Job Advert: Regional Media and Communications Coordinator

JOB PROFILE

Regional Media and Communications Coordinator

Oxfam in West Africa is recruiting for an exciting Regional Media and Communications Coordinator position in Dakar.

This is a Global open-ended post, Level C1 with a starting salary of £25,094 net per annum. This position is accompanied + £4,000 annual cost of living allowance (variable each year), with other attractive benefits.

OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to overcome poverty and suffering.

TEAM PURPOSE: To develop and deliver effective campaigns and advocacy work with partners in West Africa in order to achieve impact and improvement in the lives of people in West Africa on the issues of trade, agriculture, food security, climate change, health and education.

JOB PURPOSE: To manage the delivery of high quality media coverage of Oxfam's advocacy, campaigns, development and humanitarian work in West Africa in order to influence decision-makers and supporters, and to oversee strategies to improve broader internal and external communications relating to the full range of Oxfam's work in West Africa

REPORTING LINES:
Postholder reports to: Direct-line management by Oxfam GB's Regional Campaigns and Policy Manager. Part of the Oxfam GB Regional Campaigns and Policy Team.

Staff reporting to this post: Regional Information and Communications Officer.

BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY: Will manage limited activity-based budgets.

DIMENSIONS

• Expert knowledge and networking with traditional and interactive media contacts and environment in the region and globally
• Significant representation of Oxfam to the media and other external audiences, requiring an understanding of how to manage our reputation. Decisions made could have a major impact on public image
• Represents the organization both in developing relationships with key media contacts and in media interviews
• Works independently and proactively, taking initiative and making decisions and problem solving on routine, new and complex issues, which are often unpredictable in type, content and circumstances, often to extremely tight deadlines
• Develop and implement work plans and objectives to deliver media strategies and build capacity regionally
• High levels of creativity and innovative problem solving
• Apply knowledge of internal and external environment to complex media issues
• Making strategic and informed decisions, based on technical expertise, consultation with colleagues and allies, political analysis and strong problem-solving skills
• Analysis, interpretation, production and communication of complex information
• Management of complex internal relationships, including with Oxfam International programme staff, regional and global advocacy staff, and advocacy colleagues within Oxfam International.
• Develop strategic media plans in co-ordination with multiple internal stakeholders to ensure an integrated approach to communications.
• Line management of one member of staff, and oversight and leadership of strategies to improve Oxfam's external and internal communications across the region.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Deliver media coverage for Oxfam and partners

• Identify, develop and maintain excellent relationships with key international, regional and national journalists and broadcasters from both traditional and interactive media, based in Dakar and other media hubs in the region
• Develop and deliver media coverage of Oxfam and its partners advocacy and campaigns work in order to increase the influence and ensure impact of our own advocacy work
• Develop and deliver media coverage of Oxfam and its partners development and humanitarian (including in emergencies) work in order to demonstrate impact to our supporters, partners and institutional funders and motivate our staff
• Proactively look for stories suitable for media coverage from our work at country level, working with country teams and the Regional Programme Communications Officer (RPCO) to gather and publicise good stories from countries, and identifying uses for these stories elsewhere in Oxfam
• Be the primary point of contact for all queries from local, regional and international media in the region, proactively arranging, facilitating and accompanying journalist visits in the region as well as managing negative stories about Oxfam in the region
• Build strong collaborative relationships with other Oxfam International affiliate offices, other Regional Media Officers and the global media unit based in Oxford and take lead responsibility for delivering media coverage of relevant international campaigns and advocacy materials in the region
• Monitor, evaluate and draw conclusions from all media coverage generated both directly and indirectly, making and implementing recommendations for improved impact.

2. Programme support to deliver media coverage

• Work with Country Directors, Advocacy Officers and partners, as well as Campaign Managers, to develop and deliver media strategies to increase the impact of country programmes, the work of partner organisations and regional campaigns
• Work with Oxfam's partners to accompany them in getting media coverage for their advocacy and programme work, where relevant facilitating media training
• Support and work alongside Country Directors, advocacy and programme staff in country to build and maintain excellent relationships with national journalists and broadcasters
• Work with country programmes to build media thinking in to all programme activities, identifying and generating regular, high quality media and communication stories and materials both to support media coverage and for internal and external communications (working with the RPCO)
• Be a spokesperson for Oxfam and manage interviews with other spokespeople in the region, providing media training, coaching and support to all staff who may be expected to represent Oxfam in the media
Manage the development and implementation of Oxfam's external and internal communications in West Africa
• Working with the RICO, lead the development of regional strategies to improve internal and external communications, including cross-programme and cross-country learning.
• Working with the RICO, master and promote innovative communications tools, including the use of digital media.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCE

E) - Essential, (D) - Desirable

• Considerable experience of working in the media or in the public relations / communications fields at international or regional level (E), with specific experience of West Africa (D), demonstrated by a track record of success and achievement in media or communications work (E)
• A drive to achieve results; a high level of personal energy and pro-activity, demonstrated by concrete examples of achievement and initiative taken in previous roles (E)
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including fluency in both English and French and the ability to communicate complicated issues in a clear way, often to short deadlines (E)
• Experience and/or knowledge of working with 'new' (interactive) media (E)
• Demonstrable commitment and knowledge of Oxfam's vision and aims (E)
• An understanding (E) and experience (D) of how to use media, communications, public campaigning and alliance-building to influence a political agenda (E)
• Sound political judgment and sensitivity and knowledge of political and development issues facing Africa (E) and specific to West Africa (D)
• Excellent inter-personal, negotiation and networking confidence and skills and ability to influence others, internally and externally (E)
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, including ability to find, absorb and prioritise information from many different sources, and proven experience of strategy development (E)
• Ability to work in multi-national, multi-cultural teams and to develop good, effective and collaborative relationships (E)
• Ability to capacity build and develop others through experience of training and accompaniment in media or communications (D)
• Knowledge and experience of working with African or West African national or regional campaign networks working on development financing, education, health, agriculture or trade policy (D)
• Experience of using a variety of communications tools to enhance internal and external communications for an organisation, including to improve knowledge management across a diverse international organisation (D).

We are committed to ensure gender equality and diversity within our organization, women and underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply

HOW TO APPLY

To find out more about this role and to apply, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote ref: INT5972

Closing date: 19th February 2013

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