Regional Communications Manager

Contract Type and Duration:     2 years renewable (depending on donor funding).

Background

Interpeace is an international organisation for peacebuilding that strengthens the ability of societies to manage conflict themselves in sustainable and non-violent ways. Interpeace designs and delivers its work tailored to each situation in partnership with local partners and communities, based on extensive consultation and research. Interpeace also ensures that the processes of conflict management and change that it supports are integrated at all levels of society including local communities, civil society, government and the international community (we call it a ‘Track 6’ approach).

Interpeace was originally established by the United Nations and remains its strategic partner. Beyond field-based peacebuilding, Interpeace also assists the international community – particularly the UN – to be more effective in supporting peacebuilding efforts worldwide. This includes contributing innovative thought leadership on peacebuilding policies and practices.

Interpeace’s mandate comprises the following two facets, in order of priority:

1. To strengthen the capacities of societies to manage conflict in non-violent, non-coercive ways by assisting national actors in their efforts to develop social and political cohesion.
2. To assist the international community (and in particular the United Nations) to play a more effective role in supporting peacebuilding efforts around the world.

Position within the Organisation

The Regional Communications Manager (RCM) is a member of the Global Communications team (GCT) within the Strategic Partnerships & Communications (SP&C) Unit. The RCM will report to the Global Communications Manager and work in close collaboration with the GCT. The RCM will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and will establish collaborative working relationships with Interpeace’s Regional Representative for Eastern & Central Africa, Country Representatives, and Country Teams.

Under the overall guidance of the Global Communications Manager, the RCM will be responsible for conceptualizing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating Interpeace’s communication strategy at the regional and country levels.

He/she has overall responsibility for designing, executing, and monitoring/evaluating the impact of communications plans, activities, and campaigns in support of Interpeace’s work in the region and in the country teams, as needed. This involves supporting Interpeace country teams in developing specific plans and actions for high profile or potentially sensitive projects, and providing support on risk management, crisis management, and proactive target audience engagement. He/she will engage with relevant external and internal stakeholders, as needed, with a focus on current events, public opinion, social or political issues, and other external or internal developments related to the Interpeace’s work. This includes leading teams to communicate strategically.

The RCM will directly supervise the Country Communications Officers (if and when recruited) in his/her region to undertake work planning, work assignment and monitoring of progress and is ultimately responsible for the provision of support to the country teams and their communications plans. The RCM will advise the management of the country teams on communication matters.

Purpose and General Overview

Communication is central to every organisation. When used effectively it supports the creation of a positive working environment, cement working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and sets the tone for the entire organisation. Good communication is more than a simple exchange of information and messages: it involves attitude and behaviour. The RCM is expected to own and lead the communication strategy, plans, flow and messages at the regional and country levels in close coordination with the GCT.

Therefore, the RCM will design, develop, implement and evaluate effective communications plans and actions to implement Interpeace’s Communications Strategy and support the programmes branding and messaging priorities, using the full range of modern communication tools, including social media and digital publishing.

The RCM will be instrumental in disseminating and socializing the global communications strategy and guidelines throughout his/her region. Through a deep understanding of the regional context and substantial sensitivities related to Interpeace programmatic engagement, the RCM ensures that institutional messages on all communication products and channels are conveyed adequately for optimal impact.

This position involves frequent travels throughout the region.

Responsibilities

The Regional Communications Manager will directly supervise the country communications officers (if and when recruited) and complete performance assessments as their first line manager.

The RCM will oversee, design, develop and or lead regional communications plans including communication material for campaigns, global appeals, reports, newsletters and website content of the country teams, including communication assessment and analysis, in close coordination with the Global Communications Team.

The RCM will take the lead on the development of new communications activities aimed at expanding Interpeace’s digital reach and engagement in the region. The RCM will build on Interpeace’s visual identity to produce key resources, including regular reports, ensuring they have high impact, raise the Interpeace profile and build our reach.

Develop and pre-test appropriate messages, tools and materials. This will include the development of: content and materials for different media/target audiences, infotainment scripts, TV/radio spots, illustrative leaflets, posters, and other materials. Subsequently, all messages, tools and materials will be pre-tested according to an agreed protocol in compliance with the overall communications strategy and country plans. The messages, tools and materials may need to be modified/ improved periodically based on review/ monitoring reports from the field and Geneva.

The responsibilities of the RCM will therefore include but not limited to;

Communications strategy

• Develop a sound understanding of the Interpeace’s global communication strategy; its vision, purpose and objectives.
• Facilitate the development of a communication plan for Interpeace’s country programmes to help achieve its objectives and in line with external stakeholders’ requirements (donors, national partners).
• Provide leadership and advice on strategic approaches to communicating programme activities of the country teams. Advice country teams on the effective use of tools of mass communication with an attempt to strive for convergence with other activities of country teams where appropriate, in the context of Interpeace’s strategic plan.
• Proactively manage external strategic communications for the region, in close collaboration and coordination with the GCT, and ensure that high quality, strategic communication plans are consistently implemented. This includes ensuring clarity, accuracy, relevance, and engaging narratives in all materials that the regional communications teams produce.
• Plan, develop, and implement effective communications actions to support the project(s) and initiative(s) branding and messaging priorities, using the full range of modern communication tools, including social media and digital publishing in compliance with the Interpeace strategic plan.

Content creation

• Ensures exchanges of information, experience, identifies new courses of action to ensure high quality support to improve Interpeace’s strategic communications.
• Oversee the regular development of content by country teams for newsletters, and prepare monthly alert messages to announce the monthly updating of the web site; edit and adapt file formats of photographs for web and social media use; adapt video and multimedia files to the required formats and upload to YouTube, when requested;
• Ensure compliance of all material to the standard style guide, ensuring high-quality and error-free outputs.

Events, media and public relations

• Provide support to the Country Offices and teams on media engagement. This includes the creation of a network with relevant national and international journalists and media.
• Liaise with national and regional media for press releases and events, establish media connections and aim to get maximum media attention for press releases, special events, press interviews either through broadcast or print media.
• Participates in meetings with authorities, donors, partners and project beneficiaries to capture and share lessons learned, stories, recommendations, etc.

Analysis and Monitoring and reporting

• Regularly track the web and social media statistics and prepare regional reports with the support of the Global Communications Manager and the GCT.
• Develops key performance indicators with the support of the Global Communications Manager to track the successful implementation of the country communication strategies.
• Provides leadership and oversight to several country teams to ensure compliance with set objectives through periodic meetings, individually and in groups.
• Monitors the overall planning and budget of the country communications plans, ensuring they are properly administered, and utilized. Prepares and submits timely progress/status reports for the Global Communications team.
• Effectively monitor and evaluate various communications tools and activities, to measure the impact on achieving the overall objective.

The RCM can be called upon to perform additional duties required for the effective running of the regional programme within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience. He/she will lead on all aspects of communications that relate to countries of coverage as assigned by Global Communications, and be flexible to work across other countries and regions, as needed, to ensure high performing country communications teams are in place.

Expected results

High quality, multi-purpose, impactful communications and media content produced; enhanced presence and visibility online of Interpeace regional presence and programmes;  increased number of local and international media at profile-raising events; improved efficiency and the increased output of the regional Country programme and the Global Communications team.

Qualifications

Education/ Experience

• Master’s degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations; International Relations or in a related field.
• Eight years progressively responsible professional work experience in communication, print and broadcast media, or interactive digital media,
• Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of regional political and peacebuilding challenges, and complex country contexts and narratives,
• Has excellent working knowledge of digital media, including social media platforms and processes
• Effectively counsels /coaches team members, in their delivery of messages to a variety of constituents, even on challenging topics.
• Fluent in French and English – Evidence of excellent verbal and written communication skills in both French and English producing materials for a wide range of different audiences including donors, journalists and the ‘general public’ – Ability to digest complex information, quickly, and express this crisply and clearly
• Strong IT skills, including sound analytical knowledge of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and other social media best practices;
• Highly organized/structured and able to manage multiple projects and understand and adjust

to changing priorities;

• Commitment to continuous learning. Keeps abreast of new developments in own profession,

actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; shows a willingness to learn from

others; seeks feedback to learn and improve

Success factors

• Strong commitment to supporting regional peacebuilding initiatives and to the values and working principles of Interpeace
• Excellent social and inter-cultural skills, outstanding communication skills to a variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds
• Creative team player with a commitment to inclusiveness and consensus building personality with tact and a high adaptation capacity
• Excellent supervision and motivational theoretical and practical knowledge to ensure project completion, meet deadlines and achieve results.

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Drive for results
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Respect for Diversity

How to apply

Qualified candidates are invited to submit their application to [email protected] no later than 28 March 2022. “Regional Communications Manager” MUST BE included in the subject line of the application email to be considered.

The application must include:

• a complete curriculum vitae
• a letter of interest
• an acknowledgment letter, answering the following questions:

1. Have you ever been criminally convicted or subject to any criminal or administrative penalty by any competent authority? If yes, please specify:
2. Have you ever been terminated or separated (e.g. contract termination, dismissal, non-renewal) or subject to any disciplinary measure or sanction by your employer for fraud, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse?
3. Have you ever resigned while under investigation or during disciplinary proceedings?

And confirming the following declaration of understanding:

I confirm the accuracy of the information provided, with the understanding that Interpeace will conduct reference checks to verify relevant information.

I understand that if any false or misleading information is provided in my application, or any material fact suppressed, I may not be employed, or if I am employed, I may be dismissed.

Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims to achieve gender equality both through gender parity at all levels of the organisation and the promotion of a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from women and men, and those with disabilities.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications, ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted.