Communication Officer - USAID's YES Activity program

Job Description

Title: Communication Officer - USAID's YES Activity program

Company Name: Relief International

Vacancy: Not specific

Job Location: Cox's Bazar

Employment Status: Contractual

Educational Requirements:
∎ A bachelor's degree is required.
∎ A degree in the field of communications, public relations or a related area is desirable.
∎ Masters level education in the related fields of journalism, communications or public relations is advantageous.

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 5 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ Duty Station: Cox`s Bazaar, Bangladesh
∎ Report To: Program Manager - USAID`s YES Activity program.
∎ Expected Start Date: At Earliest
∎ Contract length: Up to January 05, 2023

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Key Objectives of the assignment: Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Communication Officer is expected to perform the following tasks:
∎
∎ Plan, Organize and conduct the communication component of project activities/events including drafting the background notes, review branding plans, media relations, taking photos, preparing talking points, invitations and press-releases
∎ Produce quality and appropriate information materials for outreach to different audiences (Monthly newsletter, social media update, identify and write project success stories and project factsheet)
∎ Edit and design all the documents to be shared externally or published by RI for the USAID's YES Activity Program.
∎ To train partner's communication or designated officers on communication, related to the skills required for developmental programs.
∎ All the communication coordination with USAID for the project, and required planning for the updates communication.
∎ May be requested by Project Manager to do other task.
∎ Major Duties and Responsibilities:
∎
∎ Assist the Outreach and Communications team of the Program and Project Development Office with activities including, but not limited to:
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∎ Public Information
∎
∎ In consultation with the PM/DPM, draft Program briefing/publicity materials including but not limited to the program profile, partner's profile, program/project fact sheets, "success story", newsletters and sector summaries.
∎ Proactively develop cutting-edge media materials, including videos and social media products, within the guidelines of donor and RI.
∎ Organize outreach materials to ensure there are enough products on hand to be responsive to requests for information from project staff, project partners, beneficiaries, Govt. and Non-govt stakeholders, press and the donor.
∎ Develop and Close review on the content to be used for communication, visibility, branding and marketing materials developed under project OR to be developed, like Photographs, Shoot and edit videos etc.
∎ Solicit information for success stories from partners for the implementing partners. Draft and/or edit success stories with appropriate photographs. Coordinate with USAID under the guidance of the line manager, to upload the documents onto the website after approvals.
∎ Responsible for the ongoing design and update of the RI internal and external websites, as per approvals by line management.
∎ Collect and organize content for the RI website and social media in coordination with PM/DPM and implementing partners, and also share with donor as and when requested/required. Draft content for various partner's meet, SOPs for communication, formats for updates,, making regular updates and offering recommendations for useful technical and/or informational modifications, and coordinating these with staff in the program and USAID.
∎ Solicit information from program staff and partners to prepare and distribute weekly reports to RI, USAID, partners and other stakeholders.
∎ Communications information systems and database
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∎ Manage program's communications information systems.
∎ Solicit input from various partners, teams, and govt. partners to help establish and maintain a database of project lists, partner lists, photo archives, presentations, site visit kits, press kits, etc.
∎ Monitor and ensure a regular supply of current outreach materials.
∎ Manage, organize and update the Program's photo library, ensuring that a selection of high-quality photographs with appropriate content are available for the project and USAID's reporting and public information needs.
∎ Maintaining the due signed consent forms from the beneficiaries, owners of the photographs to ensure data protection and copy right policy.
∎ Writing
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∎ Write press releases, speeches, and talking points as required;
∎ Write and organize background briefings for media.
∎ Coordinate with various partners and program teams to write and/or edit articles for globally distributed USAID news publications. Media relations
∎ The incumbent will assist in reviewing the updates on project development and news, prepare press clips and forward to the PM/DPM/CD/HoP etc for the latest information on crucial topics.
∎ Assist with the set up and coordination of press conferences and field events related to program activities. This may involve participating in advance team planning activities, coordinating event schedules, ensuring staging requirements, and assisting with protocol requirements.
∎ Help prepare and update a standard information package on the USAID's YES Activity for briefing and for distribution to the public and the media. Ensure that relevant media products are contained in the kits when distributed at press and other relevant events.
∎ Events Management
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∎ Expected to be proactive and offer innovative ideas for mission's promotion events.
∎ Assist the program and RI to organize and hold any events as assigned, events may include: Partner's meeting, Workshops, Training & Orientations, Journalist and student development exposure tours, VIP site visits, press conferences, and round table discussions, celebration of international development days, leadership seminars, and photo exhibits etc.

Additional Requirements:
∎ At least five years of experience in managing sectors and/or sub-sectors of civil society/advocacy/research/gender sensitive interventions; out of which at least two years of progressive experience in a humanitarian and development OR corporate communication sector; At least two years of relevant work experience in the field of public relations and corporate communications, demonstrating increasing responsibilities and knowledge.
∎ Professional experience in a skill development, local partner capacity building preferably ability to engage local stakeholders in project design and implementation.
∎ Demonstrated problem-solving and consensus-building skills and ability to promote coordination among diverse interests and institutions.
∎ Good understanding of humanitarian and development sector communication and stakeholders.
∎ Both written and verbal, Level IV (fluent) in English is required. Level IV (fluent) in Bangla is required. Excellent writing skills is required.
∎ Knowledge of MS Office software is required; Web design, HTML and other media software packages (i.e. Photoshop, video editing software) is added advantage.
∎ Experience using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (preferably for organizational outreach) is required. The successful candidate must be capable of crafting information messages in various media formats (press releases, websites, video, etc.) targeting a variety of audiences. A working knowledge of media relations, publishing and events planning fields.
∎ Excellent written and oral English communication skills and interpersonal skills are required. Strong organizational skills, analytical abilities and initiative to prioritize and complete tasks and manage multiple projects with minimal supervision. Ability to establish and maintain collegial relations with press and media contacts, and to use sound judgment in presenting development programs to the press, media and external audiences. Excellent inter-personal skills to ensure effective team relations. Strong organizational skills to effectively plan a variety of different events directed at promoting publicity for donor funded projects. Ability to multi-task and understand the needs and interests of various domestic and international stakeholders is required.

Application Deadline: February 20, 2020

Company Information:
∎ Relief International
∎ Business : Relief International, hedquatered in USA, is a leading international non government organization working in 16 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact.

Our signature approach which we call the RI Way emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.
Relief International has been working in Bangladesh since 2004. The Bangladesh portfolio of Relief International has strong focus on emergency response, economic opportunity and livelihoods rebuilding, traficking in persons, sustainable tourism, human rights and protection, refugee crisis response and public health. RI maintains a country office in Dhaka with multiple field offices in Cox`s Bazar. RI currently employs over 1000 local and international staffs in Bangladesh.

Relief International is currently implementing large scale refugee response program in Cox`s Bazar in Bangladesh in collaboration with multiple partners including UNHCR, UNICEF, USAID/OFDA, EU ECHO.
For more information on Relief International: www.ri.org

Category: NGO/Development

Read Before Apply: Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted, so candidates are encouraged to apply early. A decision may be finalized before the deadline.