DIRECTOR , COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

Vacancy Notice

DIRECTOR

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

Grade: 1

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING

The Organisation

KAICIID aims to create a more peaceful world by promoting dialogue and supporting religious leaders and communities in tackling our most pressing problems. We do this through education and training; convening religious and cultural leaders; engaging with policymakers and carrying out research to encourage and enhance inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue. We work with our partners to build their capacities, connections and confidence.

Our work focuses on four pressing and linked issues that challenge humanity: violent conflict; migration; the climate emergency, and social cohesion. We bring together religious and cultural leaders with policymakers to find constructive ways to address these issues through dialogue. Our work respects and values the differences between faiths and cultures but promotes the idea that we share a common humanity and a collective need to address these problems. Through all our work run three threads: youth engagement, gender and policy development.

The Organization is currently in the process of relocating its Seat from Vienna, Austria to Lisbon, Portugal.

For more information on KAICIID, please click on the following link: https://www.kaiciid.org

The Communication Department

The KAICIID Establishment Agreement calls for the Centre to enhance communication and information exchange in order to facilitate interreligious and intercultural dialogue and cooperation among people and advancing the Centre’s image with partners, as well as the public at large, raising the organization’s profile, influencing policy, engaging stakeholders, mobilizing resources and increasing impact.

The KAICIID Communication Department promotes the role of dialogue in securing peace around the world, share inspiring stories and to promote the work of the Centre. We promote dialogue through different types of media across our numerous channels such as our social media accounts, newsletter and website Its goal is to win support for the Centre’s mandate and a positive reception of the outcomes its work achieves.

In coordination with the Programme Department, the Communications Department engages KAICIID’s audiences with information that fosters an up-to-date, actionable and relevant understanding of the Centre’s mission and work. As such, it is a vital part of advancing strategic communications across the organization, attracting positive attention, strengthening recognition of the Centre’s work and raising the profile of the organization.

ROLE

The Director of the Communications Department reports to the Secretary General and is responsible for overseeing and managing all communications and public affairs activities for KAICIID.

This is a key position within the organization, ensuring strategic and effective communications, helping to oversee the development and implementation of the Centre’s communications strategy and its alignment with the Centre’s Strategic Plan, and to shape organizational communications priorities and improve the Centre’s branding, programming, messaging and public positioning.

The Director reaches out to religious and secular media, as well as to the public via public lectures, presentations, speeches, web and social media broadcasting, digital publishing, multimedia and print publications.

FUNCTIONS

• Lead the development of the organization-wide communication strategy and plan,  strengthening the Centre’s capacity to communicate its programmatic work to the public at large and to partner organizations, governments, and influential audiences;
• Identify and recommend strategic positioning opportunities on national and international dialogue to communicate and present the Centre’s core objectives and broad message to the world;
• Develop the media outreach plan, in close collaboration with the Programme Department; oversee quality and consistency regarding social media strategy and implementation, to engage key, strategic media and journalists to establish positive and constructive ongoing relationships in promotion of the Centre and the development of stakeholders’ understanding of its purpose and activities; foster consistency and high-quality of media relations and media outreach and focus on priority media outlets; manage reputational risk;
• Develop the annual budget and operating plan to support the work programme of the Department and ensure its full implementation; ensure that Department’s activities operate within the policies and procedures of the Centre;
• Oversee cross-team collaborations on major advocacy/outreach campaigns in key policy/thematic areas of the Centre’s work;
• Lead the development, design and production of effective publications (print and online) as well as broadcast of digital products; including proactive and reactive communications strategy and crisis communications, taking account of the Centre’s website, social media presence and other opportunities;
• Ensure quality and consistency in the development and roll out of training tools and toolkits covering all aspects of communication, facilitating capacity-building for the Centre’s staff;
• Undertake continual monitoring to identify opportunities, liabilities and propose means to address these liabilities in the best interest of the Centre’s public and stakeholder perception;
• Advise, develop and ensure the implementation of a strategy for digital communications, platforms, channels and applications including identifying and developing new directions and initiatives oversee continuous development and updating of the Centre’s website;
• Promote messaging in all channels, in particular, speeches, presentations, booklets, fact sheets, books, videos, infographics, public events and other creative formats;
• As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) contribute to the reflections on continuous improvement to the Centre at an operational and human level; to the development of the Centre’s multi-years’ strategy and provide regular and substantive input on various proposals for resources mobilisation and communication products and supports;
• Advise the SLT and all staff on the design and delivery of external communications to ensure clarity and consistency regarding the information about the Centre’s activities and its position on key, relevant topics;
• Manage the Centre’s branding including corporate identity guidelines and templates as well as newsletters, brochures, annual report, e-letters, etc.;
• Inspire, coach and support staff under his/her supervision, foster teamwork and team communication, promote the Communication Department staff development plan, working closely with the Human Resources Team, on a range of policy, advocacy, programmatic and performance-based issues, ensuring shared vision and messaging throughout the organization;
• Represent the Centre at various policy level meetings and workshops on matters within the mandate and scope of work of the Centre and maintain active and regular working relationships with partner organisations, relevant working groups and consortia;

• Perform any other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced university degree in Communications, Media, Journalism, or other related field;
• At least twenty (20) years of progressively responsible professional experience in leading communications teams in international or intergovernmental organizations, developing and implementing communications strategies in a complex environment; experience as a journalist would be an asset as well as working in developing countries and field experience in international development contexts;
• Ability to effectively manage high profile global communications initiatives and campaigns, with particular experience on issues related to new communications technologies, branding and outreach to diverse global and national audiences;
• Demonstrated technical and managerial leadership and supervisory skills and a strong sense of responsibility;
• Extent of experience with and knowledge of interreligious dialogue desirable;
• Demonstrated communication skills, including ability to interact independently with internal and external stakeholders and to speak in public;
• Ability to build constructive working relationships and partnerships within and outside the Centre, at all levels, in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Demonstrated conceptual and analytical skills, strategic thinking and the ability to rapidly learn and apply new concepts.

LANGUAGES

English proficiency (written and spoken) and knowledge of one of the following languages would be desirable: Arabic, Spanish, French or Portuguese.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

KAICIID offers fixed-term contracts of one year with a possibility of extension, depending on the continuing need for the position. Monthly net salary for Grade 1, Step 1, EUR 8761. Appointments are normally made at Step 1. If eligible, housing and education allowance may also be provided. KAICIID staff salaries are exempt from taxation in Portugal.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

7 March 2022

HOW TO APPLY

For more details and how to apply check: www.kaiciid.org/en/recruitment

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the values and competencies that KAICIID requires. Click here to download further information on these values and competencies.

KAICIID is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to apply.