Communications Consultant

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ALERT

International Alert (‘Alert’) is one of the world's leading peacebuilding NGOs, with 30 years of experience in addressing violent conflict globally. Alert’s vision is for a world where people resolve their differences without violence and can build a more peaceful future for their families and communities. Alert’s mission is to build a more peaceful world by (1) working with people directly affected by conflict to find peaceful solutions, (2) shaping international policies and practices to support peace, and (3) collaborating with all those striving for peace globally to strengthen our voice and impact.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of this consultancy is to provide expert communications support to the Alert Lebanon team for the below-mentioned projects and to coordinate with relevant team members and partners and Alert HQ the communications activities and production of communications and visibility items

ABOUT THE PROJECTS

International Alert (hereafter ‘Alert’) is implementing dialogue and research projects in Lebanon, with intended communications outputs.

Creating Spaces for Women Peacebuilders Project

Alert is implementing an intergenerational and cross-community dialogue between women community members in Tripoli and Baalback. This involves supporting a group of women leaders/ cofacilitators in those communities with capacity building, coaching, and accompaniment on dialogue facilitation, addressing the impact of conflict issues and women’s role in local peace, dialogue, and reconciliation processes.

This project also involves supporting established women mediation networks across Lebanon with capacity building trainings and producing communications materials on the role of women in local peace and mediation processes based on field stories collected following the most significant change (MSF) approach.

Creating Spaces for Peace Project

Alert is implementing a community dialogue project between young people across social and conflict divides in Tripoli and Bekaa. This involves supporting young community members with capacity building, coaching, and accompaniment on conflict mitigation, conflict and tension mapping and analysis, and dialogue skills so that they are enabled to contribute to social stability and improved community relations through multistakeholder dialogue and community initiatives. This will include producing communications materials on the role of young people in local peace processes based on field stories collected following the most significant change (MSF) approach.

Understanding the Interlinkages between Climate, Security, & Gender in Lebanon Research Project

This project builds on a series of consultations and roundtable discussions facilitated in Lebanon and Jordan by International Alert on the nexus between climate, human security and gender earlier in 2021.

As such, this project will aim to increase and consolidate the evidence behind peacebuilding approaches to local development, including local agriculture and management of natural resources, and their gender-disproportionate impact on human security and social stability in Lebanon and Jordan and will include production of communications materials to disseminate findings from the consultative research process.

ACTIVITIES & TIMEFRAME

We foresee that the deliverables described hereunder we would require 2/3 full working days per week over a period of 6 months. The estimated maximum number of full working days is thus, 72 full days of remote and in-person support, to be delivered over the course of the project between October 2021 and March 2022 as follows:

Creating Spaces for Women Peacebuilders Project

Outcome 1: The Women, Peace and Security Agenda is implemented through an enabling environment that supports women’s participation in conflict prevention and community peacebuilding.

Tasks:

Support implementation on collection of stories to share on social media including sharing templates/guidance on data collection for human stories, testimonials, photo capture according to Alert Comms policies – 10 days – between October 2021 and February 2022.

Support in producing four communications products that document mediation activities, such as social media posts, short videos, human-impact stories – 15 days - October 2021 – March 2022.

Outcome 2: Dialogue between female leaders in the Bekaa and Tripoli increases social trust and tolerance in communities.

Tasks:

Support implementation on collection of stories to share on social media including sharing templates/guidance on data collection for human stories, testimonials, photo capture according to Alert Comms policies – 12 days - October 2021 – February 2022.

Produce four communications products (including 2 mediation cases) that document mediation activities, such as social media posts, short videos, human-impact stories – 18 days - October 2021 – March 2022.

Proofreading, copyediting, translation, design, and promotion of one policy brief/ practice note in English and Arabic – 3 days – February & March 2022.

Visibility support on roundtable discussion, based on whether this will be online or in-person – 2 days - February & March 2022.

Creating Spaces for Peace Project

Outcome 2: To improve citizen-local authority relations through community engagement and placemaking initiatives.

Tasks:

Support implementation on collection of stories to share on social media including sharing templates/guidance on data collection for human stories, testimonials, photo capture according to Alert Comms policies – 3 days - October 2021 – March 2022.

Support in producing communications productions that document dialogue activities, such as social media posts, short videos, human-impact stories – 3 days - October 2021 – March 2022.

Understanding the Interlinkages between Climate, Security, & Gender in Lebanon Research Project

Outcome 3: To enhance learning and influencing for advancing the climate, gender, and human security nexus in Lebanon and Jordan through collecting and testing evidence for approaches and disseminating lessons learned.

Tasks:

Support in producing guidance notes and communications material on gendered peacebuilding and circular local economies according to Alert Comms policies – 3 days - December 2021 – January 2022.

Support in producing in producing policy brief/ practice and organise roundtable around the subject matter – online or in-person – and according to Alert Comms policies. – 3 days - December 2021 – January 2022.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

A degree in media, journalism, communication strategies or a relevant study.

At least 4 years successful experience of implementing and coordinating communication and advocacy processes at project and strategy levels.

Good knowledge and practical experience of communications and visibility tools and processes.

Fluent in Arabic and English, and communicates clearly and effectively.

Able to influence and motivate others by making their case

Gets on well with others of diverse backgrounds and in diverse roles

Very well organised

An understanding of, and commitment to, safeguarding with young people and vulnerable adults.

Knowledge and experience of communications and visibility in the peacebuilding sector.

Must be available to start October 2021 and commit to the consultancy requirements.