Communications Coordinator

Background

A just and equitable world where communities and ecosystems can thrive is possible. But social injustice, democratic backsliding, and the climate crisis threaten us all. The courageous people and communities daring to speak out face attacks and reprisals from powerful vested interests. Many pay the ultimate price.

Open Briefing is a vital part of the response. We build resistance and resilience among the people and communities challenging power. And we are answering more calls for assistance across more countries than ever before. Last year, our international team provided over 4,600 hours of direct support to activists and advocates under threat of physical, digital, and psychological harm across 93 countries.

Alongside this local support, we provide consultancy and advisory to help nonprofits and foundations supporting and resourcing grassroots change to take the right risks. We ensure that these international partners are equipped and empowered by enhancing their security risk management, information security and data protection, and staff care and wellbeing. Our work in this area frequently involves being both a trusted ally and a critical friend.

Our team protects many high-profile activists and well-known organisations. But much of our work is behind the scenes, with ordinary people and communities who are targeted for challenging power. For 13 years, we have worked together towards a better future. And we are just getting started. We are expanding our diverse, inspired, and purpose-driven team; will you join us as our new communications coordinator?

Role description

You will play a key role in coordinating internal and external communications to enhance Open Briefing’s brand recognition, amplify our work and that of the activists and organisations we support, and influence key audiences, including financial supporters, service users, and our team. Your primary responsibilities will include:

Communications strategy (30%)

• Design and implement a new digital content strategy for our blog and social media channels.
• Project manage and participate in current projects developing our verbal identity and forthcoming projects refreshing our visual identity.
• Project manage other strategic branding initiatives and contracts with freelancers and agencies as needed.
• Monitor and analyse KPIs for our online presence and user engagement.

Digital content (30%)

• Create engaging multimedia content for Open Briefing’s social channels, website and blog, collaborating with freelancers and agencies as needed.
• Co-develop people-centred impact stories and other communication initiatives with rights defenders, grassroots activists, and civil society organisations.
• Design communication campaigns that translate our publications and resources – including our annual Impact Report – into engaging digital content.
• Manage proactive and reactive daily content on our social channels.
• Lead our website publishing schedule, including maintenance and content updates.
• Coordinate our email publishing schedule including quarterly newsletters and other updates to our mailing list.
• Manage our blog, including researching, coordinating and posting contributions from internal and external stakeholders.

Thought leadership and events (20%)

• Stay updated on sector communication and thought leadership opportunities and support related media pitches.
• Coordinate our conferences and events calendar and help develop conference proposals.
• Support the planning, promotion, and delivery of in-person and virtual events.

Internal communications (20%)

• Design and implement a new internal communications strategy.
• Project manage communication plans with our team around new initiatives or major developments.
• Manage existing internal communication channels and content, including a monthly team bulletin.
• Ensure alignment of messaging internally and externally.

Person specification

Essential

• You will have a proven track record of developing engaging content for digital platforms, including through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• You will have a proven track record of designing and managing social media strategies, monitoring interaction, and growing social media presence.
• You will have strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to adapt content for different audiences. This includes excellent written and spoken English.
• You will have excellent project management skills, with a proven track record of coordinating multiple complex projects involving internal and external stakeholders.
• You will have experience in the not-for-profit sector, ideally working for civil society organisations or coalitions focused on human rights, climate action, or social justice.
• You will have a deep knowledge of online communication tools, including Mailchimp or similar email platforms, WordPress, and social media management platforms.
• You will have a proven track record of working with colleagues to co-design and implement new internal communication strategies.
• You will be sensitive to the progressive and rights-based missions and diverse profiles of our clients and other stakeholders.
• You will be based in a time zone that is UTC +/- 3 hours.

Desirable

• You may have experience of using communication strategies to address intersecting forms of inequality, uphold inclusive language, and promote language justice.
• You may have a track record of working with philanthropy media and managing media contacts.
• You may have knowledge of European and UK data protection laws and practice.
• You may have competency in additional languages, particularly French, Spanish, Portuguese, and/or Arabic.

Terms and remuneration

We are remote first and digital-nomad friendly. We encourage flexible working. This is a home-working role. We are looking for someone who wants to become part of our close-knit team and develop a long-term working relationship with us and our clients. You will be properly onboarded and continually supported by empowering managers and highly-experienced team members.

This is a part-time, employed role (0.6 FTE). We will offer a fixed-term contract of 12 months with the possibility of renewal. Your line manager will be Vicky Nida, our director of development. We offer a remuneration package made up of fair pay, sector-leading benefits, and progressive leave policies, including:

• Part-time contract of 24 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
• Salary of £45,000 per annum prorated to £27,000
• 12-month contract with possibility of renewal.
• 7% employer pension contribution.
• Family private medical insurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme, including welfare counselling.
• Unlimited professional coaching.
• Enhanced annual leave of 25 days prorated to 15 days, plus local public holidays.
• Additional leave days for annual closedown.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Flexible working, including flexitime and remote and home working.
• Access to local coworking space.
• Support for climate action:
  • Personal carbon emissions offsetting.
  • Up to two additional leave days for sustainable travel.
  • Up to two additional leave days for climate activism.
• Apple MacBook and peripherals.

If you are based outside the United Kingdom, you will be offered comparable compensation through our local employer of record, Remote. For parity, we contribute 4% above the local statutory requirements (up to 7%) into the personal pension plans of staff members employed outside the UK. We will contribute 7% into the personal pension plans of staff members employed in counties where there is no local statutory provision.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Open Briefing values diversity. We are committed to being equitable and inclusive, and to being a place where all can be their authentic selves. We welcome applications from all who may meet the person specification. This includes candidates with protected characteristics that are disadvantaged or under-recognised in our team, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour; people from countries in the global majority; and women and/or non-binary people. Please read our diversity, equity, and inclusion policy for more information.

Open Briefing is neuroinclusive, positive about mental health, and a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all candidates who meet the person specification. Please let us know in your cover letter how we can be the recruiter and employer that you need us to be.

We are an accredited Living Wage employer. We follow the gender pay gap reporting guidance from the UK government. The pay ratio in our organisation is currently only 2.4 : 1. We have completed an inclusive language analysis of the text of this advert, and checked it using the Gender Decoder tool.

How to apply

To apply, please email your CV to our office manager, Lauren Smith, at lauren.smith@openbriefing.org. Please include a cover letter of no more than two pages setting out:

1. What excites you about Open Briefing and the role of communications coordinator.
2. How you meet the advertised person specification.
3. A project in which you developed engaging content for digital platforms, including through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Please note the following dates:

• Closing date: 30 August 2024.
• First and second round interviews: 9 – 13 September 2024.
• Desired start date: 1 October 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Please let us know in your cover letter if any of these dates are problematic and we will try to accommodate. The successful applicant will need to complete a reasonable vetting process before engagement.