Senior Communication Officer

Job Description

Title: Senior Communication Officer

Company Name: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Vacancy: 1

Age: Na

Job Location: Cox`s Bazar

Salary: Negotiable

Experience:

• At least 5 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

Master’s degree in communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or equivalent qualification

• At least 5 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• At least 5 years of experience working in journalism and public relations.

• Experience working in communications in humanitarian emergencies, complex crises or conflict situations.

• Independent worker with strong relationship management experience.

• Experience in community engagement programming

• Experience managing social media

• Knowledge and skills in photography and videography

• Experience in training, coaching and transferring skills and knowledge to counterparts

• Red Cross Red Crescent experience (preferred)

• Analytical and strategic thinking skills

• Knowledge of humanitarian affairs

• Professional and management skills and ability to be proactive and responsive to changing needs as required by senior management and technical line management.

• Strong relationship management skills including the ability to rapidly build and extend professional networks.

• Strong representational skills

• Excellent writing and public presentation/media relations skills.

• Good computer skills (Windows, spreadsheets, word processing)

• Experience in developing infographics

• Team player, with the ability to coordinate and engage others and build good working relationships with internal and external partners.

• Highly motivated proactive self-starter, able to set and achieve goals using own initiative.

• Highly organised, proactive and innovative approach to work.

• Fluency in English and Bangla.

Job Purpose:

Reporting to the HoSD, the Senior Officer, Communications will work to pursuit the goals identified in the IFRC’s Strategy 2030 and support the Population Movement Operation (PMO). Based in Cox’s Bazar, the principal aim of this position is to ensure that the IFRC and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and IFRC membership’s humanitarian response is professionally communicated, understood and supported by internal and external stakeholders, including media. The successful candidate needs to lead and coordinate communication efforts related to PMO; position the IFRC as one of the key humanitarian leaders and actors; profiles the achievements of the BDRCS and IFRC by pro-actively engaged with wider team; and be a strategic storyteller, a passionate advocate, and a bridge between the affected communities, BDRCS and the wider IFRC network.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Creating content and sharing distributing information about PMO to promote the RCRC Movement role, brand, image and goal. Drafting content such as press releases, key messages, articles, and messages for the IFRC website or other platforms.
• Develop and implement a communications strategy for the IFRC’s PMO in line with the emergency appeal (EA), BDRCS and global priorities.
• Develop materials that support the roll-out of external and internal communications initiatives, campaigns and key calendar events by identifying and producing high-quality communications contents (media pitches and support for interviews, social media, talking points, press releases, key messages, photos and raw videos etc.) to support positive positioning for the response efforts of BDRCS, IFRC and IFRC’s membership in Cox’s Bazar. Develop a comprehensive communication activity plan with periodic deliverables and required budget in line with EA and IFRC communications guidelines. Liaise with media and handle requests for interviews, statements, messages for senior leadership etc.
• Provide trainings to IFRC, its membership and BDRCS staff and volunteers on communication, photography, case study writing, content gathering, IEC development, etc. Staying abreast of critical developments and operational priorities, identifying opportunities for proactive and reactive communications, and planning communications activities for major events and milestones.
• Building and maintaining good working relationships with the IFRC, the memberships, BDRCS and the ICRC colleagues and BDRCS’ volunteers. In consultation with the line manager, extend support and be ready physically whenever needed.
• Supporting the sectors/structures (Health, WASH, Shelter, DRR, PGI, Emergency Response, etc) to ensure the visibility, and coverage of the ongoing activities in the print, digital and social media/stories/reports by frequently visiting the field whenever needed.
• Keep close coordination with IFRC, the memberships and BDRCS teams in Dhaka and with the Asia Pacific Regional Office through emails, meetings, anchoring local events, and other internal communications. Maintain regular communication with the IFRC Dhaka and APRO team.
• Integrating and scaling-up digital technologies and social media into IFRC communications and community engagement efforts, operations and programmes, to enhance organisational understanding of the strategic value of social media, fostering a “digital culture”.
• Support advocacy and reputational risk management through coordinating media relations and engaging leadership, regional communications, BDRCS and other Movement partners in planning and activities. This includes monitoring media and social media, anticipating, identifying and flagging potential reputational issues to help adopt and implement appropriate responses.
• Work together with the team and provide necessary communications support for the visits of the IFRC key personnel and partner national societies including IFRC APRO, Geneva and membership’s communications teams and donors.
• Represent IFRC in communications working groups/sectors in Cox’s Bazar and fostering relationships with key persons, and stakeholders, and providing rapid and accurate responses to emerging issues and incidents.
• Support the IFRC team and management as required.
• Performing other relevant duties as required and requested by the line manager.

Duration of the contract: 12 months, next extension depends on satisfactory performance and funding availability

Reporting to: Head of Sub-Delegation (HoSD)

Other Benefits

• Festival Bonus

• Life & Medical Insurance

• Provident fund & Gratuity

• Medical reimbursement for staff and immediate family members.

• Other benefits as per Staff Regulation.