East Africa Digital and Content Officer at International Rescue Committee

Job Overview

The East Africa Regional Content and Digital Officer is focused on identifying, gathering and packaging powerful multimedia content from the East Africa region to connect audiences to IRC's work around the world and support IRC's goals of building income, profile and influence. The role calls for a content producer with outstanding storytelling skills that will bring to life the IRC's life-saving work in response to the multiple crises across the East Africa region for external audiences and donors. They will develop information and content assets that showcase the IRC's on the ground impact. This position will work closely with frontline programming colleagues to gather critical programming information, spot stories, train programming colleagues, and collect content. They will give up to 20% of their time towards regional communications and advocacy objectives.

This role calls for someone with experience operating in fluid and complex humanitarian emergency situations. You should have a solid understanding of the humanitarian sector, experience working with frontline programs to spot outstanding subjects and a gift for identifying compelling angles and creative ways of telling stories in difficult circumstances. We are looking for a strong multimedia producer who brings solid writing and digital engagement skills. You'll gather content yourself, prioritize information about IRC programs, and write stories and social media posts.

This role works seamlessly across the External Relations department and the IRC at large and helps colleagues stay abreast of storytelling techniques and trends with ongoing story-spotting and technical workshops.

Major Responsibilities

Serve as a lead storyteller for the East Africa region: Work with frontline programs, partners and country communications officers to continuously gather programming information, spot outstanding stories, and deliver high quality content to communicate to multiple audiences, including the general public in IRC's target markets and the East Africa region, media outlets, and major institutional and corporate donors.

• Implement content-gathering trips in your region: Work with communications, marketing and program colleagues to shape trip requirements and resolve as feasible. Then work independently and/or with freelance staff to gather rich case studies and high-quality assets (interviews, videos, photos, etc.).
• Produce a broad range of compelling multimedia content designed to engage IRC's audience targets, including short-form videos, text-base explainers, social media posts, data-based features, live event's programming, and more.
• Have fluency in all elements of post-production—backing up data, building and organizing Adobe Premiere project files, color correction and grading, sound design, motion graphics, editing music tracks, building engaging and coherent sequences, exporting, compression, sharing out results in different formats, preservation of completed projects for archiving.
• Cover the full arc of content development, working with colleagues from public affairs and marketing: Support pushes and campaigns by identifying outstanding story ideas and content opportunities; handle reporting and gather raw assets; transform the material into brilliant pieces tailored for specific audiences and channels (site, email, Facebook/Twitter, search, third-party and partner channels).
• Communicate and work directly with Country Communications staff as needed to develop stories and pieces; be prepared to travel to programming sites to gather on-the-ground material.
• Work with channel editors for the site, social, and email to draft content and support distribution strategies
• Help to streamline and improve digital content operations; promote agile and flexible processes to support rapid delivery of extraordinary content across the IRCs global digital channels.
• Design and deliver storytelling and photo/video tech workshops to IRC staff, train non-professional partners and clients in the field on how to produce content with smartphones.
• Dedicate up to 20% of time to support the country and regional communications and advocacy goals, targeting content around building acceptance, changing policies, or engaging in local and regional campaigns.

Job Requirements:

• Minimum 3-5 years of professional experience producing multimedia digital content for an international news outlet or nonprofit organization. Strong interest in international affairs and humanitarian issues.
• Demonstrated ability to develop compelling multi-media packages (with some combination of photo, video, and graphic skills); some comfort with degree of comfort and proficiency with multimedia and film production tools (Large “ENG” video cameras, DSLR & Mirrorless cameras, smartphones, GoPros, Drones, basic lighting, grip gear, location and studio sound setups, Adobe Creative Cloud products).
• Sharp written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team; comfortable collaborating with and channeling the multiple collaborators involved in NGO communications projects.
• Eager to travel widely and willing to work unusual hours.
• Able to think quickly and creatively under multiple priorities.

Education: 

• BA degree in journalism, communications, media production or related field