Communications Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The Department (CRRD)

The Crisis Response, Recovery and Development Department (CRRD) leads IRC’s work in 39 crisis affected countries around the world. The department prides itself on delivering high-impact programming to improve outcomes for tens of millions of people affected by humanitarian crises every year. Working in partnership with other departments across the IRC, CRRD leads the delivery of our organizational mission to help those whose lives have been shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control over their lives.

Job Overview:

Reporting to the Communications Advisor for CRRD, and working closely with other key CRRD colleagues, the Communications Manager will play a lead role in:

• Implementing the CRRD Internal Communications Plan, including supporting communications products that enhance departmental and cross-functional knowledge sharing and information management, and those that enable feedback and information flow across the department.

• Creating, managing, and regularly updating functional knowledge sharing mechanisms, including maintaining CRRD RescueNet pages, the CRRD Newsletter, and other communications products.

• Supporting communications needs across different pillars of the wider department (Technical Excellence, Program Delivery, the Emergencies Unit, and the Awards Management Unit), including updating Country Factsheets and maintaining the Tech Ex Teams channel.

• Designing internal communications products that enhance visibility of technical, regional and emergency efforts across the department.

• Coordinating with different pillars to monitor communication cadence, consistency, messaging and depth.

This role will require outstanding interpersonal, communications, and project management skills, as well as an ability to balance both long-term strategic initiatives with urgent requests. It requires someone who is adept at working and collaborating across a large organization and team; who can be flexible in leading a variety of tasks; who is highly responsive to shifting priorities and relishes the idea of taking on new projects; and who brings creativity and a commitment to getting things done. The Communication Manager must have a high level of discretion and ability to act deftly. This role must also bring an independent vision and ability to implement a range of approaches to strengthen inclusion and representation across an internationally dispersed department and organization.

Major Responsibilities:

Internal Communications Planning, Development, and Products (80%)

Strategic Planning

• Together with the CRRD Communications Advisor and the Strategy and Planning Leads for CRRD pillars, support the implementation of a coherent and effective departmental internal communications plan, leveraging a range of channels to reach diverse IRC target audiences.

• Facilitate horizontal communication for the Technical Excellence, Program Delivery, Awards Management, and Emergencies pillars, with a focus on aligning pillar communications efforts with department-wide strategic priorities, as outlined in the CRRD memo for Phase 2 of our IRC-wide strategic plan.

Development and Dissemination

• Manage the advancement and delivery of key departmental resources and materials. Work to identify overarching priorities and needs for CRRD-related content and information sharing, and create a library of adaptable and accessible resources. Track and emphasize coherence with resource development by other CRRD communications and administrative teams.

• Run the CRRD communications and administrative teams’ efforts in the design and dissemination of a departmental newsletter and the maintenance of knowledge management platforms, such as the CRRD intranet (aka ‘RescueNet’) pages and Box folders. Establish and supervise appropriate content governance for RescueNet, the newsletter, and other channels, developing standard methodologies for upkeep, and defining metrics to assess the efficiency of channels to continuously improve them based on user feedback.

• Devise innovative visual representations and other materials for high-profile presentations and documents for IRC leadership and other key partners to enhance visual appeal, understanding, and information sharing.

Coordination and Support for Senior Leadership Communications Needs (10%)

• Support internal and sometimes external communications for Senior Leadership field visits, with a focus on elevating country profiles, supporting country objectives, and promoting country-led strategic outputs in line with IRC’s Strategy100 strategic plan. Coordinate with the CRRD Associate Director, Policy & Planning to prepare briefing materials and internal communications outputs. Leverage partnerships with other teams (e.g., Global Internal Communications) to develop and publish content.

Flexible Communications Support and/or Project Management (10%)

• Provide essential communications support for various departments and teams with urgency and timeliness, sharing out updates to key leaders and stakeholders, creating situation reports, and/or establishing communications channels to effectively disseminate emergency response updates across the IRC as needed or appropriate.

Position Reports to:  Communications Advisor, CRRD

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with approximately 3-5 years of professional experience.

• Strong communications experience, particularly in a large organization with multi-cultural, international audiences.

• Excellent oral and written communications skills (English), strong proofreading skills, and the ability to convey information (both visually and in writing) in compelling and useable formats required.

• Demonstrated project management experience, the ability to juggle multiple simultaneous projects and prioritize accordingly, the ability to stick to deadlines and follow through.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Demonstrated ability to manage time for self (and others in a project setting).

• Ability to work independently, resourcefully, and from one’s own initiative, with flexibility to changing priorities and an eagerness to learn.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to liaise with people clearly and effectively. Deliver work within and across departments in a multi-cultural environment, demonstrating respect and collegiality.

• Service-oriented and flexible, commitment to help and support in a fast-paced, fast-changing environment.

• Strong computer acumen, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

• Advanced design vision and graphics skills preferred (from Canva to InDesign, skills in any software are welcome).

• Video editing capacities preferred (from Canva or Capcut to Adobe Premiere Pro, skills in any software are welcome).

• French, Arabic, or other IRC language skills an advantage.

Compensation: Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget.  Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

• US Pay Range: $67,000 - $76,000
• UK Pay Range: £38,126 - £44,481

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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US Benefits: 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 $163 per month, dental starting at $6.50 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of 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.