Internal Communications And Media Officer

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY: The Internal Communications and Media Officer is support role to the Regional response and reporting to the Humanitarian Director. The primary constituents of this program are the Directors in the region whose program operations are inside or related to the regional crisis and are in need of additional support to meet communications and advocacy needs. S/he is primarily responsible for carrying out internal communications within the region on behalf of the Humanitarian Director. The IC&M Officer is the point person for all media queries from Mercy Corps headquarters and will lead the interaction with media, as assigned acting as both a spokesperson as well as content-gathering. S/he is also the primary point person in the region for branding and for leading capacity building and mentoring strategies to support the ability of other Mercy Corps staff to understand and value the data, analysis and learning generated by the organization. This position requires significant travel within the region to Mercy Corps program operations and to a point where the IC&M Officer is well-versed on all programs, the security and political dynamics an current challenges of each team. The IC&M Officer will know the Mercy Corps advocacy and security positions on each, particular subject and ensure these are applied within the work. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: General • Under the direction of the Humanitarian Director, assist in the development and implementation of a region-wide Communications/Media Engagement Strategy. Input for these will be obtained from consultations with program teams, M&E staff, Program Director, Policy Advisor, headquarters media team and others as needed. • Participate in internal and external communications and/or advocacy-related working groups and maintain close working relationships with counterparts in other relevant international NGOs, and local NGOs and associations in the region. • Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Director, enhance internal communications within the  team, sharing key information and enhancing regional program operations as a united team. • Serve as the primary point person for all queries related to the Mercy Corps brand. Communications and Media • Serve as the primary point person for all media queries from Mercy Corps media teams in the US and UK. This includes – as directed – spokesperson roles and content gathering for queries. As directed, will meet and provide information to media personnel in the region. • Support development and implementation of Branding and Marking Plans for programs, in-line with Mercy Corps and donor brand guidance. • Provide technical guidance and support to program teams on public outreach activities using illustrative tools such as targeted public awareness campaigns, print advertising, radio, website, and other forms of electronic communications, launch events and strategy/information sharing discussions. • Support program teams to develop success stories and other communications pieces under the direction of the Project managers to be distributed and/or used in project communications products. • Support the production of communications and public awareness pieces at program or country level, including set up of required templates and systems. • Liaise between Mercy Corps headquarters and Mercy Corps Regional programs for field visits relating to communications and media coverage. • Lead or support efforts for local media engagement. • Provide content for Mercy Corps social media at headquarters in the UK and US. • Work closely with Deputy Country Director and team members to explore ways of improving communications and coordination within and across Mercy Corps programming • Will be an active member of any regional crisis response planning and action Learning and Capacity Building • Under the direction of the Humanitarian Director, support efforts to promote and share internal learning. • Ensure program learnings are integrated into internal/external communications and media activities. ACCOUNTABILITY: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Humanitarian Director WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: All Regional Directors, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, and MEL staff in each location, Program Managers and staff, Programs Director, HQ communications and media teams, Country Director, Finance, Operations. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: • Desired - Master’s degree in media and communications or international development, management or related field • Experience in international relief and development in communications or information dissemination • Is knowledgeable of human rights, international humanitarian law and principles of humanitarian action • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills required. • Knowledge of print, web, graphics and email dissemination. • Ability to prepare and present water conservation information. • Ability to work independently and take initiative • Willingness to learn and collaborate with others • Strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills • Good computer skills including and proficiency with Microsoft Office • Proven ability to work productively with a variety of stakeholders to run participatory processes and meet tight deadlines with an emphasis on producing quality products. • Commitment to capacity building required. • Fluency in spoken and written English as well as Arabic. SUCCESS FACTORS: The successful candidate will have proven experience working with a cross-cultural team and possess strong capacity building and mentoring skills that promotes a culture of learning. They will demonstrate a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, and make effective communication a priority in all situations. They will have a demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively, think creatively and take initiative.