Media Advocacy and Communications Manager

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Country Director

Staff reporting to this post: 1 Communications and Digital Training Officer and 1 Communications Research Assistant.

Budget Responsibilities: up to $50,000

Media and Communications

- Proactively develop a high profile for Save the Children in Lebanon (within Lebanon and beyond) through the production of high quality, well researched, and well written products (in a variety of mediums) reflective of the dual mandate portfolio, responding quickly and appropriately to external requests for information.

- Maintain Save the Children’s external profile in social media platforms and website.

- Liaise with local media and facilitate international and local media & celebrity visits, to highlight the needs in Lebanon, showcase Save the Children’s work and our key messages.

- Develop and deliver a clear and effective system for internal communications including the dissemination of situation reports, newsletters and other documents and publications for internal stakeholders.

- Ensure that the branding and communication guidelines of Save the Children are uniformly and consistently followed across the Lebanon Country Office.

- Liaise and maintain contact with Save the Children members and Regional Office to ensure Lebanon Country Programme’s work is well represented.

- Support members of the team with a wide range of campaign activities, including key global campaign and advocacy moments.

- Lead on child-participatory national campaigns calling for better attainment of rights for children in Lebanon.

Advocacy

- Lead the implementation of the advocacy strategy for the Lebanon Country Office, in collaboration with the Programme Development & Quality Team.

- Support programme leadership to articulate their top priority advocacy objectives in line with the Country Strategic Plan.

- Identify key opportunities and events for Save the Children Lebanon to position itself as the leading organisation for children’s issues in Lebanon.

- Keep abreast of contextual changes in Lebanon especially those that affect the rights of children, to ensure Save the Children amplifies the voice of children at appropriate moments.

- Ensure that Save the Children receives national recognition for achieving proven and innovative national impact from well-managed child development programs and emergency response.

- Play a key role in the development of policy briefs and position papers that articulate Save the children’s advocacy messages.

- Be an active member of the Advocacy Working Group within the Lebanon Humanitarian INGO Forum initiating and supporting materials to achieve common advocacy goals.

- Work closely with the Regional Media Advocacy and Communications team in delivering materials, formulating policies, providing regular taking points, briefings and updates and helping to plan and support SCI representation at major national and international events.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Media, Communications and Advocacy

- Ensure appropriate staffing within Media, Communications and Advocacy Department.

- Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role.

- Manage Media, Communications and Advocacy team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.

- Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process.  

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES:

- Minimum of 5-7 years management experience in a media or an NGO environment, with experience in successfully leading the development and implementation of communication and campaign strategies for an international humanitarian organisation in Lebanon

- Proven experience working in advocacy

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Arabic

- Previous experience working with national or international media, ideally in a similar strategic role

- Experience managing teams and working under pressure and to tight deadlines, such as in a busy press office or media outlet

- Experience of leading communication activities (including information management) in a challenging environment

- Excellent IT and Social Media skills and understanding of how it can be used to further our work

- Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.

- Familiarity with child protection and safeguarding issues, including experience with vulnerable populations

- Creativity and good eye for a story

- An initiative-taking, proactive, inspiring attitude with the ability to manage and prioritise an unpredictable workload and solve problems quickly with limited support

- Strong influencing skills

- Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy

- The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.

- Demonstrable track record of leading change which has led to significant results for the organisation and their stakeholders

- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching

- Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures

- Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of Save the Children's mandate and child focus

Equal Opportunities: The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures

Additional job responsibilities: The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the Post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience