Communications and Media Manager – Maternity Cover at Save the Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Communications and Media Manager (CMM) will lead the implementation of external and internal communications and media strategies that promote positive and consistent messages of Kenya and Madagascar’s work to influence child centered policy decisions, inspire public support and actions, encourage support from funding partners and thereby drive the agenda for children. The CMM will deliver communications work through innovative strategies ensuring that global media are tailor made for local context to effective delivery and therefore maximum impact for children. The CMM will be responsible for managing and updating social media platforms and country office website, ensuring quality and accuracy of the information. The CMM will also be responsible for building the capacity of other team members in media engagement, campaigning and steering towards the achievement of brand consistency in line with organizational policy standards and donor requirements. The CMM will also coordinate regular internal meetings for the purpose of information sharing.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

External Communications and Media

• Develop a communication strategy, guidelines and plan for the country office and socialize this with relevant staff. 
• Work closely with the Head of Advocacy and Campaigns on the design and production of campaign materials for maximum impact
• Work closely with the business development team, technical specialists and the Research and Learning Manager to develop products that can be marketed for mobilizing funding. 
• Lead the development and dissemination of relevant real-time humanitarian and development situational reports/materials. 
• Lead the dissemination of Save the Children brand to make it recognized, respected, accepted, and protected at all levels. 
• Support project leads and technical specialists identify and document stories of change and case studies, success stories that communicate the impact of our work and for use in media work and for quality reporting purposes.
• Take lead in reviewing and presenting stories, photos, messaging, fact sheets and multimedia products for Save the Children’s key public audience. 
• Support the programme teams in ensuring Save the Children global brand and donor requirements are fulfilled for visibility and communications materials. 
• Produce other external targeted products on an ad hoc basis as necessary and requested by the supervisor. 
•  Train key senior staff on communications and media and support the Country Director and other senior managers in their roles as designated spokespersons

Media 

• Actively cultivate media contacts and appropriately establish proactive and beneficial relationships with media houses that can help in advancing children’s rights at policy and programme levels as well as identify opportunities to profile Save the Children work. 
• Actively scout for press opportunities to showcase Save the Children’s interventions and opportunities for advocating for various child rights issues. 
• Ensure regular updates of the social media platforms showcasing our Save the Childrens’ work. 
• Identify media issues, prepare media messages, assess appropriate media for communicating those messages and facilitate the process of disseminating/communicating those messages within Save the Children’s guidelines. 
• Ensure that any actions undertaken to implement communications or media work in country is compliant with Save the Children’s global communications and branding standards and has been duly approved by the Country Director. 
• Familiarize self with the work of Save the Children in Kenya & Madagascar to effectively represent the organization in media engagements where relevant. 
• Draft media briefings, talking points, Q&As, press releases and media statements based on advocacy priorities identified. 
• Act as a focal point for all media visits/requests.  
• Develop SCI profile in local, regional, continental and global media on all matters Kenya and Madagascar. 
• Support staff capacity building around media engagement through training. 
• Provide relevant spokespeople training and support their engagement with international news media, liaising with the regional and country office teams. 
• Manage incoming media requests, prioritising & co-ordination with the regional and in-country teams. 
• Support the timely CO/RO/GMU sign off of all external media content.  
• Engage with the RO, SCI and SC members, particularly the Global Media Unit, in developing country office media engagement, both reactive and proactive, around key moments/crises.
• Led by the CO ACCM Strategy, undertake the development and writing of regular press releases/op-eds/proactive and reactive media statements for/ from field offices and on matters of national interest in collaboration with the RO, GMU and SCI 
• Drive mass news coverage in key priority issues across the country by engaging external media and internal support for reactive and planned media opportunities.  
• Find new and interesting news lines and develop media materials (including press releases) for national media and member use, to ensure the drought and other issues impacting children garners the attention and interest of international and regional news outlets. Child 

Child Centred and Child Led Media

• Supervise and gather relevant, appropriate images and film in the field, while remaining sensitive to the realities on the ground and child safeguarding concerns. 
• Produce or support the production of child- led and child- focused multimedia materials in the form of photography, video, and written materials that address the needs of communities, government, country programmes, the regional office, and Save the Children’s global membership. 
• Ensure that all delegations undertaking media trips to communities are oriented on child safeguarding and held accountable. 
• Support risk mitigation approaches during sensitive moments for media outreach.

New Business Development 

• Incorporate Media Priorities into all new proposals and awards to ensure adequate resourcing and cost recovery. 
• Ensure that media resourcing meets the threshold of 5% of all budgets, if not more. 

Internal Communication 

• Compile and develop Save the Children’s country reports, sit reps and newsletters as required.
•  Provide assistance to content and layout of creative promotional materials such as leaflets, fact sheets, info graphics, creative audiovisual information, brochures and other communications materials.
•  Lead the development of a communications calendar capturing priorities of actions and products for the Country office. 
• Management of internal communications content including archiving, uploading on content hub, website, and other platforms.

MEAL 

• With support from regional and member communications and media staff, develop and put in place systems to monitor and measure the impact of the Kenya Country Office’s communication and campaign initiatives, as well as systematically sharing these achievements in the most appropriate way with Country office Senior Management Team. 
•  Share success stories and learning related to Communication and Campaign initiatives spearheaded by the Kenya country office with regional and global working groups and/or communities of practice.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice) 

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Degree in relevant field such as Mass/Media Communication / International relations / Journalism.
• At least 7 years’ experience in a similar role or in media and communication position.
• Exceptional and demonstrable written and oral communications skill in all mediums with a strong understanding of how to adapt communications to different audiences. 
• Proven experience in developing and implementing communications and campaign strategies. 
• Strong understanding of approaches for communicating information to a wide range of audiences including media relations 
• Advanced proficiency in graphic design and photography skills (additional skills in videography is an added advantage) 
• Ability to multitask, work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines, responsive to external requests and strong team player. 
• Excellent communication skills with excellent command of the English language and fluent in Kiswahili. (French will be a definite plus) 
•  Excellent skills in social media 
• Experience identifying target audiences and devising promotional and campaign strategies to engage, inform and motivate current and potential partners; ability to communicate verbally with a wide range of actors and audiences. 
•  Willing and able to travel widely in country to support field teams. 
• Commitment to Save the Children International values. 
• Experience of travel, and a willingness to travel in a broad range of African countries and more widely, sometimes at short notice. 
•  Demonstrated understanding of news media and experience of acting as a spokesperson. 
• Familiarity with social media to achieve policy changes an advantage.