Communications Manager – UK

Location London, UK (flexible working environmenet)- flexibility with London area base with ability to commute to London regularly for events.

Position Status Full-time, Regular

Salary Level: The starting salary range for this position is £44,320 – based on local benchmarking.

Closing date: Please submit application by March 15th

Current unrestricted UK work authorization is required at the time of application for this position.

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have long term impact.

The Program / Department / Team

The global communications team is a small but dynamic group of professionals dedicated to getting the word out about Mercy Corps’ outstanding work to help people around the world survive through crises, build better lives, and transform their communities for good. The team strives to raise Mercy Corps’ public profile and support the agency’s fundraising and advocacy efforts. The team primarily engages with international, American, and European media, but also works with community groups and influencers in key markets.

The Position

As an integral member of the Mercy Corps global communications team, the Communications Manager will develop and implement integrated communications strategies that build trust, brand equity and engagement with our external audiences through public engagements, and profiling senior leaders.

Essential Job Responsibilities

● Project-manage communications workplan for Mercy Corps in Europe with stakeholders from multiple departments – articulating priority actions and profile-raising initiatives aligned to Mercy Corps’ global strategy and European influence/visibility priorities.

● Partner with the Development, Marketing, and Policy & Advocacy teams to create thought leadership content and engagement campaigns around significant European partnership/milestone moments. This could include, but is not limited to, asset collection and content production, managing in-person or web events, or other tactics that meet audience demand.

● Provide day-to-day support for the Executive Director’s social media accounts, to grow profile and influence and foster relationships with key government officials and philanthropic leaders and influencers, including corporate and foundation partners. Partnering with the Executive Director’s office, seek opportunities to position the Executive Director and other executives/leaders at key high-profile industry events across Europe including through panels, interviews or speaking engagements, in partnership with advocacy, development and other teams leading event engagement. Support executive event presence through the production of briefings and talking points, and amplify event presence across channels working with channel owners.

● Create short-form, organic video and multimedia on timely issues for Executive and Corporate social media channels as needed, particularly during country visits.

● Work across the organisation to identify the most innovative and impactful Mercy Corps models and programs to put forward as UK/European social impact award applicants.

● Project manage & lead the development and execution of first class, integrated communications strategies and messaging that build trust and engage external audiences to take action, working closely with media, brand, fundraising, and program teams supporting the growth of Mercy Corps’ programmatic and thematic expertise.

● Develop communications messaging and tone of voice for communications and fundraising campaigns to be used across products and channels – ensuring the consistency and coherence of our external communications by working closely with communications, digital and fundraising colleagues both in Europe and globally.

● Work alongside global brand marketing and content teams, develop tools, tactics, and products for driving conversation, engagement and action among the public.

● Contribute to and manage the team’s editorial calendar, ensuring integrated communications work is reflected across external channels, and the messaging and content inspire audiences to take action

● Manage agency partners where appropriate.

● Partner with the global Development team and support the development of a new partnerships communications framework, with a focus on corporate partners, to build our brand and profile across Europe leveraging global campaigns such as climate

● Partner with the Development team to support annual appeal communications & media partnerships

● Keep abreast of relevant sector trends through maintaining strong connections to peers and marketing leaders, and horizon scan on external news and events, and develop reactive plans when they are relevant to Mercy Corps’ work

● Lead after action reviews after emergencies or the completion of large projects, and measure the impact of our communications and media work

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Head of Media for Europe
Works Directly With: Other members of the communications team, including Mercy Corps Europe press officers; digital marketing and fundraising teams; VP of Marketing and Communications; Chief Development and Marketing Officer; office of the Executive Director; corporate and foundation team; policy and advocacy team; other departments including Program Operations, Humanitarian Leadership and Response and Technical Support Unit.

Accountability to Participants and Stakeholders

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

● BA or equivalent in journalism, public relations or international relations required.
● 5-7 years of professional experience in communications, media relations, journalism, or marketing required.
● Established track record of generating positive media coverage in national outlets in Europe; relationships with media in or reporting for these markets, or other visibility metrics for external relations
● Proven experience as an effective on-the-record spokesperson with print, broadcast and online media
● Multi-stakeholder project management experience
● Superior written and verbal communications skills a must; ability to “translate” technical language into compelling stories needed.
● Experience in international development and/or humanitarian response issues preferred.

Success Factors

The successful Manager – Communications and Media will be a proactive PR professional with a rolodex of established contacts, and an excellent storyteller and writer with a nose for news. They need to be able to prioritize, multi-task and organize many urgent tasks. They should be a self-starter who can strategize and implement fully baked media outreach plans, as well be a good team player. They must have a deep knowledge of Mercy Corps programs and a commitment to the goals of the organization. This person will demonstrate creativity and flexibility, as well as a proven ability to learn quickly and be accountable for results. Even temperament and a good sense of humor appreciated.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The position is based in London area and may require up to (20%) travel across Europe, U.S., and program site locations.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a country program or on a visit/TDY to a program site. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a country program or on a visit/TDY to a program site. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct elearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

As a safeguarding measure, Mercy Corps screens all potential US-Based employees. This is done following the conclusion of recruitment and prior to assuming full employment.

Our screening process is designed to be transparent and completed in partnership with new Team Members. You will have the opportunity to disclose any prior convictions at the conclusion of the recruitment process before the check is initiated. We ask that you do not disclose any prior convictions in your application materials or during the recruitment process.