response to the urban emergency in Kenya’s slums. Also to develop resources and tactics to position the Kenya drought emergency with media (is still a very underreported crisis in relation to Somalia.)
•    Communications Officer to train Concern Kenya Communications Officer in production and management of core information relating to key programs, success stories, key issues, and interventions.
•    Communications Officer to train Concern Kenya Communications Officer on Concern’s “global” Communications infrastructure, and protocol and process for liaising with Heads of Communications in IRL/US/UK to identify Comms needs and to deliver core content for web, media, fundraising, and public information.
•    Communications Officer to train Concern Kenya Comms Officer on guidelines and style for producing case studies, blogs, Q&A documents, and Code of Conduct for Images and Messaging.
•    Communications Officer to assist  key staff with information management systems in relation to the drought emergency (filing, sharing, and updating situation reports; producing and updating Q&A documents and key facts on emergency; filing, sharing, and captioning photographs; organizing, sharing, and filing case studies and success stories, etc.).
•    Communications Officer to track media coverage in relation to the drought emergency affecting both Kenya and Somalia—and to share key media stories with CDs and relevant Concern Comms, Advocacy, and Overseas staff. (To train Concern Kenya Comms Officer to do same.)
Person specification:
Essential

Education & Qualifications Required:
Essential
•    Undergraduate degree in journalism, communications, or related field.
•    At least three years professional experience in communications, journalism, or editorial work – preferably with an international non-profit organization.
•    Overseas experience in Public Information or Communications

Experience Required:
•    Familiarity/Experience in communications related to international development and humanitarian policy and issues
•    Professional experience writing and editing for a range of target audiences and customizing content for various stakeholders
•    Experience working with photographers and facilitating  media field visits
•    Knowledge of international media and the news cycle.
•    Experience working with multi-sectoral teams at field level and head office level.
•    Experience working with teams from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds
•    Strong project management skills and ability to prioritize and meet multiple deadlines
•    Familiarity with technical language and ability to translate technical language for non-technical reader

3.  Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:
•    Ability to work in challenging, stressful, deadline-driven context with international, multi-sectoral team
•    Diplomacy, flexibility, strong editorial judgment, maturity, strong team skills and ability to collaborate and develop content in consultation with multiple stakeholders
•    Ability to work within and uphold strict review and sign-off protocol  
Desirable

•    Ability to speak Swahili
•    Experience producing public information for websites.
•    Crisis Communications experience (in collaboration with team, crafting key messages for media and public information on complex, highly sensitive issues).
•    Photography skills, video shooting/editing skills
•    Professional media relations experience and international media contacts

To Apply:
Interested applications should submit
1.    Resume
2.    One to two-page letter outlining how your experience meets the person specification and including details of your current salary

Concern Worldwide is an international, non governmental, humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern works in 30 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean with a team of 3,600 personnel providing emergency relief and long-term assistance in the areas of education, health, livelihoods and HIV & AIDS.  

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them.  In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment.   By signing the Program Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these.

Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year.  Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List).

Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant.  For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.  By submitting a formal application for paid or voluntary employment to Concern, you agree to Concern carrying out a clearance check as outlined above and that Concern will not proceed to recruit you should your name appear on any of the aforementioned lists.

Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer.

No Fee

AJS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND AJS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.

SOME EMPLOYERS MAY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF YOUR APPLICATION.