Avis de recrutement :  Recrutement d’un(e) Directeur(trice) régional(e) de la communication et de l’engagement public au Sénégal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job Description:

Purpose of the position

The Director of Communications and Public Engagement is responsible for the strategic direction and successful implementation of communications and public engagement work across the West Africa region. The role will lead efforts to strengthen World Vision’s reputation and influence, building trust with key audiences for greater organisational impact. The Director will provide oversight of core communication businesses, including content production, media and digital, risk management and internal engagement across all nine countries where World Vision works in the region. The role holder will support Field Offices in successful delivery of communication materials that demonstrate evidence of impact, contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, WV’ flagship campaign “It Takes a World to end violence against children’’ and social accountability. The role will provide supervision, support, and guidance to all humanitarian responses across the region in alignment with the organisation minimum standards for emergency communications and work to position World Vision as a key humanitarian expert. As a key member of the leadership, the Director will ensure the quality planning and delivery of high-impact communications for local to global audiences, in support of World Vision’s Partnership strategy, Our Promise. The Director will work closely with senior leadership to coordinate and lead when necessary World Vision’s external engagement on regional issues.  The role matrix manages National Office communications leaders and emergency response communications deployments to the region.

Major Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Operations – 25%

  • Leads and executes an integrated communication and public engagement strategy and business plan to build World Vision’s reputation and brand with key audiences, tell our story and support key priorities in West Africa
  • Directs improvements to the regions’ communications operating model to optimise ways of working, increase stewardship of resources and strengthen the quality of communications deliverables for the Partnership.
  • Advises Regional Leadership and National Directors in field offices across the region on strategic reputation, internal and external positioning, technical branding, global branding, communication capacity building, and opportunities and issues to elevate understanding, performance and accountability across the region.
  • Leads communications efforts which contribute to supporting regional and Partnership fundraising and brand priorities such as Chosen™, Childhood Rescue, grant acquisition, impact reporting, and external engagement that build trust.
  • Directs humanitarian response communications, with a particular focus on fragile contexts, to ensure Partnership media, advocacy messaging and fundraising needs are met through talent mobilisation and provision of targeted content, proactive and reactive messaging and media spokespersons.
  • Directs delivery of high-quality evidence-based, child-focused content/multi-media packages to meet World Vision’s priority audience needs, including advocacy, external engagement, grant acquisition and other resource development activities at regional level. This includes production of high quality content packages from within the team as well as oversight of content produced from across the region for global use.
  • Lead the successful use of virtual field experience communication tools that connect targeted audiences to our work to enhance transparency, accountability and donor and supporter engagement regardless of travel restrictions.

Advocacy and External Engagement – 20%

  • Works closely with Regional Office focal points to advance communications work around the global campaign It Takes A World to End Violence Against Children, agreed Global Moments, disasters, fragile contexts, and key regional engagement initiatives.
  • Actively contributes to WV’s engagement with the regional bodies and regional civil society networks to influence national policy agenda related to child wellbeing objectives and child rights agenda.

Reputation management – 20%

  • As the regional focal point on reputation risk management, the role develops, implements and supervises in collaboration with the global risk team the preparedness plan for risk management mitigation through a well-established protocol ensuring that mitigation measures for top risks identified are in place
  • Identifies, assesses and coordinates World Vision responses to current or risk potential issues.
  • Escalates major issues and coordinates with the Global Centre risk unit as part of the Integrated Risk Management approach
  • Socialises a proactive risk management approach with leaders across the region, identifying opportunities to build reputation and decrease impact of specific risk issues

Media/Social Media – 10%

  • Engages media across the region, together with national media focal points in coordination with Partnership media managers, to maximise positioning opportunities with targeted outlets, developing regional spokespersons and messaging as needed
  • Drives digital and social media audiences’ engagement in WV’s mission and the advocacy issues we raise through compelling content and aligned campaigns
  • Directs an aligned and engaging digital presence at regional and national level that leverages World Vision’s global brand, regional value proposition and field ministry impact.
  • Oversees an effective and globally aligned insights and metrics framework for media and social media efforts.

Internal Engagement – 10%

  • Leads the development and implementation of an internal engagement approach and plan that connects, informs and inspires leaders and staff across the region around World Vision’s local to global ministry
  • Supports the process for continuous learning on appropriate communication systems, processes and tools
  • Represents communications issues and priorities to World Vision’s communications network and the Partnership through forums such as the Communications Leadership Council.

Leadership and Team Management -15%

  • The role performance manages together with the East and Southern Africa Communications Directors, a core bureau of communications specialists and associates from within the region. Together they will deliver a focused portfolio of first-class content, media and engagement work covering development, humanitarian affairs and advocacy ministry that supports income, impact and influence goals.
  • Region-wide coordination and management of national teams, through a matrix relationship will include coordination with national leadership to ensure that teams are high performing, delivering on Partnership priorities and advising on capacity gaps.
  • Contributes to development of global policies, guidelines and standards relating to communications and provides leadership in contextualizing and mainstreaming them within the region.

Required Professional Experience

  • At least 10 years of professional experience in areas of international communications, media and journalism, with a minimum of 7 years leading and managing teams.
  • At least 7 years working with international NGOs and practical experience in emergency context
  • Experience in high level government, international organisation & UN representation
  • Strong track record in media relations, crisis management, creating constructive relationships and having the confidence to represent the organisation in the media
  • Ability to react very quickly to disasters and provide strategic and operational advice on handling them
  • Experience in technical branding, and developing policy briefs and advocacy messaging, initiatives and analysis
  • Excellent English written and spoken communication skills are essential;
  • Demonstrable track record of developing and executing external communications within scope and budget to positively impact the organisation’s influence and visibility
  • Demonstrated experience leading effective digital communications, including social media and an understanding of relevant tools and trends
  • Experience leading/managing multiple and/or overlapping content production assignments across multiple contexts that engage, compel and demonstrate knowledge, impact and expertise
  • Proven ability to effectively manage team and project to deliver outcomes on time
  • Experience linking communication outputs with fundraising, especially in a non-profit setting
  • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), and a proven ability to train and coach staff and peers
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, with proven team leadership and participation.
  • Ability to communicate fluently in French and English, and to relate cross-culturally with a wide range of international constituencies
  • Strong interpersonal, networking and organisational skills, including a multicultural awareness, particularly of the Western African context
  • Demonstrated facilitation and collaboration skills
  • High level of awareness of global and regional socio-economic, political and environmental issues
  • Advanced competency in the use of Microsoft Office computer programs including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • Experience, ability and willingness to travel extensively throughout the Western Africa region.
  • Ability to work virtually with other teams across different time zones, and in different cultural contexts.

Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification

  • A Master Degree or equivalent in Communications, Media, Journalism, Public Affairs or related fields.

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications

  • Master’s Degree in Communications/Media/Public Affairs or other relevant Master’s programme.
  • Experience leading a team in the international humanitarian sector. Background/familiarity in disasters and crises, especially in fragile contexts
  • Able to enable an efficient, effective and transparent flow of information, across entities and with key stakeholders (requiring high levels of written communication and reporting as well as clear and persuasive verbal presentation style)
  • Experience negotiating with multiple business units in a large (37k+ employees) federated structure, preferably in a matrix management environment.
  • Knowledge in photography, graphic and website design.
  • Experience living and working in the Western African Region.

Application process

Closing date : 26 March 2023