Communications Coordinator - Intaj

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. The agency pursues its mission through emergency relief services, sustainable community development, civil society and economic development initiatives. Mercy Corps has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s and currently works in Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps has implemented community development programs focused on promoting economic development and increased opportunity for disadvantaged communities, while responding to emergencies as they emerged in the country.  In 2012, the program portfolio shifted in response to the massive refugee influx from Syria and Mercy Corps in Lebanon has solidified its emergency response programming while integrating longer-term development programming by focusing on key sectors: Protection, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Governance and Conflict, and Livelihoods.  With funding from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Mercy Corps is expanding an eight-month pilot project to a two-year program aiming at improving the stability and resiliency in target communities in the North of Lebanon and the Beqaa through reduced unemployment and increased income for businesses. INTAJ (Improved Networks, Training and Jobs) is focused on three main components: skills development, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, and solid waste and recycling management (SWM/R). ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: The Communications Coordinator is responsible for advancing INTAJ’s public face in Lebanon, ensuring it uses best practices that align with ongoing programming and promotes innovative livelihood approaches.  This position will work across all teams to ensure INTAJ is communicating out its activities and successes to a wide range of stakeholders. PLANNING AND STRATEGY Provide overall leadership to implement INTAJ’s Communication Strategy to promote livelihood programming and Mercy Corps’ approach; Collaborate with INTAJ staff, including the Program Manager, Project Managers and M&E staff, to implement the previously defined April 2016 -March 2018 INTAJ Communications Strategy; Create and implement a national and local media outreach plan to complement INTAJ Communications Strategy utilizing existing Beqaa and Tripoli relationships; Create communications calendar that details specific INTAJ related communications activities, including events, campaigns, training, etc.; Support INTAJ program visibility within the Lebanese community through material development and social media; Maintain the INTAJ brand identity and parameters and ensure donor visibility in all written and audio visual materials; Contribute to the identification, and documentation of best practices and lessons learned and share this knowledge within and outside the organization; Contribute to planning process to inform programmatic and communication-related components; Work closely with the INTAJ team in producing compelling reports and other material for UK Aid. Contribute to the planning and project management of events and activities including but not limited to roadshows, ceremonies, outreach meetings, networking events, publicity events etc. Provide training, guideline documents and ad-hoc advice and guidance to partners to improve their communication materials and activities; and   Establish monitoring and evaluation processes to document all communications activities and its effectiveness, feeding into overall M&E reporting. PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT Lead design and production of communications and visibility materials (whether in house or outsourced) including: Print such as fact-sheets, case-studies, newsletters, reports, press releases, leaflets, booklets, banners, brochures, t-shirts, folders, certificates etc.; Photography, video and sound; Infographics; and social media posts, Web and mobile development; Disseminate INTAJ communication materials through the communications channels as detailed in the April 2016-March 2018 INTAJ Communications Strategy; Develop materials for specific program campaigns or identities, to help advance programmatic goals; Build up and maintain database of all visual materials produced by INTAJ such as photos, videos, infographics, logos and etc.; Ensure all visual materials produced follow Mercy Corps’ global brand identity and standards; Monitor, document and disseminate as appropriate INTAJ media coverage; Work with INTAJ team to develop and maintain relationships with national and local media to highlight program activities, cultivating relationships to facilitate media coverage of ongoing activities; Help staff, partners and beneficiaries where appropriate to prepare for media interviews ensuring that all agreed guidelines and protocol are observed; and Collaborate closely with Mercy Corps’ Communication Coordinator responsible for media. OTHER Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy; Apply Do No Harm standards to ensure activities do not have detrimental effects on vulnerable communities; Ensure all activities are gender sensitive and follow Mercy Corps’ Gender Equity Policy; Contribute to monthly reports and other ad hoc reports to meet donor and internal requirements; Participate in internal office coordination and planning meetings and workshops; Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission; and Other assigned tasks, as necessary. Organizational Learning As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve - we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Communications Officer REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Program Manager WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Program, M&E and Operations Teams.   KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: At least 4-5 years of experience in communications and media work, preferably with a development or humanitarian international or local NGO; Experience from working with social or political-related work, with good understanding of Lebanon’s current refugee and host community context; Excellent written and verbal English and Arabic skills, including the ability to craft documentation for different key audiences; Skills in multimedia production, including audiovisual work and graphic design and proven ability to design effective communication products, lead formulation of communication messages and strategies; Proven ability to develop relationships with the media, other civil society organizations, and networks; Strong organizational skills, and ability to work independently and take initiative under pressure in a rapidly changing, multi-cultural context, whilst adhering to strict deadlines; Must work well as a member of a team; Ability and willingness to travel regularly to the field. SUCCESS FACTORS: The successful Communications Coordinator will be bright, energetic, hard-working and eager to learn.  S/he will take a deep personal interest in humanitarian and development assistance.  S/he will have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability. S/he will be attentive to detail and able to carry out assigned tasks in a timely manner and according to a very high standard of quality.  S/he will be creative and flexible, contributing to developing and encouraging new and innovative solutions, but at the same time will not have any difficulty in adhering to systems and procedures. S/he will strictly follow all protocols related to safety and security, and holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Mercy Corps’ values.