Chief of Communications (internationally recruited)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The Department of External Relations and Partnerships is responsible for the planning, coordination, and implementation of IDLO’s external relations agenda, communications and partnerships building through strategies and activities to promote, protect and enhance IDLO’s mission and brand.

The Department actively promotes and advocates for IDLO’s strategic priorities with governments, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, academia, and other potential partners at national, regional, and international levels.  It collaborates with all entities within IDLO to promote the Organization’s policy advocacy priorities. It supports IDLO’s program and program development teams and country offices to ensure that communications, partnership engagements, resource mobilization and other outreach activities are coherent and integrated in IDLO’s activities around the world. It builds and maintains innovative and productive partnerships, ensures best practices in communication and resource mobilization, and supports the governance mechanisms of the Organization.

THE POSITION

Working under the supervision of the Director of External Relations and Partnerships, the Chief of Communications is responsible for the following activities:

 1.      Communications Strategy:

•  Develop and implement an organizational communications strategy, aligned with overall IDLO Partnerships Strategy.
• Execute innovative communication and stakeholder outreach, monitor progress, assess results/impact and ensure that IDLO communications are effectively delivered, and that outreach activities are successfully implemented.
• Guide IDLO’s overall communications approach, including on digital platforms, to ensure quality, accuracy of messaging, functionality, storytelling appeal, and engagement with different target audiences, tracking trends and identifying effective approaches.
• Oversee communication activities, including media relations, digital and publications, to raise the organization’s profile and highlight its achievements through innovative as well as traditional approaches and a robust stakeholder engagement strategy.
• Lead and coordinate a media strategy, ensuring advice and support to IDLO offices on handling media queries, developing regular contact with target media, fostering constructive media relations and appropriate and timely response to media requests.
• Anticipate and manage reputational risk and crisis in a timely and effective manner, providing support and guidance to other Departments and field offices as appropriate.

 2.     Content Generation

• Lead and coordinate the timely development and dissemination of IDLO’s Annual Report.
• Uphold editorial integrity through effective commissioning and approval processes for all external publications and materials, including media outputs, digital/multimedia content, e‐newsletters, leaflets, factsheets and reports, and implement the communications governance plan, including production protocols and other relevant policy and style guidelines;
• Develop sub-strategies and plans for web content, mailings, traditional and social media, outlining video and multimedia outputs, web stories, newsletters, press releases, leaflets, factsheets, infographic and reports.
• Oversee the finalization, launch and dissemination of all knowledge products, ensuring alignment with institutional standards for content, branding and external strategic value
• Oversee management of platforms, tools and subscription services, including website, contact database and others.

 3.     Advocacy and Outreach:

• Working closely with the Strategy and Policy Planning Unit, the Department of Research and Learning, IDLO’s UN Liaison Offices and relevant colleagues globally, ensure that communications strategies are effectively tailored to the needs of different stakeholders.
• Provide communications support and guidance on advocacy activities in Rome, New York, Geneva, The Hague and country offices to engage and influence key stakeholders, raise IDLO’s visibility and enhance its profile including joint communications initiatives and event support.
• Represent the Organization, as required, in conferences and public events, and carry out public speaking engagements to promote IDLO vision, missions, goals and objectives.
• Design and oversee the implementation of a communications/outreach strategy with IDLO’s networks and stakeholder groups, including IDLO’s “alumni” groups and civil society partners.

 4.    Creating a culture of Communications

• Develop and implement tools and processes to promote internal communication within the organization.
• Liaise with other departments to ensure that communication and outreach strategies are integrated effectively into all aspects of IDLO’s programs, from the design and proposal stage to project implementation.
• Working closely with the Office of the General Counsel, ensure protection of IDLO’s intellectual property and compliance with legal standards and policies.
• Maintain and update IDLO’s internal guidelines on branding, content, social media and visual media.

 5.    Management:

• Contribute to the design and delivery of IDLO’s Strategic and Management Plans.
• Effectively lead staff by providing clear direction, managing performance through regular dialogue, feedback, and mentoring; motivate and support staff by fostering teamwork; address possible conflicts in a positive and constructive manner; encourage initiative and maintain effective working relationships within a multi-cultural setting.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred, in Communications, Public Relations, Business, International Relations, Public Policy or another field relevant directly to the work of IDLO.
• A minimum of 12 years of substantive experience of working at senior level in an International Organization within strategic communications, media relations, digital and social communications, and/or campaigns and marketing.
• Substantial experience of leading teams, managing and developing staff and holding budgetary authority.
• Experience of crisis management.
• Experience of creating and executing communications strategies and/or plans.
• Demonstrable experience of building and executing communications campaigns, with measurable results.
• Experience of external commissioning and working with creative agencies in the creation of platforms and/or publication of content, digital and social.

 Languages

• Full professional competence of written and verbal communication skills in English is required.
• Knowledge of other languages, French in particular is highly desirable.

Specific knowledge, skills and behavioral competencies

• Excellent written, verbal and visual communications skills are required. The ability to breakdown key arguments and distill complex messages and present them in a clear and creative manner to multiple audiences including partners, donors and other stakeholders as well as the public.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritise and meet multiple project deadlines simultaneously.
• Highly effective influencing and relationship building skills at all levels across diverse and remote groups of stakeholders as well as face to face.
• Developed understanding of digital and social platforms and the ability to maintain knowledge of latest developments.
• Extensive professional network of print, digital, social and broadcast outlets and networks.
• Knowledge of rule of law and international development an advantage. 
• Flexible and entrepreneurial, with a willingness and ability to use initiative to assist the Organization to achieve its objectives. 
• Experience of working with senior executives. 
• Proficient in utilizing standard information and communications technology, including Microsoft Office and related software.
• Keen sense of ethics, integrity and commitment to IDLO's values and mandate. 
• Able and willing to travel to field operations, including in post-conflict countries.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

For this internationally professional recruited position, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate a Fixed Term Contract of 24 months, with possibility of extension subject to performance and availability of funding.

IDLO shall also offer a yearly basic salary of EUR 85,000 and a benefits package including provident fund contribution, medical insurance, leave entitlements in accordance with IDLO Employee Regulations and Rules. Relocation and installation support are also available for internationally recruited employees.

Salaries and benefits paid by IDLO to employees are exempt from taxation in Italy.  IDLO employees are responsible for compliance with income tax laws of their country of nationality or residence and/or of any other relevant fiscal jurisdiction.

DISCLAIMER 

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome and encourage diverse applications.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Contractor assigned to this work. This may not be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities.

The Director-General of IDLO reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities or even to cancel the recruitment to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.