Global Voices Content Developer - From Poverty to Power Blog

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters. We help people build better lives for themselves. We speak out on the big issues that keep people poor, like inequality, discrimination against women and climate change. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can live without poverty.

All our work is led by three core values:

Empowerment. Everyone, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.

Accountability. We take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.

Inclusiveness. We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

The Research and Publishing Team plays a central role in shaping and communicating Oxfam’s understanding of public policy issues and the changing debates on international development. Team members are responsible for conducting, commissioning and communicating a wide range of publications through multiple media channels. High quality and publications are essential for high impact advocacy and campaigns, improved programme implementation, and influencing the many external audiences Oxfam engages with. In line with Oxfam’s commitment to put Women’s Rights at the heart of all it does, ensuring a robust gender perspective on all its research is key to the team’s work.

From Poverty to Power is one of the world’s leading online blogs for discussion and debate in international development. Focusing on development practice, policy, research and innovation, it challenges the status quo and offers thought-provoking content for NGO practitioners, policymakers, government officials, academics, researchers and professionals. Serving an average audience size of over 30,000 unique visitors a month, it is highly regarded as a global forum for up to date and original ideas and conversations on international development issues and social change processes.

Using the FP2P blog, the aim of this project is to bring significantly more Southern and diverse voices to the online global development debate, and contribute to influencing Northern policies, practices and understanding.

Job Purpose

The ‘From Poverty to Power blog’ is seeking to diversify and bring in more global views to help influence and shape international development debate and practice. This role will help to develop a new content stream of ‘Global Voices’ on critical development issues for the platform, and contribute to global development discussions.

What We are Looking For

Thoughtfully provocative and passionate about debating poverty and injustice? We need you! You believe in diversity of voices about development that benefits everyone. You excel at social media and in-depth interviewing. You’re a mega-talented connector and can spot a good story where others don’t. Getting people to share their voices and wisdom gives you a kick. Making this heard by tens of thousands globally is what you live for. You will be deeply committed to ensuring diverse global voices are heard widely and influence global development debates. You have experience in editing, commissioning and creating different web formats (audio, written, video). You have a passion for finding a story and a keen eye for detail. You can manage your own workload without close supervision and work independently on making decisions and problem solving on routine issues. You are creative and innovative in your approach to finding and developing a story thinking about different media types, with a sound knowledge of international development issues.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with Duncan Green (Senior Strategic Adviser), to commission, interview and create blogs, podcasts and videos from the global south, with a view to contribute more diverse views to debates and discussions around international development.
•  To work with the Digital Communications Manager to search/aggregate the best international development content from around the web.
• To work with and implement new ideas for types of content/debates/discussions. 
• To work with the Digital Communications Manager to create online surveys assessing audience engagement with the blog, and make recommendations for improved performance based on them.
• To assist in the experimentation of new online platforms and communities to extend the reach of the blogs/podcasts/videos and foster discussions outside of FP2P

Other

• Required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles

skills, experience and knowledge

Essential 

• Educated to graduate level in a relevant discipline, or equivalent experience, with expertise in communications tools and approaches
• Excellent writing and copy-editing skills, with experience in editing other people’s writing.
• Proven ability to find and develop thoughtful stories that works for social media and diverse audiences
• Proven ability to support and work with a range of diverse people (authors) from across the globe.
• Knowledge of key issues and practices in international development, and a keen observer of the latest debates and trends.
• Knowledge and experience of how the lived experiences of seldom heard voices can influence policy and practice at local and national levels.
• Ability to work effectively in a team which includes members located in other offices as well as external partners and stakeholders.
• Commitment to Oxfam's overall aims and beliefs including equality, diversity, gender and race.

Desirable

• Competent in French, Spanish and/or Arabic.
• Experience in writing for news outlets or journalistic experience

Key Attributes

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible

Organisational Values

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions
• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences