Communications Officer

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) (www.Rescue.org) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 US cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

 IRC in EUROPE

IRC Belgium leads on the IRC's engagement with the EU institutions. Our priority is to ensure that EU policy and legislation meets the needs of those affected by conflict and disaster. We use IRC’s learning and experience to shape EU humanitarian, development and migration policies in ways that improve the lives of more people worldwide, and to ensure that EU funding is targeted effectively.

IRC Belgium is part of a strong and flourishing European network, working closely with our offices in Germany, UK, Greece, Switzerland, and Serbia, as well as our sister organisation Stichting Vluchteling (SV) in the Netherlands. The Europe Communications team currently consists of twelve staff working across media, content and digital communications, based across the UK and Germany offices.

 KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Digital communications (40%)

• Proactively identify potential content for publication online, in collaboration with Policy & Advocacy and Communications colleagues, to ensure that the work and views of IRC’s Brussels Office is reflected well across our websites and social media channels.
• Attend relevant events and ensure that IRC is part of the social media conversation during these events while contributing to IRC’s own KPIs. 
• Work closely with the Head of Digital Communications to project-manage Brussels-based digital communications campaigns.
• Use own initiative to identify and respond to reputational issues on social media, liaising with the Head of Digital Communications.
• Provide support in uploading content to IRC’s websites as appropriate.
• Help establish and carry out day-to-day management of IRC’s Google AdWords grant account in Brussels. Work with digital communications colleagues on SEO to improve visibility of IRC Brussels web content.
• Provide digital and social media training to colleagues as required.
• Contribute to the development of the IRC’s web presence in Brussels, including the potential development of a new Drupal site and social channels, liaising with internal and external developers as required.
• Work with the Policy & Advocacy team and Digital Communications team on digital campaigning opportunities, and to identify newsworthy moments relating to our work and brand through which to engage our online audience.

Media (20%)

• Liaising with the IRC Europe Media Manager based in London, build up a network of Brussels-based journalists with interest in the IRC and proactively pitch stories to them.
• Secure coverage of the IRC in Brussels-based media outlets, liaising closely with Europe and global communications colleagues and contributing to the IRC’s media KPIs in Europe.
• Work with Policy & Advocacy colleagues to ensure that the reports and other materials that they produce are media-friendly, and likely to get public attention and engagement where this is desired. This includes feeding into public advocacy ideas at the concept stage and reviewing drafts of reports to help bring out the media angle.
• Ensure that IRC spokespeople for Brussels-based media are fully trained and briefed ahead of media appearances, liaising with other Europe and global communications colleagues. 

 Monitoring and analysis (20%)

• Contribute to the IRC Europe daily media and social media review, conducting research, producing summaries and sharing updates with the Communications Assistant based in London.
• Produce ad hoc media and social media coverage reports as required, including for IRC Boards in Europe and for the IRC Leadership Board Quarterly Strategic Review.
• Support the Europe-wide production of media and digital analysis reports and tracking of KPIs, ensuring that all Brussels communications outputs are captured in our overall Europe communications results.
• Support further ad hoc media and digital monitoring as required.

Internal communications (10%)

• Collate information and produce updates about the work of Brussels colleagues for the fortnightly IRC Europe staff newsletter.
• Draft and produce updates and other materials for RescueNet, the IRC’s intranet, to ensure that the work of the Brussels Office is known and understood across the IRC network.
• Contribute to the weekly global communications newsletter, providing updates on Brussels communications work.
• Input to the Communications team planner, Airtable, to ensure that Brussels-based communications activities are known and planned for.
• Support visits of senior IRC staff to Brussels, including the President and CEO and other Leadership Board members, to ensure that communications opportunities are maximised, as appropriate.

 Administration (10%)

• Build and maintain productive working relationships with external suppliers such as designers and printers, acting as the main point of contact and using them to deliver work as required.
• Manage the budget for communications projects led by the Brussels office, liaising with Finance and other colleagues as required to ensure that suppliers are paid and budget lines are kept on track.
• Manage the communications aspects of Brussels-based events, ensuring that communications materials and content are in place and that events contribute to communications KPIs.
• Provide general administrative support on communications projects to the Head of Brussels Office as required.

 KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports to the Head of Brussels Office and the Director of Communications, IRC-Europe
• Works very closely with the Brussels-based Policy and Advocacy team and the IRC Europe Communications team, as well as other the wider Europe Policy and Advocacy Team and colleagues based in the Brussels office representing other IRC departments.
• Close co-ordination with Policy and Advocacy colleagues in New York and Washington DC, and with IRC Europe Media and Communications colleagues

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

 Essential

 Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• University degree, preferably in a subject related to this post, or equivalent experience
• Strong knowledge of the Brussels communications, policy and advocacy context, specifically with relation to IRC’s mandate
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to synthesise and adapt complex information for a variety of audiences, working within tight deadlines
• Strong attention to detail and skills in proofreading 
• Strong creative thinker with track record of producing engaging digital content and successfully pitching stories to media
• Strong digital and media analytical skills
• Ability to priorities and organise own workload and meet deadlines
• Self-starter who can take the initiative and deliver results successfully
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, providing support as required, and build and maintain excellent relationships across the organisation 
• Willingness to work flexibly in approach to work and/or work time requirements
• Committed to IRC values and mandate
• Fluency in English and French, spoken and written 

Experience:

• Experience of writing and editing compelling content for print and digital channels (web, social media) to a high quality within tight deadlines 
• Experience of developing and pitching stories to media
• Experience of implementing multi-channel communications campaigns
• Experience of using web CMS to update content, such as Drupal 
• Experience of organising public-facing events
• Experience of dealing with external suppliers, such as designers, printers, logistics 
• Experience of maintaining project budgets
• Experience of working with a creative agency and/or humanitarian or development organisation in a similar role 

Desirable

• Knowledge of European markets including Germany and Sweden
• Existing network of journalists and other potentially helpful communications contacts in Brussels
• Design and film editing skills: Adobe design suite, Final Cut Pro, InDesign
• Understanding of European donor visibility compliance 
• Fluency in other European languages such as German and Swedish

The closing date for applications is 5pm on 18^th February 2019.