Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Closing date: 16 Oct 2015
JOB DESCRIPTION
Position:Media Manager
Reports to:Head of Communications
Location: London
Salary: Circa £40,000
Hours: 37.5 hours
BACKGROUND
Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.
The International Rescue Committee UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its headquarters in New York and London. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 22 regional offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient.
The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.
IRC-UK
Our European headquarters, IRC-UK, were established in London in 1997 to support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with European policy-makers on behalf of the people we serve. Since its establishment IRC-UK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high quality project management, technical expertise in governance and rights and economic recovery, and innovative thinking on early recovery and gender based violence. The IRC also has offices in Brussels and Geneva.
IRC-UK comprises approximately 70 staff across five departments.
The Policy & Practice UK Department
Policy & Practice is a dynamic team combining our communications, policy and advocacy, and technical unit expertise in Europe. Its core purpose is to raise and develop the IRC as a thought leader in Europe and drive transformational change in the humanitarian sector, and specifically to dramatically increase the productivity of humanitarian aid and its ability to achieve outcomes for people living in and displaced by conflict and crisis.
Purpose of the Role
Reporting to the Press and PR Manager, the Media Officer will help increase the profile of IRC in Europe by acting as press contact and media liaison as well as generating effective media coverage as part of the global media team.
Scope and Authority
Authority:
Role holder has no direct budget to manage but has authority to brief journalists with agreed IRC messaging, as well as proactively pursue media opportunities.
Responsibility for Resources:
Ensure media coverage spreadsheet is kept up to date
Update media contacts database
Key Working Relationships
- Reports to the Press and PR Manager
- Works closely with Communications staff in UK and NY
- Works closely with Policy & Practice and Revenue colleagues in UK office
- Works closely with key country directors, field staff and technical unit colleagues
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Generating coverage (70%)
- Pro-actively explore opportunities to promote the IRC work and liaise with the global media team supporting international press work.
- Respond to journalist enquiries and requests in a timely manner to meet external deadlines.
- Write, edit and disseminate press-releases, op-eds, statements and other content for sign off and work alongside advocacy and country office staff to develop appropriate messaging and respond to media approaches and queries, providing background information, arranging interviews and facilitating media visits.
- Identify and build relationships with key journalists IRC works with and media covering issues relevant to IRC and establish a range of outlets for IRC materials, messages and spokespeople including: print, broadcast, online and social media.
- Expand and develop IRC’s social media presence and work closely with the team to ensure coordinated and topical content and to develop engaging messages and information about the IRC’s work around the world.
- Support and prepare spokespeople and board members for media interviews and visits across the organisation to dealing with media.
Administrative support(30%)
- Lead on creation and distribution of week internal IRC-UK newsletter
- Ensure that colleagues across UK departments are alerted to important news items, opportunities and media coverage.
- Record and share media coverage with IRC-UK and global communications team.
- Support the Press and PR Manager in building press lists.
- Develop and maintain a good level of knowledge of current and potential issues in the humanitarian NGO sector via research and monitoring of national media and competitors and in liaison with global colleagues.
- Liaise with press office counterparts within statutory donor organizations, such as ECHO and DFID, as required.
- Provide support to the Policy & Practice team as required.
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PERSON SPECIFICATION**
Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications
- Strong contacts with the key national media, and knowledge and ability to build up and develop media relationships quickly.
- Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills: adept at writing clean, engaging copy for a range of channels, while meeting tight deadlines.
- Strong interview skills to create case studies of beneficiaries and colleagues.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish good working relationships with colleagues in the UK and overseas.
- Good organisational and time management skills and the ability to work to deadlines, prioritise and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
- Flexibility as regards working hours
- Proactive approach to problem solving to meet journalist and organistational demands.
- Good understanding of international affairs, particularly of conflict and complex humanitarian crises and issues.
Experience
- Proven experience of working in a media or communications role.
- Experience/knowledge of online and other tools for monitoring media coverage.
- Experience of proactively using social media channels as a PR tool and to engage with the media and secure press coverage.
Desirable
- Knowledge of key debates in the UK around international development and aid.
- Experience of dealing with media enquiries on sensitive issues.
- Experience of organising international media visits to visit projects and report on key issues.
- Experience of conducting media relations and communications opportunities in developing countries
- Working knowledge of French.
- Strong photography skills.
- Experience of editing audio and visual materials.
How to apply:
To Apply
To apply, please send your CV (two page max) and cover letter (two page max) outlining the reasons for your interest in the post and why you believe yourself to be suitable.
Please send to: applications@rescue-uk.org
The closing date is: 10am Friday 16th October 2015
In order to minimise administrative costs, IRC-UK will only contact short-listed candidates.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
IRC-UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.