Speechwriter and Governance Officer - Secretary-General's Office

Context

International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization with 34 Member States with the mission to advance sustainable democracy worldwide. The Secretary-General, appointed by the Member States, leads the organization and all its operations.

The Secretary-General’s Office is supporting the Secretary-General in the implementation of his/her mandate and the overall management of the Institute including strategic leadership, institutional development and internal management, external relations and partnership building, Member States interactions and support, communication, outreach and resource mobilization.

The Secretary-General’s Office also coordinates the activities of the Board of Advisers and supports the governing bodies of the Institute, e.g. the Council of Member States, the Steering Committee and other ad hoc working groups to fulfil their mandate. When relevant, the Secretary-General’s Office also leads institute-wide projects and events, by coordinating activities with internal and external stakeholders, Member States, partners and the media.

The work of the Secretary-General’s Office is coordinated by the Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General, based on the strategic priorities set by the Secretary-General and International IDEA’s Institutional Strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Speech writing and strategic communication

• Supports the Chief of Staff in drafting and editing a wide range of materials for the Secretary-General, including speeches, remarks, op-ed articles, video messages, talking points, press statements, and web articles for internal and external meetings, events and activities;

• Consults with the Secretary-General and the Chief of Staff on both the form and content of speeches and other materials, in line with the Secretary-General’s vision and the Institute’s strategy and mission;

• Liaises with other SGO colleagues and teams, as well as external partners to produce speeches and other materials that are persuasive, politically relevant and factually accurate;

• Reviews and edits draft texts produced by the Secretary-General’s Office to ensure accuracy, clarity, and effectiveness.

Member States relations and partnership building

• Coordinates the timely preparation of information packages ahead of the Secretary-General’s missions to International IDEA’s Member States and other relevant locations, accompanies the Secretary-General on missions on occasion;

• In collaboration with the Chief of Staff and the Senior External Relations Officer, ensures the development of background notes, speaking points and key messages for meetings and events, highlighting collaboration and resource mobilization opportunities, International IDEA’s value proposition and context-specific circumstances.

• Analyses Member State policies and priorities ahead of the Secretary-General’s missions and updates donor profiles as requested, follows up and documents action points from meetings and missions as requested;

• Supports the preparation of documents, reports and speaking notes for the meetings of the Council of Member States, Steering Committee and other committees/groups as established by the Council and helps to coordinate these meetings as requested;

• Monitors contacts initiated by the Secretary-General and advises on their appropriate follow-up, as well as communication received by the Secretary-General´s Office, including coordinating the Secretary-General’s correspondence;

• Provides advice as needed to the governance of International IDEA and relations with Member States.

Project coordination/events management

• In collaboration with the Chief of Staff, coordinates institutional projects and events as requested, from inception to evaluation;

• Develops or drafts concept notes, background notes, planning documents, invitations and agendas, coordinates working groups and activities related to the planning, preparations and quality assurance of events organized by International IDEA,

• Liaises with colleagues, peer organizations and Member States to ensure adequate collaboration and information sharing;

• Works closely with the Communication and IT team to ensure timely and relevant messaging and flawless outcome of the event;

• Support the Chief of Staff in the coordination and input provided to special projects and assignments led by the Secretary-General’s Office;

General Profile

• Excellent writing and analytical skills;
• Proven professional experience in strategic communications, drafting and editing high-level speeches and material;
• Excellent coordination skills; keeping track of preparations for different governance meetings and events;
• Ability to take initiative and think creatively
• Outstanding organizational skills and high levels of efficiency
• Ability to set priorities and work under tight timelines;
• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;
• Acts in accordance with International IDEA’s core values; Respect, Integrity and Professionalism;
• Integrates a gender and diversity perspective in all activities.

Communication and Interpersonal skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; proven ability to write clearly and succinctly with professional fluency;
• Proven ability to develop and design professional slide decks and presentations;
• Proven ability to translate complex technical information into accessible language;
• Strong social and interpersonal skills, illustrates integrity, a collaborative spirit, a sense of achievement, and an understanding of risk management;
• Inclusive work-style and communication with all internal and external stakeholders involved in his/her projects;
• Acts in all assignments with personal energy and engagement;
• Fluency in written and oral English is required: Knowledge of any other language from an International IDEA priority region (French, Spanish, Arabic) would be an asset.

Thematic Knowledge

• Has proven knowledge of democracy related issues, including important democratic developments, challenges, and opportunities,
• Has experience working with democracy-related matters and is able to contextualize developments and events.

Education and Experience

• University degree (Masters level) in political science or social sciences;

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience drafting and editing high-level speeches, op-ed articles, video messages, talking points, press statements, and web articles;

• Experience working within the field of democracy assistance or democratic governance;

• Experience with project management and coordination, and event management,  including internal and external communication;

• Experience working in an international setting and relating to governance issues will be considered an asset;

• Extensive experience of working with senior policymakers, Member States’ representatives

• Experience working in intergovernmental organizations or international NGOs working with senior leadership will be considered an asset.

Terms of Contract

• International Post
• Two (2) years fixed-term appointment
• Competitive salary plus benefits

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted no later than 23:59 (CET) 13 February 2022.
• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

International IDEA is an equal opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality