Communications assistant

Job Purpose

The Communication assistant will support the Yaounde Country Cluster Delegation (CCD) in their efforts to optimise communication activities, particularly with a view to improving the position of the NS among the key humanitarian players in the cluster and the region.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Support the communication department on:

Communication

• Strengthen the network of communications to engage and seek stories from National Societies to showcase their operational successes and humanitarian needs.
• Gather content (photos and stories) from National Societies and share on social media or share with the Africa region for regional and international profiling.
• Participate in regional communications meetings of the IFRC Africa office.
• Prepare a weekly summary of the main humanitarian news
• Ensure coverage of activities and referencing of material (photos, videos, key messages).
• Develop social media plan for the Cluster to disseminate information, education, and communication material related to shelter in emergencies to the wider audience
• Assist in monitoring the various communications channels including WhatsApp, highlighting that key documents or conversations are not missed or overlooked, and that team inputs are timely and appropriate.

Branding materials

• Support in the development and production of key branding materials to be used by the cluster to promote the visibility and advocacy efforts of the IFRC in the southern Africa region.

Content creation

• Together with the IFRC Communications Officer propose and develop compelling narratives using audio-visual content, guided by the editorial strategy and informed by the ongoing humanitarian issues and concerns in the region
• Support in the creation, production and dissemination of content created by the IFRC Cluster office and the National Societies in the region for dissemination across the Red Cross Movement, local and international media and social media platforms
• Support in the identification of gaps in content creation for key programmes in Disaster Risk Management (DRM), including International Disaster Law, Livelihoods, Health and Water Sanitation and Health (WASH), as well as the cluster’s cross-cutting programmes of Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI) in the cluster, and good governance. – Support in transforming key technical documents into marketing and media materials.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Media Management

• Support in the development of media communications materials including press releases, op-eds, briefings, key messages, talking points, etc, as needed to support the IFRC cluster’s media and advocacy activities
• Support media relations activities by responding to media requests in an appropriate and timely manner, particularly with regard to audio-visual materials
• Proactively identify opportunities to pitch audio-visual content (incl photo essays/photo blog/video clips/b-roll) to media outlets, where relevant
• Update and maintain a current existing media database
• Produce a media map on southern Africa media
• Update the editorial calendar
• Support in pitching to the media
• Support to media briefings

 Advocacy

• Research key advocacy events, conferences, online platforms for the IFRC to profile its humanitarian work and Red Cross action in the region
• Research key online and live platforms, journals, niche publications, to profile cluster head and cluster heads of programmes on key humanitarian concerns and action in the region

Visibility

• Support on the creation of visibility materials for the promotion of IFRC and Red Cross National Societies’ action in the region
• Support on meeting the IFRC and donor visibility needs

Training

• Support on rolling out Communications training for NS communication leadership, staff and volunteers on the role and importance of Communications at National Society, regional and global level
• Support on digital training to build the capacity of digital communication in the CCD
• With Movement partners, produce and disseminate communication materials on the role of the Red Cross, the scope of its activities, the use of the emblem (especially as part of any visibility package), the use of a Crisis Communication strategy and the need for unified messaging when dealing with external stakeholders

Education

Relevant university degree (journalism, social sciences, anthropology, sociology, political science, psychology, communication, marketing, advertising, public relations) or similar professional qualification.

Experience

Required

• Knowledge of media relations, digital and social media, content marketing and campaigns. ( Required )
• Building and maintaining partnerships and relationships ( Required )
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment ( Required )
• Ability to understand news cycles and the demands of the media ( Required )
• Organisational skills and attention to details ( Required )
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines ( Required )
• Solid understanding of social media
• Perfect command of MS Office
• Mastery of the Adobe pack

Preferred

• Good knowledge and relevant professional experience in the regional context would be an asset
• Demonstrated interest in humanitarian and development issues would be an asset.
• Experience producing reports and other documentation for a range of audiences
• A good understanding of humanitarian issues

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Analytical skills
• Creative skills
• Proven experience working with social media accounts
• Ability to work in a team and under pressure
• initiative, judgement and a sense of responsibility
• ability to plan and organise work and comply with the rules and procedures in force 
• Perfect command of French and English (read, written and spoken)
• Good command of another IFRC official language (Spanish or Arabic) (Preferred)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Interpersonal relationships- Work under pressure- Negotiation- Team spirit- Problem solving oriented- Conflict management- National Society relations – Strategic orientation – Communication – Teamwork- Professionalism – Integrity – Diversity- Judgement-Decision-making- Supervision- Presentation, Creativity and innovation etc.