Organizational Context
On 31 December 2019, the Government of China reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, Hubei Province. A novel coronavirus was identified and has been named COVID-19. On 30 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. On 11 March 2020, WHO declared the COVID19 outbreak a pandemic. Most countries and territories around the world have now reported thousands of even millions of cases of COVID-19, and the risk of continued spread between and within countries is very high, despite the development of several vaccines. In the Americas, IFRC is coordinating with all Red Cross National Societies to support with monitoring, issuing advisories, requesting all offices to pre- position personal protective equipment (PPE) for high-risk activities, scenario planning and analyzing risk, and taking other initial actions. IFRC is also providing technical guidance and support to National Societies engaged in quarantine, screening as well as pre-hospital, home-based and hospital care. IFRC’s Emergency Appeal was revised, presented and relaunched in a coordination with ICRC. Together, both organizations are appealing for a total of CHF 2.7 billion to support the world’s most vulnerable populations who are at high-risk in under- resourced health systems. The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it have been accompanied by an over-abundance of information - much of which is inaccurate – that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it. As a trusted partner and voice in this pandemic, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has an important role in dispelling rumors and misinformation as well as preventing stigma. To learn more about the operation, including the IFRC Emergency Appeal and Operations Updates, please visit IFRC GO page. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 192-member National Societies. The overall aim of the IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” The IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. The Communications Department, which is based in the GRHDD, is headed by a Director, who has direct line management responsibilities over the managers of the following units: (i) Media and Advocacy; (ii) X-Media; (iii) Strategy and Global Network; and (iv) Community Engagement and Accountability. The Director also had technical management responsibilities over the Communication Managers in each of the five regions.
Job Purpose
Working as part of the IFRC regional and global Communications Team, the main purpose of the IFRC Communications Senior Officer for COVID- 19 Response Operations, is to plan, coordinate and implement communications strategies and activities that will deliver on the communications objectives of the response operations, including to feature the work and achievements of the IFRC and its member National Societies and achievements, advocate support for vulnerable people as well as highlight the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s leadership in response to the pandemic at all levels - locally, regionally and globally.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
The Communications Senior Communications Officer for COVID-19 is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of all communications activities for the IFRC COVID-19 response operations at regional level, including:
Plan, develop and implement a communications strategy for the Americas on the response of the Red Cross to the COVID19 outbreak that are targeted and relevant for multiple channels, and which help to meet fundraising objectives and position the Red Cross Red Crescent as an effective, trusted and credible humanitarian actor in the response.
Develop key messages and gather relevant facts and figures that are regularly updated as well as gather and narrate available audio-visual content that could be of interest to media and other external digital platforms.
Coordinate with communications focal points of relevant Movement partners (National Societies, ICRC and IFRC) to ensure effective, coherent, and consistent public communications.
Ensure strong visibility in international media through proactive media engagement, developing and pitching story ideas about Red Cross and Red Crescent activities, coordinating media events and requests, handling international media interviews when required, identifying relevant spokespersons and sharing their information with media, and ensuring the availability of well-briefed spokespersons.
Produce materials for media and external audiences and support IFRC officials (National Society and IFRC) in their media engagements.
Coordinate with technical departments to source and verify information on given contexts and situations. Share information and any communications material created for wider distribution and use among the Red Cross Red Crescent communications network.
Coordinate and support the gathering and development of relevant, compelling and timely communications content and messages that can be packaged and distributed by IFRC communications teams in the region and Geneva for various audiences and channels, ensuring the dissemination of coherent and consistent messages.
Stay abreast of critical developments, monitoring media and social media. Anticipate, identify and flag potential reputational issues, trending rumours and myths, and work with regional and Geneva communications to adopt and implement appropriate responses (including drafting reactive lines and messages to dispel rumors and myths).
Together with the IFRC regional and Geneva communications team, ensure strong social media engagement by proposing, gathering and sharing engaging content for IFRC and National Society channels, tracking trends and rumors, and supporting National Societies in responding to audience engagement with social media.
Together with the IFRC Regional Communications Team, support the strengthening of National Society communications capacity as well as position National Societies as leading, trusted and credible actors in specified responses, especially in priority contexts.
Undertake other communications tasks and responsibilities as may be requested by line managers.
Duties applicable to all staff
- Work actively towards the achievement of the IFRC Secretariat’s goals.
- Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
- Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.
Education
- University degree in journalism, communications or international relations.
- Red Cross, humanitarian, development and management training or equivalent experience (preferred).
Experience
- Experience of working in emergency or disaster response operations, including a track record of coordinating, inspiring and leading.
- Minimum of 8 years as a communications specialist with at least three years in an international humanitarian context, public health, international development or related field.
- Five years of experience in communications, public advocacy and/or media relations.
Knowledge, skills and languages
- Strong knowledge of current affairs as they relate to humanitarian developments and opportunities for humanitarian diplomacy in different regions.
- Strong professional and ability to both be proactive and ready to respond rapidly to changing needs from senior management.
- Ability to lead in a diverse cultural and social context.
- Ability to identify and analyze communications needs and capacity, trends and issues, and plan, prioritize and implement the editorial direction and content production.
- Strong relationship management skills, including ability to rapidly build and extend professional networks.
- Ability to utilize social media platforms, plan and implement social media strategies, produce compelling content to engage social media audiences in generating visibility, support.
- Excellent writing and public presentation/media relations skills. Experience as a spokesperson.
- Ability to produce timely, compelling and correct written content, that is targeted to relevant audiences and guided by the editorial strategy.
- Ability to collaborate and support host National Societies in meeting their communications objectives and in ensuring effective, consistent, and coherent public communications efforts.
- Excellent editing skills in English and Spanish.
- Experience in data-based journalism, data visualization and use of data for advocacy (preferred).
Languages:
- Fluent Spoken and Written English and Spanish
- Good command of French and/or Portuguese. (Preferred).
Competencies and values
VALUES: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability CORE COMPETENCIES: Communication; Collaboration and Teamwork; Judgement and Decision Making; National Societies and Customer Relations; Creativity and Innovation; Building Trust FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: Building Alliances; Leadership
How to apply:
Interested candidates, please apply here: [https://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/working-with-us/current-vacancies/job-description/?id=79776
ifrc.org
Message for applicants:
Applicants will need to send their applications together with a letter of motivation no later than the closing date in order for us to assure a proper comparative evaluation of your application for this vacancy and to enable us to consider your profile against other similar current and future vacancies.
Important Note:
• Please note that the selected candidate will be hired through a national contract under the applicable national labour law of the country (This position could be based in any country of America with IFRC Legal Agreement.); national and foreign with residence and work permit of the country will be considered.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by Federation policies, procedures, plans and local labour laws;
• The closing date is midnight GVA time. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered;
• Only those candidates shortlisted for interviews will be notified.