East Africa Regional Communications Officer at International Rescue Committee

Major Responsibilities

• Convene, collaborate with, and lead a dynamic range of IRC teams across the East Africa Region in collaboration with the Senior Officer for Global Communications, to develop and implement a communication strategy for East Africa that drives awareness of the crises in the region, especially related to the current drought in the region, as well as IRC’s impact and advocacy, enhancing the IRC's reputation, supporting fundraising objectives, and influencing target policy makers.
• Work with (and persuade) internal collaborators, including communications team members, programming teams, advocates, fundraisers, and technical experts to facilitate and support dynamic communications tactics, including innovative media outreach, top tier opeds, creative digital content and dynamic, engaging social media output.
• Work with Country Directors and country-based communications staff to support on country-level communications strategies and activities that raise the profile of crises and IRC programming on a national level.
• Deliver strategic proactive and reactive media relations, using global insights and expertise in both international and humanitarian media to increase media share of voice and digital engagement.
• Deploy excellent writing skills to deliver pitches that land IRC-led features, high-level IRC messages for cross-organizational use, top tier landing op-eds, and talking points for spokespeople.
• Represent the IRC as a spokesperson to external and internal audiences, both via media interviews and contributing to digital content. Provide media training to field spokespeople as needed.
• Gather content in the region through multiple digital mediums -- photo, video, audio etc using industry standard practices and equipment.
• Contribute to quarterly reports on media coverage and content results using industry standard metrics and bench-marking.
• Strengthen and develop internal systems and processes to deliver on communications objectives.
• Coordinate and lead crisis and emergency communications, including high profile field visits and emergency content gathering.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Senior Global Communications Officer, Africa and Yemen
• Position directly supervises: n/a
• Indirect Reporting: n/a
• Other Internal and/or external contacts:
• Internal: Work with global communications colleagues

Job Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, international affairs or related field or equivalent experience
• Work Experience: 3-5 years of professional experience in communications, preferably with a focus on international affairs or issues that cross with the humanitarian sector.

Language(s)

• English is essential and Swahili strongly preferred
• Good knowledge of another language spoken in East Africa would be considered an asset.