Senior Communications Officer

Senior Communications Officer

Ending extreme poverty – whatever it takes

Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries. Our mission is to transform the lives of people living in extreme poverty. We work with 25 million people each year, in some of the hardest to reach and most fragile places, places prone to conflict, natural disasters, climate change and extreme hunger. When an emergency strikes, we are among the first on the ground. We use our voice to bring the stories of extreme poverty to world leaders. Our mission doesn’t stop until extreme poverty does.

Position: Senior Communications Officer
Location: Battersea, London
Job type: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £36,572 (salary band 5A)

Closing date: 7th October 2019
Interviews to be held: 17th and 18th October 2019.

About the role:

The Senior Communications Officer will play a key role in driving awareness and understanding of Concern Worldwide (UK)’s work, and the issues we work on, with our target audiences.

Working closely with the Director of Communications this is a key post in developing Concern’s communications capacity and meeting its communications and fundraising objectives through the shaping and delivery of strategy and operational plans.

Responsibilities:

- Proactively assist in the development and delivery of the Concern (UK) communications strategy and operational plans.
- Deputise for Director of Communications when necessary, taking responsibility for the communications function in their absence, including staff management.
- Provide support and cover, as required, to the Senior Communications Officer (Belfast), sharing responsibility for planning and chairing cross-regional meetings.
- Write, edit and proof read materials to ensure consistency and compliance with Concern’s brand, values, key messages and style guidelines.
- Maintain and commission communications materials including leaflets, brochures, banners and other branded products.
- Research and proactively find stories that will be of interest to our audiences e.g. using social listening tools.
- Write high quality, compelling copy in a range of styles including for social media, websites and press releases.
- Work with external photographers, filmmakers and designers to commission and produce content including graphics and video.
- Work with the Senior Digital Communications Officer to plan, commission and produce website content.
- Help maintain social media accounts, including writing, editing and proofing copy, scheduling posts and monitoring channels.
- Manage public relations activities for key campaigns e.g. the Ration Challenge, Aid Match appeals.
- Respond to media enquiries and opportunities as they arise to provide a timely and accurate service to media contacts.
- Negotiate, set-up and provide briefings for media interviews with Concern spokespeople.
- Lead on the analysis and evaluation of media coverage.

About you:

- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Minimum 4 years work experience in a communications role.
- Excellent written and verbal skills with the ability to adapt and appeal to various audiences.
- Proven ability and confidence to communicate, influence and negotiate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the media with a track record of effective targeting and achievement.
- Confident self-starter, enthusiastic, highly motivated, creative, with excellent planning and organisational skills.
- Ability to work as part of a team and to lead team initiatives with other staff, but also comfortable working on own.
- General IT skills, with the ability to produce professional resources and presentations.
- Readiness to travel if required.

Desirable:

- Experience of working in international development.
- Experience of managing social media accounts.
- Journalistic skills.
- Interest in and understanding of the key issues in development, and of the target groups with whom Concern Worldwide engages.
- Experience of campaigning activity.
- Experience in the use of print design and video editing software packages.

You may have experience of the following: Communications Manager, Senior Communications Executive, Marcoms, Digital Communications, Press Office, Corporate Affairs, Press Officer, PR, Public Relations, etc.

Ref: 89088