Communications Officer
Kyiv
- Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
- Location: Kyiv
- Grade: Junior level - Junior
-
Occupational Groups:
- Communication and Public Information
- Closing Date: Closed
Job Title: Communications Officer
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine (or Kharkiv, Ukraine) with business trips around Ukraine
Background/IRC Summary:
The International Rescue Committee
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, IRC
offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee
from war or disaster. At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S.
cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by
conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC has been
responding to humanitarian crises in Europe since 2015, where we launched an
emergency response to the peak in migration in Greece and relaunched operations
in Serbia. The IRC started responding to the war in Ukraine in February 2022,
working directly and with local partners to reach those most in need. In
Ukraine, we are focusing our response in the conflict-affected areas in the
east and southeast. We are distributing essential non-food items, providing
cash assistance to the most vulnerable households, improving access to health
care, and providing a variety of tailor-made protection services, including
safe spaces for women and children. Our emergency programmes are also active on
the ground in Poland and Moldova. From reception to integration, we are running
activities targeting Ukrainian refugees in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia
and Bulgaria, as well as in Germany, Italy, Greece and the UK.
This position will be based in Kyiv,
Kharkiv, Odesa or Dnipro with frequent travel to other locations in Ukraine.
The position has a double reporting line to the Senior Global Communications
Officer and the Country Director, working on the global and programmatic
aspects of the response respectively. The Communications Officer will act as a
spokesperson as needed.
Communications, Marketing &
Mobilization (M&M) is a dynamic team that is tasked with building the IRC’s global profile
and brand, increasing private revenue from deeper donor engagement and partnerships,
and influencing our target audiences. The team is responsible for all of IRC's
brand, communications, creative and content and digital engagement efforts. In
alignment with our Strategy100 commitments, M&M has launched compelling
multi-year campaigns that raise funding, profile and influence and will improve
our share of voice and resonance in key geographies and globally. Lastly, they
consistently work on innovating the IRC brand, which enables us to increase
awareness, understanding of and support for our work so that we can raise more
money and change policies to improve our crisis-affected clients’ lives around
the world.
JOB OVERVIEW
We are looking for a Communications
Officer to lead the country communications strategy for the IRC’s response to
the war in Ukraine. This person will have a highly creative and strategic
approach to positioning our work to key external target audiences,
institutional and corporate donors, the NGO sector, people in Ukraine, and to
government agencies and policymakers. The Communications Officer should be
passionate about working in a global humanitarian response organization.
In this role, you will conceive,
develop, and drive our communications strategy to promote our programming with
IDPs and other conflict-affected groups in Ukraine. The role would collaborate
with Global Communications for positioning with international audiences,
including IRC priority markets (US, UK, Korea and the European Union).
With a strong focus on knowledge
management, media, storytelling, data and evidence, you'll take advantage of
multiple communication channels to effectively connect with IRC audiences. You
will approach this work with an inclusion lens, keeping in mind the diversity
of our clients, our core values, and our need to protect people at risk of
violence and displacement.
You will be an excellent writer and
communicator; a creative problem solver; goal-oriented and an outstanding
collaborator partnering with IRC staff across all levels. If you are someone
who understands how communications can drive impact and improve our
humanitarian response, then this is an outstanding role for you!
RESPONSIBILITIES
Design, plan and implement a comprehensive
communications strategy designed to effectively position the IRC and our
programs to target audiences, including supporters, donors, the
communities in which we work, and policymakers.
Support IRC’s media and PR on the response in
Ukraine; assist in writing press releases, identifying trends and news
angles, developing relationships with journalists, pitching stories,
working with influence teams on our strategic media presence in the
country and hosting reporters to visit IRC programming in Ukraine.
Serve as an expert on IRC's work in Ukraine,
keeping track of and sharing information about programming and context,
identifying unique media angles, and working with the Regional Content
Officer on spotting compelling stories to share on external channels.
Draft articles, social media posts, and other
communications content for sharing on IRC channels and support the Country
Director’s Twitter account.
Develop and drive a communications calendar for
the country team, report impact and results of communications efforts.
Coordinate with regional communications leadership
to ensure IRC and donor branding guidelines are followed, manage
communication budget lines in donor grants and ensure that communications
grant requirements are met.
Work in partnership with the Country Director and
the Programmes Team - support the team with all aspects of
programme-related communication activities on the ground (visibility,
communicating with clients, etc.).
Support Global Communications in the development
of materials for global IRC campaigns.
QUALIFICATIONS
3-5 years’ experience in NGO communications;
previous experience in marketing or public relations/journalism is
preferred.
Consistent record of developing communications
strategies that are creative and engaging, and generate positive impact
for an organization.
A “big picture” problem solver, bias for taking
action, loves to drive projects independently, while collaborating
cross-functionally.
Experience providing media training to leaders.
Excellent writing abilities in English– flair for
simple and clear writing, great grammar, and well-honed editorial skills.
Data enthusiast – problem solver who can pull and
analyze data to uncover opportunities that improve our communications
efforts.
Knowledge of video and photo editing tools, social
media platforms/channels.
Able to build positive relationships and work in a
fast-paced, multi-cultural environment and to meet crisis communications
and time limitations under pressure.
Fluent in English and Ukrainian.
IRC considers all applicants based on
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. IRC encourages applications from
the communities we serve: women, survivors of violence or displacement,
migrants and returnees, refugees, LGBTI+ population.
Standards of Professional Conduct: The
IRC and IRC workers adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way -
Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service,
Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates
and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse,
Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and
Anti-Retaliation.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to
narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that
provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce
including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other
supportive benefits and allowances.
We offer a comprehensive and highly
competitive set of benefits including paid time off, private medical insurance
and life insurance.
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