Senior Media & Communication Officer

Senior media and communication officer - Lebanon

 

JOB DETAILS

LOCATION: Beirut

CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed Term

JOB FAMILY: COMMUNICATIONS

ONE OXFAM GRADE:  D     ZONE: 1

DEPARTMENT:

GLOBAL PROGRAMMES                                                                         

TEAM: INFLUENCING TEAM

SALARY: AS PER SCALE

HOURS: 40 (FTE)

FLEXIBLE WORKING

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization.

TEAM PURPOSE:  To campaign with others to improve the lives of populations in Lebanon affected by the impact of the Syria crisis – addressing systemic issues that shape inequality and access to services in Lebanon as well as promoting quality of asylum through an effective Oxfam ‘one programme’ approach.

JOB PURPOSE: To maximise coverage of Oxfam’s programme, policy, and campaign messages in the Lebanon Country Office by developing and delivering effective media and communication strategies domestically and internationally.

JOB REPORTS TO

Influencing Lead

ROLES REPORTING TO THIS JOB

None

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY

N/A

GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE

Lebanon

IMPACT

 Media, visibility, reach, influencing

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Influencing team, Country program teams, fundraising team and finance team, Oxfam affiliates and wider confederation, Oxfam International and Global Campaigns, civil society networks in country, media outlets.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (Technical, Leadership, People and Resource management)

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Media and Communication Strategy

• Develop and implement a comprehensive communication and media strategy for the Lebanon country office.
• Work with the influencing team to develop media strategies for advocacy campaigns and key lobbying moments at the national and international levels.

Media Engagement and Coverage

• Regularly generate high-quality media coverage of Oxfam’s program, policy, and advocacy work in local, and at times regional and international, media outlets. Tasks include developing press releases, reactive lines, and Q&A materials, as well as organizing press conferences and media briefing publications.
• Engage with and cultivate productive relationships with journalists covering Lebanon in local and regional and global media outlets.
• Contribute to updating and expanding Oxfam’s journalist database.
• Manage media requests from journalists and Oxfam media colleagues efficiently.
• Organize visits of journalists and high-level stakeholders to program locations, including making logistical arrangements.

Content Creation and Digital Media

• Produce compelling digital content (stories, photos, blogs, videos) to showcase Oxfam’s work and ensure maximum visibility through regional and global platforms.
• Work with colleagues across teams to gather newsworthy content and stories in line with Oxfam’s content-gathering guidelines.
• Manage Oxfam in Lebanon’s social media platforms, develop a social media calendar aligned with the communication strategy, and increase reach and engagement.
• Oversee the production of all media and communication materials issued by the country office, including social media posts, publications, and reports, ensuring proper sign-off processes and high-quality output.

Brand Management and Compliance

• Ensure all media and communication activities reflect Oxfam’s values, principles, and commitments to diversity and inclusion.
• Ensure adherence to Oxfam’s procedures, protocols, and policies, including guidelines for interviewing individuals in communities and documenting consent.
• Protect Oxfam’s brand integrity across all media and communication outputs.
• Ensure compliance of all media and communication materials with Oxfam’s and donors’ visibility and branding guidelines.

Training and Technical Support

• Train and brief Oxfam spokespeople to handle media engagements effectively.
• Build the capacity of Oxfam staff and partner organizations to produce high-quality media and communication products.
• Provide technical and strategic support in campaign development for the country office and partner organizations.

Crisis and Emergency Response

• Ensure Oxfam’s media preparedness and response during humanitarian emergencies is timely and aligned with Oxfam’s ‘Humanitarian Media Protocol.’
• Collaborate with media colleagues across the organization to ensure consistent and effective messaging during crises.

Flexibility and Fieldwork

• Be flexible to work outside of normal office hours, recognizing the non-standard nature of media work.
• Be prepared to travel to the field to collect content or support media activities as required.

CORE DIMENSIONS (see Standard Role Profiles)

• 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.
• Do No Harm – We ensure that all messaging is sensitized and adheres to the Do No Harm principle, minimizing any potential harm to the communities we work with.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Most importantly, every individual in Oxfam needs to be able to:

• Live our values of INCLUSION, ACCOUNTABILITY, EMPOWERMENT, COURAGE, SOLIDARITY and EQUALITY (read more about these here)
• Ensure you commit to our ORGANIZATIONAL ATTRIBUTES (including adhering to the Code of Conduct):

 

                                                           

1. Be committed to our feminist principles, and to applying them in your day-to-day behaviour and your work. Be ready to keep learning, with accountability to those who experience oppression as a result of their identities, such as their gender, race/ethnicity, disability, class, or LGBTQIA identity."

 

2. Be committed to undertaking Oxfam’s safeguarding training and adhering to relevant policies, to ensure all people who come into Oxfam are as safe as possible.

 

 

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE & COMPETENCIES

Media and Communication Experience

• 3–5 years of professional experience in the Lebanese media environment as a communication, media, or digital media expert, with a proven track record of generating impactful media coverage.
• Experience in the field of media and communications in development and/or humanitarian advocacy, preferably in an INGO is desirable.

Strategic Communication

• Experience in creatively identifying and developing innovative ways to use media to share Oxfam’s key messages and amplify the voices of the communities served.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills with the ability to synthesize complex issues and present them clearly and simply to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated skills in planning and executing social media content and strategies to increase reach and engagement.
• Excellent organizational and planning abilities, with the capacity to design, adjust, and implement strategies independently.

Content Creation

• Proven ability to produce and/or commission written and audio/visual media and communications materials, with a strong capacity to deliver under tight deadlines.
• Experience in collecting human-interest case studies, including photography and basic filming.
• Basic editing skills for photos and videos are desirable.
• Skilled in writing clear and compelling media products such as press releases, media reactions, opinion pieces, Q&As, talking points, key messages, case studies, factsheets, and briefings.
• High-level verbal and written communication skills in both English and Arabic, emphasizing a clear and engaging writing style with attention to detail.

Networking and Engagement

• Proven experience working with journalists and pitching stories to media outlets.
• Existing network of media contacts in Lebanon and a natural ability to build and maintain relationships.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, with a focus on fostering collaboration and partnerships.
• Demonstrated skills in providing technical assistance and capacity building on media and communications for national partners.

Risk and Crisis Management

• Experience managing risk in sensitive situations, including organizational reputation and issues management.
• Ability to work effectively and calmly in high-pressure environments, prioritizing and managing assignments within deadlines.
• Strong understanding of Lebanon’s context and sociopolitical dynamics, including awareness of community tensions and sensitivities.

 

Key Behavioural Competencies (based on Oxfam’s Leadership Model)

Competencies

Description

Influencing

We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organisation We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.

Humility

We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.

Relationship Building

We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organisation.

Listening

We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear, and consider different preferences.

Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity

We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.

Self-Awareness

We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.

 

SAFER RECRUITMENT: Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. Offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.