Communications Director At The Syria Campaign

The Syria Campaign is recruiting a COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR to join our small team of 10 creative Syrian and international change-makers. We are looking for an ambitious, strategic, and creative leader who is deeply committed to supporting Syrian activists, humanitarians, and human rights defenders in the struggle for a free and democratic Syria.

This is a full-time, senior management position that reports to the Executive Director and can be done remotely, with European and Middle Eastern time zones preferred.

We are an equal opportunity and inclusive employer and encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply. We do not and will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, nationality or citizenship, gender expression or identity, religion, economic background, disability, or sexual orientation.

Deadline: Open until filled. We will conduct a first review of applications on June 21 and encourage you to apply before then.

About Us

The Syria Campaign is a small, fast-moving and powerful human rights organisation that is building new ways for digital and creative communications to have impact. We work to keep Syria in the international spotlight to increase the cost of attacks on civilians, help build the power of civil society partners inside and outside the country, advocate for a vision of real peace and justice, and build international solidarity with the Syrian people.

We’ve raised the profile of Syrian groups such as the White Helmets rescue workers, helping secure them millions of dollars to continue their life-saving work and making them famous around the world. We’ve supported Families for Freedom, a women-led movement of the families of the disappeared in Syria, to ensure their demands are heard. We work with dozens of partners across Syria who trust us deeply. You can read more about our impact here. https://thesyriacampaign.org/tsc-impact/

Ten years since the Syrian people took to the streets to demand freedom and democracy, there are still millions of civilians at risk of bombing, hundreds of thousands of people remain arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared, and there has been little accountability for the victims and survivors.

We have to fight hard to make sure the issues that matter to us and our partners get the focus and support they need. We refuse to let Syria disappear from the attention of the world and decision makers, and we will work until we see justice served. The Communications Director will lead our communications department, play a key role in shaping The Syria Campaign’s strategic direction, and inform audiences of our work.

Responsibilities

Strategy

• Developing and delivering communications strategies that deliver impact for our Syrian partners
• Adjusting and improving this strategy on an ongoing basis, based on the changing media and geopolitical landscape
• Writing and delivering traditional and digital media plans for specific communication products and campaigns
• Helping shape and deliver campaign strategies as part of the Senior leadership team
• Being absolutely determined to get Syrian voices heard — spotting media opportunities by the hour and making things happen

Relationships and role

• Playing an active, constructive and advisory role at all levels of the organisation including on the senior leadership team
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with senior print, broadcast, and online Journalists and editors
• Seeking opportunities for new partnerships and making them happen
• Optimising and refining our tools, systems and processes

Content

• Overseeing the production of (and where necessary stepping in to produce) media products including: press releases, op-eds, short reports, talking points, internal and external facing FAQs, plus organising media briefings and press conferences
• Developing and commissioning bespoke content: graphics, online video, infographics etc
• Supporting partners to create content
• Providing guidance and ideas for campaign concepts, messages and strategy as

Management

• Line managing media and communications officers
• Providing media training and advice to TSC staff and partners Mentoring TSC team members
• Inputting into the organisational strategy and vision and supporting on team-related tasks
• as needed, for eg. recruitment, training etc.
• Contributing to building a collaborative, supportive and happy team culture

Qualifications

We’re looking for a creative, smart, communications strategist able to think of new ways to bring the stories of Syria to an audience around the world. This is a challenging role that requires creativity, flexibility, good judgement, initiative, and an ability to deliver results.

The core competencies which any successful candidate will display are:

• At least eight years’ experience in campaigning or communications, including at least two years in a senior management position
• Strong experience pitching to editors and reporters, collaborating with media to tell stories, and building relationships with international media
• Proven track record developing and overseeing communication strategies across digital and traditional media platforms
• Experience in crisis communications, nonprofit, or international human rights [desirable]
• Professionalism, efficiency, and results-oriented delivery on short timelines
• Understanding of how civic advocacy and public campaigning function
• Strong teamwork skills, comfortable in a highly collaborative team culture
• Experience managing staff
• Strong English writing and speaking skills
• Commitment to a free and democratic future for Syria, and global justice and human rights more broadly
• High-quality written and verbal Arabic [desirable but not required]
• Experience working remotely [desirable but not required]

The Deal

The Syria Campaign is committed to making sure everyone on the team is happy, productive and motivated. Here’s how we do that:

Salary is competitive and in line with international organisations.

The job is remote and can be done anywhere, preferably in European or Middle Eastern time zones. We have team members in Germany, the US, the UK, Morocco, and Canada and provide you with a space in a co-working office wherever you are based.

We have full staff retreats every year to keep us connected, and are currently operating under COVID-19 protocols with fully remote workspaces to support the health and wellbeing of our team. You will be supported to set up a home office accordingly, as preferred.

We provide budget, time, and support for your professional development.

We give 25 days of leave a year, public holidays, and a discretionary break over the end-of-year holidays. We offer family-friendly parental leave policies.