Communications Coordinator At International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies

Job Purpose

The Communication Coordinator will lead all aspects of IFRC Turkey Delegation strategic communications, including the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN). He/she will work closely with the IFRC Regional Office for Europe in Budapest and with IFRC headquarters in Geneva to successfully deliver multi-faceted communication plans, including managing an ambitious “Above Standard Visibility Plan” with IFRC’s main donor, ECHO. This includes overseeing creative content and publications, high-level visits and public events, media engagement and an annual EU and Turkey-wide digital awareness campaign. The Communications Coordinator, as a senior member of the IFRC Delegation in Ankara, will provide strategic guidance to the senior management team and the Head of Delegation.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The Communications Coordinator is responsible for:

1. Oversees and leads the successful implementation of IFRC’s communication strategy and committed Above Standard Visibility Plan under the ESSN, managing a team of three and budget.
2. Oversees and manages relationships with key stakeholders involved in the delivery of communication plans, including creative and media agencies.
3. Provides strategic guidance and support on communications issues and priorities as well as humanitarian issues in Turkey to IFRC management in Ankara, Budapest and Geneva.
4. Ensures strong visibility in local and international media. Serves as chief media spokesperson for IFRC in Turkey. Ensures consistent and positive media coverage and organises media visits to the field. Maintains up-to-date key messages and reactive lines.
5. Ensured the successful implementation of an EU-focused advocacy campaign. In line with IFRC procedures, selects a creative agency to work on the campaign, and leads the development of the overall creative concept for the campaign, in cooperation with IFRC Budapest and Geneva.
6. Leads the team in producing innovative and engaging content for a variety of public platforms and channels and ensures content is proactively coordinated and shared with IFRC counterparts, National Societies and Red Cross EU for wider distribution among the Red Cross/Red Crescent network.
7. Manages reputational issues through monitoring, advising on and responding to local developments and issues with reputational consequences, in line with IFRC Standard Operating Procedures.
8. Strengthens and coordinates with the Turkish Red Crescent Society’s through strategic communications advice and support in and out of emergencies/disasters as well as through the ESSN. Provide opportunities for learning, coaching, skills transfer, mentoring and facilitation of peer-to-peer exchanges.
9. Works closely with Humanitarian Diplomacy and other key units in positioning key humanitarian issues with decision-makers and other key stakeholders both in Turkey and internationally.
10. Provide opportunities and platforms for voices of the people we help to be at the centre of all communication approaches (including storytelling, media, events, forums, international days, etc). This includes supporting and amplifying the storytelling project piloted with IFRC and TRC.
11. Coach, support and provide learning and development opportunities for the IFRC Turkey communications team, who lead key communication areas/priorities (advocacy and Learning, audio visual, social media).
12. Explore opportunities for the Red Cross and Red Crescent as well as the wider humanitarian sector to learn from communication approaches done by IFRC Turkey and Turkish Red Crescent, including awards, case studies, presentations and models that could be replicated in other contexts (including storytelling project, previous digital awareness campaigns).

Education

Required

• Bachelors’ degree in design, journalism, communications, marketing or international relations

Preferred

• Masters’ degree in a related field

Experience

Required

• At least 10 years’ experience in communications, advocacy, campaigns, media and public relations or other relevant fields
• Experience managing teams and large projects
• Ability to independently deliver a range of compelling communications content from the field including news stories, social media content and AV materials.
• Experience working in an international humanitarian, public health, international development or related field.
• Proven experience of developing and executing crisis communications plans and planning for, responding to and mitigating reputational risk
• Experience working in migration-related crises

Preferred

• Experience working on donor communications/visibility requirements
• Red Cross and Red Crescent experience
• Experience working in the Turkey context

Knowledge, Skills and Language

Knowledge and Skills

Required

• Knowledge of humanitarian affairs
• Excellent English writing skills including proven experience in drafting compelling communications content for a variety of communications channels and for diverse audiences
• Excellent English writing skills
• Demonstrated understanding and use of social media for communications and advocacy purposes
• Comfortable working and communicating with number of National Societies in a diverse environment
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure
• Analytical skills

Language

Required

• Fluently spoken and written English

Preferred

• Fluently spoken and written Turkish
• Fluently spoken and written Arabic

Competencies and Values

• Communication
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Judgement and decision making
• National Society and customer relations
• Creativity and innovation
• Building trust