Communications Officer, South - East RAI

Job Description

Background:

A global leader in humanitarian assistance, the International Rescue Committee works in more than 40 countries offering help and hope to refugees and others impacted by violent conflict and disaster. During crises, IRC teams provide health care, shelter, clean water, sanitation, learning programs for children and special aid for women. As emergencies subside, the IRC stays to revive livelihoods and help shattered communities recover and rebuild. A dedicated advocate for the most vulnerable, the IRC is committed to restoring hope, dignity and opportunity.

Marketing & Mobilization (M&M) is a dynamic team that is tasked with building the IRC’s global profile and brand, growing 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. Global Public Affairs, a part of the Marketing & Mobilization (M&M) team, targets priority IRC markets and audiences to advance and protect our policy goals, brand and profile. It's a key part of external messaging and product development, distribution and coordination for External Relations. The team uses proactive and reactive earned media (broadcast, digital & print) to support policy and income objectives, while also using frontline storytelling to advance our cause.

Job Overview:

As a key member of the IRC's Global Communications Team, the Communications Officer, Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI U.S.) will help develop and implement communications strategies that bring to light the IRC’s work across refugee resettlement, asylum and integration in the United States. They will supervise communications of RAI US offices in the South and East regions of the IRC’s US portfolio.

Major Responsibilities:

· Actively pitches and generates top tier media stories that will make a measurable contribution towards the global communication targets and goals.

· Develops and implements individual communications strategies and activations focused around IRC’s work to integrate refugees and asylum seekers, and coordinates breakthrough IRC responses to US policy moves related to that work.

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

· Works across the communications team to improve external coverage of IRC that includes joint opportunities, activations, earned media, social engagement and creative product development.

· Works with IRC’s social and digital teams to collect content and ensures the timely and strategic dissemination of it, including for high-profile visits.

· Surges within and outside of portfolio as needed, responding quickly to internal and external communications requests.

· Guides and coaches the RAI US offices of the Southern and Eastern regions on proactive and reactive communications, partnering with regional management on RAI US network communications initiatives or needs

· Builds and maintains regional refugee, immigration and US policy focused press lists.

· Respond to media queries—providing accurate information, arranging interviews, preparing staff as needed, and facilitating media visits to field programs as needed, including during emergencies and breaking news.

· Be responsible for quarterly reports on coverage and communications results using industry standard metrics and bench-marking.

Key Working Relationships:

· Position Reports to: Senior Communications Officer, Global Communications

· Other Internal and/or external contacts:

o Internal: Work with global communications colleagues, RAI programs, content creators, IRC advocates and fundraisers

o External: Work with journalists, media producers and editors, strategic influencers and sister humanitarian organizations

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, international affairs or equivalent.

Work Experience: Approximately 5 years of professional experience in communications, preferably with a focus on refugee, immigration or humanitarian affairs, or issues that cross with the refugee resettlement sector.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

· Ability to work effectively, efficiently, diplomatically and calmly in a fast-paced environment on issues that are often sophisticated and politically sensitive.

· Issues and Crisis Management experience preferred.

· Experience of working successfully with US media covering humanitarian issues and shown track-record of results.

· A professional who drives Communications across channels, e.g., video, digital, social, internal and media.

· 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.)

Working Environment: This role may require working remotely full or part time (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants should have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled hours.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, 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.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

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Qualifications