Humanitarian Communications & Advocacy Specialist at Save the Children

Save the Children

Position: Humanitarian Communications & Advocacy Specialist

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 week ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post will require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or youth.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Advocacy, Campaigns, and Humanitarian Communications Specialist will support the regular and timely collection and dissemination of humanitarian-related information and content in the Save the Children Ethiopia (SC Ethiopia) Country Office. This includes but is not limited to Country Office humanitarian portfolio data, analysis, and foresight products highlighting particular trends, emerging issues, and emergency response updates in close coordination with relevant colleagues. The role’s outputs have a variety of audiences including but not limited to, SC Ethiopia staff and senior leadership, Save the Children Movement at large, donors, media, the public, and others.

With the leadership of the Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication, and Media (ACCM) Director, the role holder will support the Country Office in ensuring key deliverables for our humanitarian responses are visible in publications such as communications packs, key messaging, situation reports, dashboards, briefings, fact sheets, and other information and communications products as required. The role holder will also proactively advise on and prepare humanitarian response-focused external advocacy messaging targeting a wide range of both media and social media audiences. On advocacy and campaigns, the Advocacy, Campaigns, and Humanitarian Communications Specialist will support SC Ethiopia in conceptualizing and implementing set priorities.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media (ACCM) Director

Functional relationship: ACCM and humanitarian department and teams

Staff reporting to this post: None

Budget Responsibilities: Yes

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Humanitarian Communications

• In close coordination with the humanitarian team, ensure that there is a calendar for content sourcing, development, and dissemination of timely and high-quality communication and advocacy products on SC Ethiopia’s humanitarian operations.
• Coordinate the development and dissemination of internal and external communications materials and information management tasks to ensure a platform for member and donor engagement to support the Ethiopia Country Office’s humanitarian responses.
• Support the Country Office’s humanitarian team in producing a wide range of communication products, media briefs, and engaging content for outreach – complementing regional-level products as appropriate.
• Screen all humanitarian communications materials for accuracy and relevance by adhering to established and agreed guidance on red lines.
• Analyze and effectively communicate complex information to a wider audience for both internal and external outreach.
• Operate on tight deadlines using critical independent judgment within agreed parameters.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of information and communications tactics and tools to steer the delivery of quality communications outputs and deliverables.
• Monitor, gather, and produce weekly updates/highlights on humanitarian developments in Ethiopia and the region vis-à-vis SC Ethiopia’s work/interventions.
• Attend humanitarian working group meetings to keep tabs on trends and provide updates on SC Ethiopia’s activities (when tasked).
• With the support of the ACCM Director, the Senior Campaigns, Communications & Multimedia Manager, and the Senior Advocacy Coordination & Communications Manager, coordinate and produce communications and information materials to enhance the visibility of the Country Office’s humanitarian responses and engagement with Save the Children fundraising colleagues, Members, Regional Office/Centre, partners, and relevant stakeholders.

Advocacy Coordination and Implementation

• SC Ethiopia works closely with children to ensure their voices are heard and inclusive policies are streamlined with their rights. The role holder will be responsible for coordinating and facilitating children’s participation in key events and international days both in person and virtual such as the International Day of the African Child, World International Children’s Day, International Day of the Girl Child, etc. This will also include engaging children in global activities related to amplifying the voices of children in climate change mitigation, ending child marriage or other harmful traditional practices, and so forth.
• Save the Children at the global level, hosts its children-focused global campaigns such as the Generation Hope and Safe Schools Campaigns. The role holder will support annual strategy development for the Country Office working in close collaboration with colleagues in SC Regional Office and other relevant offices/colleagues. This will also include overseeing the implementation of outlined advocacy activities and priorities while ensuring the participation of children; and producing quarterly progress reports.
• The Advocacy, Campaigns, and Humanitarian Communications Specialist will also be responsible for supporting the ACCM department’s advocacy resourcing, planning, and programming by working with relevant department colleagues in the Country Office to develop project proposals.
• The role holder will also attend advocacy coordination working group meetings to keep tabs on trends, including national policies, and will provide updates on SC Ethiopia’s activities (when tasked).
• The role holder may be tasked with briefing partners and other stakeholders on SC Ethiopia’s work in both the humanitarian and advocacy areas at thematic workshops and meetings.

Information and Communication

• Absorb high volumes of complex and often vague information and synthesize it into concise, accessible communications products that provide relevant levels of detail and complexity as appropriate for the audience.
• Produce accurate, clear, and consistent information and communication outputs relating to emergency responses across the country – including key messages, Q&A’s, internal email updates, dashboards, and factsheets, for media and broader advocacy work.
• For social media, work with the Senior Campaigns, Communications, and Multimedia Manager to regularly produce innovative communications on SC Ethiopia’s humanitarian responses to be used on corporate platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Save the Children’s ‘Workplace’, LinkedIn, etc to reach wider audiences and directly engage supporters in SC Ethiopia’s work.
• Ensure all information for external use presents accurate information, and appropriate images and does not risk Save the Children’s activities and reputation.
• Adopt a supportive but influencing-based approach to relationships with other relevant teams in the Country Office to collect quality information and communication outputs, including sector reports, fact sheets, key messages, and media engagement.
• Be available to travel to field sites to gather content for publications and undertake photography commissions, coordinate with the Senior Advocacy Coordination and Communication Manager.
• Collaborate with the ACCM Director to ensure core messaging is consistent when shared externally.
• Manage the production of compelling photo stories, case studies, and audio-visual materials from the field to highlight the Country Office’s humanitarian and development work, in line with SCI policies and procedures (all consent is on file and available).
• Ensure branding and visibility standards are included in all advocacy and communications materials.
• Determine how and when to communicate impact through a variety of communications channels (print, website, social media, radio, television).
• Assess media coverage of SC Ethiopia activities/events and produce detailed reports for ACCM.
• Ensure adherence to Save the Children’s policies and procedures to respect the rights of families and children in all materials produced and disseminated (voice, photo, video, written).

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (Save the Children Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds oneself accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Save the Children’s values.

Ambition:

• Strong impact communicator.
• Future-oriented, think strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Strong ability to understand other people’s perspectives to address reasonable concerns and needs.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, members, and external partners.
• Value diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.

Creativity:

• Develop and use innovative solutions.

Integrity:

• Honest, open, and transparent.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Media, Information/Humanitarian project management, and/or any other related field. A minimum of five years experience in similar roles.

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Education: BSc/BA in aforementioned subjects backed by a minimum of 5 years of experience.
• Proven experience in developing and managing the production of communications materials in similar organizations with fast-paced environments that engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Produce accurate, clear, and consistent information and/or communication outputs relating to both humanitarian advocacy and communications.
• Demonstrated ability to draft complex but easy-to-understand content in English for a wide range of audiences including donors, media professionals, partners, and the general public. Excellent verbal and presentation skills in English are an added advantage.
• Experience in coordinating information and clear communication flows between emergency responses and a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to fact-check, proofread, edit, and draft materials.
• An initiative-taking, proactive, inspiring attitude with the ability to manage and prioritize an unpredictable workload and solve problems quickly with limited support.
• Excellent relationship-building skills for strengthening working across diversified functions and various members of the organization.
• Proven ability in working with communities and partners to gather content for publications such as testimonies, and information on humanitarian situations and programs.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion. Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tactfulness, and diplomacy.
• Sound understanding of the humanitarian context in Ethiopia.
• Ability to support the communications team in high-pressure situations of frequently changing deadlines and priorities, and in a complex humanitarian situation.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult working circumstances.
• Commitment and interest in Save the Children's mission, vision, and values. In particular, a good understanding of Save the Children’s mandate and focus on children.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and tools.

Desirable

• Prior experience working in humanitarian operations/organizations in a similar role.
• Graphic design and basic video production skills.
• Experience in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects and developing strategic reports.

Equal Opportunities

• The role holder is required to carry out respective duties by Save the Children’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Additional job responsibilities

• The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the Advocacy, Campaigns, and Humanitarian Communications Specialist may be required to carry out additional duties.