The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) enables governments, empowers people, and strengthens institutions to realize justice and promote peace and sustainable development. IDLO is the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law and access to justice.

With its Headquarters in Rome, Italy, a Branch Office in The Hague, and United Nations Liaison Offices in New York and Geneva, IDLO carries out policy advocacy, research and learning, as well as rule of law and justice programmes in countries through some 17 Country Offices operating in every region of the world.

The Department of External Relations and Partnerships is responsible for the planning, coordination, and implementation of IDLO’s external relations agenda, communications and partnerships building through strategies and activities to promote, protect and enhance IDLO’s mission and brand.

The Department actively promotes and advocates for IDLO’s strategic priorities with governments, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, academia, and other potential partners at national, regional, and international levels. It collaborates with all entities within IDLO to promote the Organization’s policy advocacy priorities. It supports IDLO’s programmes and programme development teams and country offices to ensure that communications, partnership engagements, resource mobilization and other outreach activities are coherent and integrated in IDLO’s activities around the world. It builds and maintains innovative and productive partnerships, ensures best practices in communication and resource mobilization, and supports the governance mechanisms of the Organization.

THE POSITION

The Communications Specialist will be part of the Communications Unit headed by the Chief of Communications within the department. Under the supervision of the Chief of Communications, and working in collaboration with other team members on communication strategies and content development, the Communications Specialist will be a key member of the Communications team and will be in charge of the following responsibilities:

1) Implement communication and stakeholder engagement strategies:

• Identify opportunities to enhance IDLO’s external visibility and shape its positioning; implement content strategies and campaigns aligned with institutional priorities; and customize written content for channels such as the IDLO website;
• Advise and guide IDLO offices and teams on communication matters to help them showcase programme impact among target audiences, and to ensure alignment with IDLO’s strategic priorities;

2) Outreach and promotion of flagship publications:

• Coordinate and implement dissemination and outreach strategies for IDLO’s publications, promotional materials to relevant audiences;
• Develop/ update editorial and publications guidelines.
• Prepare specific communication plans identifying the needs in terms of branding, communication assets, content, publications, mailers etc.
• Support major events providing communication briefings to relevant constituencies on progress;
• Supervise the work of external suppliers pertinent to events, conferences etc.

3) Content development:

• Draft/proofread/edit high-quality policy-relevant content and impact stories by country offices that successfully communicates the value and impact of IDLO’s work to key stakeholders;
• Prepare or contribute to various written reports, talking points, documents, and communications materials;
• Repackage and repurpose existing contents (written and multimedia) to disseminate through digital and traditional print channels;
• Develop and deliver engaging content for use across IDLO’s different social media platforms, ensuring alignment with IDLO’s strategic priorities, voice/tone and branding;
• Create and execute social media plans, including channel and content strategies and campaigns, with an emphasis on setting strategic audience growth and cultivation goals and refining digital messaging and engagement strategies;

4) Website content production and maintenance:

• Generate, prepare, edit and publish web content for IDLO’s website as required;
• Support website development and manage external contractors undertaking work on website upgrades, development, maintenance, Search Engine Optimization, content strategy and implementation of new environments.

5) Branding, Design and Multimedia Content:

• Support the organization’s brand strategy through developing, advocating and sustaining global standards and practices;
• Support the Chief of Communications in overseeing external creative resources, such as graphic designers, and other communication services;
• Oversee digital asset management system to store, sort, search and access multi-media content about IDLO’s work;
• Support field offices to generate multi-media content that may form the basis of a range of communications products.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Work Experience

• Master’s degree in Journalism, Digital Communications or Public Relations. Candidates with bachelor’s degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.
• Minimum 7 (seven) years of experience in communications, in publishing or public information, preferably at an international organization or international non-governmental organization.
• Excellent writing skills and track record in producing quality content. Experience in writing about rule of law, justice or human rights an advantage.
• Experience in digital and social communications, publishing and managing digital content.
• Aptitude for storytelling and developing human-interest or feature content.
• Demonstrated experience in editing and rewriting content.
• Experience at producing regular reports using Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics, Google Analytics or similar tools.

Languages

• Fluent spoken and written English is required. Additional language/s are an asset particularly French, Spanish and Italian.

Specific knowledge, skills and behavioral competencies

• Strong skills working in diverse / multicultural teams.  
• Ability to work with colleagues in offices outside of headquarters to identify story ideas.
• Team-oriented; problem-solver; relationship-builder; and robust inter-personal skills.
• Commitment to IDLO's values and mandate.
• Knowledge of gender and human rights issues is desirable.
• Able and willing to travel to field operations.
• Keen sense of ethics, integrity, and commitment to IDLO's values and mandate.

For this professional internationally recruited position, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate an international Affiliate Contract of 24 months, with the possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding.

IDLO shall offer an annual basic salary of EUR 60,400.- and a benefits package including provident fund contribution (14%), medical insurance, and leave entitlements in accordance with the IDLO Employee Regulations and Rules. Relocation and installation support are also available for internationally recruited employees.

Salaries and benefits paid by IDLO to employees are exempt from taxation in Italy. IDLO employees are responsible for compliance with income tax laws of their country of nationality or residence and/or of any other relevant fiscal jurisdiction.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome applications of qualified and diverse candidates. IDLO is committed to achieving a 50/50 gender balance at all levels within its workforce. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies.

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature; or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality and in compliance with IDLO’s policy on personal data protection. In the interest of making most effective use of resources, only the short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

Application deadline: 21 January 2024 (23:59hrs Rome time)