Communications Officer

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IRC - The International Rescue Committee

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Job Description

Job Title: Communications Officer

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine (or Kharkiv, Ukraine) with business trips around Ukraine

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC has been responding to humanitarian crises in Europe since 2015, where we launched an emergency response to the peak in migration in Greece and relaunched operations in Serbia. The IRC started responding to the war in Ukraine in February 2022, working directly and with local partners to reach those most in need. In Ukraine, we are focusing our response in the conflict-affected areas in the east and southeast. We are distributing essential non-food items, providing cash assistance to the most vulnerable households, improving access to health care, and providing a variety of tailor-made protection services, including safe spaces for women and children. Our emergency programmes are also active on the ground in Poland and Moldova. From reception to integration, we are running activities targeting Ukrainian refugees in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia and Bulgaria, as well as in Germany, Italy, Greece and the UK.

This position will be based in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa or Dnipro with frequent travel to other locations in Ukraine. The position has a double reporting line to the Senior Global Communications Officer and the Country Director, working on the global and programmatic aspects of the response respectively. The Communications Officer will act as a spokesperson as needed.

Communications, 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.

JOB OVERVIEW

We are looking for a Communications Officer to lead the country communications strategy for the IRC’s response to the war in Ukraine. This person will have a highly creative and strategic approach to positioning our work to key external target audiences, institutional and corporate donors, the NGO sector, people in Ukraine, and to government agencies and policymakers. The Communications Officer should be passionate about working in a global humanitarian response organization.

In this role, you will conceive, develop, and drive our communications strategy to promote our programming with IDPs and other conflict-affected groups in Ukraine. The role would collaborate with Global Communications for positioning with international audiences, including IRC priority markets (US, UK, Korea and the European Union).

With a strong focus on knowledge management, media, storytelling, data and evidence, you'll take advantage of multiple communication channels to effectively connect with IRC audiences. You will approach this work with an inclusion lens, keeping in mind the diversity of our clients, our core values, and our need to protect people at risk of violence and displacement.

You will be an excellent writer and communicator; a creative problem solver; goal-oriented and an outstanding collaborator partnering with IRC staff across all levels. If you are someone who understands how communications can drive impact and improve our humanitarian response, then this is an outstanding role for you!

RESPONSIBILITIES Design, plan and implement a comprehensive communications strategy designed to effectively position the IRC and our programs to target audiences, including supporters, donors, the communities in which we work, and policymakers. Support IRC’s media and PR on the response in Ukraine; assist in writing press releases, identifying trends and news angles, developing relationships with journalists, pitching stories, working with influence teams on our strategic media presence in the country and hosting reporters to visit IRC programming in Ukraine. Serve as an expert on IRC's work in Ukraine, keeping track of and sharing information about programming and context, identifying unique media angles, and working with the Regional Content Officer on spotting compelling stories to share on external channels. Draft articles, social media posts, and other communications content for sharing on IRC channels and support the Country Director’s Twitter account. Develop and drive a communications calendar for the country team, report impact and results of communications efforts. Coordinate with regional communications leadership to ensure IRC and donor branding guidelines are followed, manage communication budget lines in donor grants and ensure that communications grant requirements are met. Work in partnership with the Country Director and the Programmes Team - support the team with all aspects of programme-related communication activities on the ground (visibility, communicating with clients, etc.). Support Global Communications in the development of materials for global IRC campaigns.

QUALIFICATIONS 3-5 years’ experience in NGO communications; previous experience in marketing or public relations/journalism is preferred. Consistent record of developing communications strategies that are creative and engaging, and generate positive impact for an organization. A “big picture” problem solver, bias for taking action, loves to drive projects independently, while collaborating cross-functionally. Experience providing media training to leaders. Excellent writing abilities in English– flair for simple and clear writing, great grammar, and well-honed editorial skills. Data enthusiast – problem solver who can pull and analyze data to uncover opportunities that improve our communications efforts. Knowledge of video and photo editing tools, social media platforms/channels. Able to build positive relationships and work in a fast-paced, multi-cultural environment and to meet crisis communications and time limitations under pressure. Fluent in English and Ukrainian.

IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. IRC encourages applications from the communities we serve: women, survivors of violence or displacement, migrants and returnees, refugees, LGBTI+ population.

Professional Standards

The International Rescue Committee is determined to protect the people it serves and staff from all kinds of harm, including sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. It is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe. IRC builds diverse and inclusive teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

IRC workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces its safeguarding policies to protect adult and child clients from any form of exploitation and abuse, including sexual exploitation and abuse, and its staff from sexual harassment and violence.

Where misconduct is alleged, IRC follows a Zero tolerance approach and takes all necessary actions and corrective measures. IRC investigation unit comprises of experts and trained investigators that ensures professional survivor-centered investigations are conducted if allegations of safeguarding violations are reported through the safe and accessible reporting channels that IRC makes available to its staff, partners, and clients.

These commitments are set out in IRC’s Safeguarding Policies, accessible in English and in Ukrainian language via this link: https://rescue.box.com/v/irc-safeguarding-policies.

IRC is an active member of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) set-up in Ukraine.

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Qualifications

Added 10 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: rescue.org