Communication Officer – Kigali

Who are we?

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial, neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. The ICRC also endeavors to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

About the Job

The Communication Officer 2 contributes to the design, planning and implementation of Communication projects and activities in coordination with the country communication and prevention manager. S/he contributes to representing the ICRC externally and to build the necessary understanding, acceptance and support of the ICRC among key stakeholders.

General Duties

· Understands and adheres to the seven Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

· Understands and adheres to the ICRC Code of Conduct

· Understands the roles of the components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

· Develops and maintains a pleasant and conducive working environment with colleagues and line managers

· Performs all duties with the highest level of confidentiality in the interest of the employees and the ICRC

· Contributes to define communication and prevention objectives, strategies and plans of action for the area or programme covered in line with the priorities of the field structure and/or the delegation’s communication and/or prevention strategy.

· With minimum supervision, implements relevant activities and develop tools for operational communication; community engagement; IHL promotion; building NS communication capacity; public communication, digital communication; information analysis/ environment scanning; religious circles; public affairs and resource mobilisation.

· Supports the country communication and prevention manager in networking with relevant stakeholders and represents ICRC with various audiences.

· Follows political, security, military and humanitarian developments, as well as other issues related to the ICRC’s reputation/perception and capacity to operate in the geographic area covered, contributing to analysis.

· Interprets and translates from and into local language in support of Communication programs when required.

· Provides technical and administrative support to the communication team (e.g. archiving, stock management, event organisation) when required.

· Supports communication-related training and coaching for staff of field structures and/or other departments when needed.

Specific Functional Responsibilities:

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION (30%)

1) Media relations

– Develops and implements the delegation’s public communication plan in coordination with the Communication or Communication/Prevention Manager and ensures it is implemented in the field sub-structures. Contributes to the sections on public communication objectives in the ICRC’s annual planning and reporting documents (e.g. Planning for Results, Biannual Field Report).

– Develops strategies for promoting the ICRC’s activities to the media and maintains regular contacts with editors and correspondents.

– Organizes and manages media events and field trips when required.

– Drafts Fact sheets, Newsletters, articles, news releases and updates press lines in coordination with the Communication/Prevention Manager.

– Oversees production of the delegation’s public communication materials. Develops and contributes to communication campaigns and tools to raise awareness about humanitarian issues.

– Regularly reviews the effectiveness and impact of ICRC public communication activities and oversees monitoring of key issues related to how the ICRC is perceived in traditional and social media.

– Builds the public communication capacity of the National Red Cross/Red Crescent Society and ensures smooth coordination on public communication with all components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, especially during crises and joint Movement response.

– Provides coaching and guidance on public communication to staff in field structures and other departments.

2) Digital and social media

– Generates, identifies, develops, edits and maintains engaging online content for the delegation social platforms (photo galleries, feature stories and news releases in collaboration with Regional COM Team. All content should follow the validation process between COM, concerned departments and management. S/he will support the day-to-day maintenance and the update of the ICRC website.

– Provides proven expertise in digital campaign management in order to promote a content and ensure relevant engagement.

OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (30%)

1) Strategies and networking

– Contributes to the development and implementation of the delegation’s operational communication and community engagement (CE) strategy.

– Help in identifying needs, setting up internal mechanisms and training tools for optimizing operational communication and CE efforts

– Develops and maintains regular contact with a network of interlocutors concerned by the files under his responsibility throughout the country (journalists, authorities, NGOs, associations etc.) to deepen the understanding of the context and to guarantee the smooth running of the ICRC activities in Rwanda and maintains an up-to-date mapping and contact list.

– Informs its hotline of its exchanges with its various contacts and draws up reports on relevant information and information concerning multilateral issues.

2) Perception and dissemination

– Contributes to the mapping and analysis of influential actors, to the analysis of the perception of the ICRC/Movement and to the identification of perception gaps

– Contributes to the identification of the knowledge needs of the Movement and of the ICRC’s mandate and the basic rules of IHL and IHRL of the interlocutors and priority target audiences

– Plans, organizes and leads operational dissemination sessions for key interlocutors and beneficiaries of ICRC action

– Coordinates the specific needs of the departments (PROTECTION, COOPERATION AND PREVENTION) in operational communication and integrates them optimally into the planning of its activities

– Supports the operational communication efforts of the Rwanda Red Cross and integrates their planning into its action plan in order to optimize communication resources and opportunities

PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION MATERIALS (20%)

– In charge of planning the production and consumption of communication material (AV, printed,) and the Field Production Book (FPB) of the delegation. Ensures compliance with the graphic charter and quality criteria of the institution.

– Contributes to identifying communication opportunities and developing appropriate media.

– Participates in writing and editing texts related to the ICRC and its activities for all the delegation’s communication tools.

– Places orders for communication support in Geneva (e-shop & AFA), Nairobi or Dakar in accordance with the needs of the delegation and the budget of the FPB.

– Updates the inventory and monitors the stock of publications and promotional material of the delegation. Ensures that departments receive their respective orders.

– Promotes communication materials within the delegation to ensure their distribution to ICRC interlocutors and beneficiaries

ENVIRONMENT SCANNING AND MEDIA NETWORKING (20%)

– Ensures daily monitoring and sharing of information produced by national and international media (print and broadcast press, social media, etc.).

– Closely follows and actively participates in the analysis of the evolution of the humanitarian, politico-military and socio-economic situation, shares the analysis within the delegation in order to guide the operational priorities and objectives of the delegation.

– Reports any events and changes in the region that may have an impact on ICRC activities.

– Collects and analyzes all relevant information to identify emerging actors and issues on the multilateral humanitarian scene.

– Follows up and regularly monitors the satisfaction of the recipients of monitoring products and, if necessary, proposes adjustments to the Communication and prevention Manager.

Minimum Qualifications

– University degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as communications, political science, international relations or journalism.

– Fluent spoken and written English and/or French and, when applicable, the local language(s).

– Computer skills (proficiency in MS Office); familiarity with digital communication tools

– Minimum 3 years’ work experience in a field relevant to communication and/or prevention (preferably with the ICRC).

– Experience in an ICRC operation an asset.

– IHL knowledge an asset.

– Sound knowledge of the political, social and media environment in the country/region covered.