JOB DESCRIPTION

Save the Children International has an exciting opportunity for a Leadership and Internal Communications Lead (Maternity Cover) to join our global team.

 

Team and Job Purpose

This role leads a small Global Internal Communications Unit responsible for delivering compelling internal communications that engage and celebrate our people. The purpose is to connect our ~20,000 colleagues around the world with our mission to improve children’s lives worldwide and to inspire them to further the impact of our organisation, both globally and locally.

Focused on socialising our Global Strategy, elevating examples of our impact, updating on major humanitarian emergencies, engaging and recognising our people, connecting teams to leadership, and managing crisis communications, we partner with our Country Offices and Members to deliver strategic and reactive internal communications

The Global Internal Communications Unit is part of the CEO Office team, which is a small and agile team supporting the CEO on a day-to-day basis with the smooth running of management and governance processes in a complex international federated organisation that works in over 100 countries.  The office also supports the Board, Management Committee, Senior Leadership Team and other important management forums.

Role purpose

The Leadership Communications Lead is responsible for developing and implementing Save the Children International’s leadership and internal communications strategies to engage and inspire employees across the organisation, and build trust in Save the Children leadership and the organization’s strategy and direction. This role plays a critical advisory and support role to the CEO in their management and leadership responsibilities.

The role requires strong skills in communications strategy development, internal communications and engagement, and very strong senior stakeholder management skills. The role holder will need to stay abreast of what is happening across the organisation, have their “ear to the ground” to know what staff would like to hear from leadership about, and regularly pro-actively and confidently advise the senior leadership team around communications opportunities, approaches and messaging on an ongoing basis. The role holder will need to be able to work under pressure, problem-solve and manage many time-sensitive and competing priorities simultaneously while meeting deadlines. The role will develop an internal audience strategy, design our internal engagement metrics and develop new ways to engage our people. The role will also oversee our internal content and channel strategy, and provide counsel to internal stakeholders during a crisis.

The post holder works collaboratively with communications and HR teams, our strategy function and the CEO’s office, and acts as a key focal point for senior stakeholders across the organisation.

 

Job Title: Leadership and Internal Communications Lead (Maternity Cover)

Reports To: Chief of Staff

Work Pattern: Hybrid/Remote with flexible working options available

Contract Length: Fixed Term Contract 10 months (with possibility of extension to 12 months) (Maternity Cover)

Grade: P5

Location: Any approved Save the Children International office location. For a full list of locations that Save the Children International can hire in, please visit: SCI Careers

Time Zone (that the role holder must be available to work in): UTC/GMT +/- 5 hours

Right to Work: The successful candidate must possess the unrestricted right to work in their current or preferred location for the duration of employment.

Language Requirements: English

International Travel Requirements: up to 15%

People Management Responsibility: Number of people managed in total: 2 and required to coach and delegate to more junior professionals as appropriate

Manager of a team: Yes

Team Manager (manager of multiple teams): No

 

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead the development and implementation of leadership internal communications strategies and plans to inform, engage and inspire staff across the organisation.
• Define the internal voice and positioning of the SCA/SCI CEO to ensure a strong, consistent and compelling voice, working closely with the External Relations Advisor to ensure alignment with external voice.
• Working with the Chief of Staff, provide senior counsel to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team on key issues and the implications of decisions made on staff engagement and perception of and trust in leadership
• In response to internal/external crises and complex issues of concern, provide counsel to senior leadership to develop and lead the implementation of reactive and crisis communications plans and messaging for internal audiences (staff, Member CEOs and the SCA/SCI Board).
• Lead the development and execution of Save the Children International’s global internal communications strategy to engage our 25,000 staff around the world and inspire them to deliver our global strategy
• Develop an internal audience strategy for our people – with audience segmentation and understanding of global channels
• Oversee internal content and channel strategy, including our staff newsletter, homepage of our Intranet and staff meetings, ensuring essential information is effectively delivered to our staff
• Provide counsel to internal stakeholders and develop reactive and crisis communications messaging for internal audiences during a crisis
• Build trust and communications opportunities between employees and the SCA/SCI CEO and Senior Leadership Team.
• Support communications between the SCA/SCI Board of Directors to staff, working closely with the Company Secretary and lead the development of the CEO’s quarterly report to the SCA/SCI Board of Directors.
• Lead SCA/SCI CEO’s communications for key internal movement-wide initiatives and leadership meetings, for example Save the Children’s Global Forum
• Build and lead a dynamic internal communications team

 

Experience and Skills

Essential

1. Proven success in developing and implementing leadership communications and engagement strategies, with a focus on internal communications and employee engagement
2. Exceptional written communication skills in English, with a proven ability to distil large amounts of information
3. Demonstrated success in delivering high-quality communications, products or tools targeting a diverse range of audiences
4. Proven success in developing and implementing leadership and internal communications and engagement strategies, with a focus on internal communications and employee engagement
5. The ability to liaise and communicate effectively with a broad range of people at all levels, across different cultures and to act with credibility, discretion, tact and diplomacy
6. Self- motivated, proactive and ability to work autonomously
7. Proven ability to work in a highly confidential environment
9. A strong attention to detail
10. Experience in supporting senior stakeholders, gaining trust and confidence.
11. Experience working in a complex, global environment, and engaging senior stakeholders

Desirable

1. Fluency in other languages – e.g. Spanish, French, Arabic
2. NGO experience
3. Management experience

 

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or qualified by relevant professional experience

 

Working at Save the Children International

Save the Children is the world”s leading organisation for children, employing ~25,000 staff. We save children”s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Through our work in 116 countries, we put the most deprived and marginalised children first.

We know that great people make a great organisation, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

The work here is challenging but is also immensely rewarding. At Save the Children, you will be in good company, working with talented, like-minded individuals who are determined to ensure that all children survive, learn, and are protected. Your contribution will help ensure children”s voices are heard at the highest levels, and that we achieve our global strategy, Ambition for Children 2030, and reach every last child.

 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

DEI is core to our vision, values and global strategy. Save the Children is committed to creating a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive organisation, and one which will support us in our vision to ensure every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, caring or parental responsibilities, age, or beliefs and religion. We are committed to diversifying our staff to better represent the communities we serve and actively welcome underrepresented groups to apply.

Reasonable adjustments will be made should any candidate invited to interview require this.

 

Application Information

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application. A full copy of the role profile can be found here via the job listing. It is recommended that you save a copy of the role profile as it will no longer be available after the advert closes.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the job advert may be closed earlier than advertised subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted should expect to hear from us within 2 weeks of the advert deadline.

 

Our recruitment process:

1. Application review by our recruiting team based on your CV and cover letter
2. Two-stage competency-based interviews with the hiring team
3. Some recruitment may include an additional assessment or case study stage, or a third stage interview
4. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment, followed by your contract subject to passing background checks

We need to keep children and adults safe so our selection process includes rigorous background checks and reflects our commitment to the protection of children and adults from abuse. All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our Code of Conduct and all policies and procedures relating to Anti-harassment, Health and Safety, Safeguarding, and DEI and Equal Opportunities.

 

Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.