Media and Communications Officer

Job Description

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS hosts the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Secretariat (STBP) as of 1 January 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland. The vision of the Stop TB Partnership is to realize the goal of elimination of Tuberculosis (TB) as a public health problem and, ultimately, to obtain a world free of TB by ensuring that every TB patient has access to effective diagnosis, treatment and cure; stopping transmission of TB; reducing the inequitable social and economic toll of TB; and developing and implementing new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies. The Stop Partnership is uniquely positioned to support the development and further implementation by partners of the current and future Global Plan, acting as a coordinator and catalyst for the range of partners engaged in the fight against TB.

Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership’s mission is to serve every person who is vulnerable to TB and ensure that high-quality treatment is available to all who need it. Our partners include international and technical organizations, government programmes, research and funding agencies, foundations, NGOs, civil society and community groups and the private sector.

Under the overall guidance of Head of Advocacy and Communications department and direct supervision of the Senior Communications Officer, the incumbent within the Communications and Advocacy section of the Stop TB Partnership will be responsible for development of STBP’s media relations, social media platforms, high level editorial content (articles, features, news stories, blogs) and other relevant outreach activities as required. This individual will be primarily responsible for providing expert media relations strategic planning and implementation, including leading media work to support programmatic, policy and campaigning priorities, and organisational activities globally and regionally. The Media & Communications Officer’s work will play a central role in building awareness of and support for STBP’s and its priority issues in the media, both globally and in key target countries and within legislatures, governments and United Nations entities. In addition, the individual will develop content for external communications (brochures, position statements, editorials, web-articles etc.). High-level English editorial/writing skills are essential.
Functional Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Senior Communications Officer , the Media & Communications Officer is responsible for managing the following responsibilities:

Media Relations

• To support implementation of media strategies, tactics and messages to achieve maximum measurable impact on STBP’s profile, specifically on STBP’s programmatic, policy and campaigns.
• To build and maintain excellent relationships with relevant journalists, broadcasters and commentators in international and TB High Burden countries’ media.
• To draft media announcements, releases and advisories.
• Prepare and support formulation of background notes, speeches and talking points for public appearances.
• To pitch stories to journalists and organizing press briefings, as directed.
• To support development and use of related infrastructure, including press lists, media monitoring services, online broadcast video delivery services, etc.
• To offer expert advice on reputational and other media risks arising from programmatic, policy and campaigns issues.
• Develop a media outreach plan to identify and build relations with a network of traditional and specialized media and maintain these relations to increase STBP’s media profile.
• Produce media briefs, kits and timely press releases and build internal capacity to work with media effectively.
• Actively create media visibility opportunities for STBP’s senior management, preparing talking points, and facilitating radio, TV and print media interviews where necessary.
• To monitor and evaluate media coverage. Including, advice on outreach activities with press and other communication target groups.
• Provide professional advice and support to colleagues in the Secretariat and partner organisations involved in media relations work, crisis communications including internal media capacity building.

Social Media

• Work with the Communications team to develop and implement a Social Media Strategy aligned with the STBP Organizational Communications Strategy, imparting key ‘unique selling points’ with audience-specific, tailored content.
• Develop targeted social media campaigns for STBP’s products, events, and milestone days. Package and promote STBP’s activities and learning in a strategic, appropriate and timely manner.
• Manage and develop innovative and strategic cutting-edge social media content and campaigns, grow STBP’s audience on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and other relevant existing and emerging platforms. Manage STBP’s social community. Promote search engine optimization and provide monitoring and analysis to streamline performance for better outcomes.
• Keep up-to-date with new trends, developments and opportunities in the digital space and recommend how we can exploit them to help achieve our corporate goals and implement them.
• Collaborate with colleagues/other departments of STBP to generate and create innovate digital and multimedia products that will appeal to specific audiences. Assist the Graphics Analyst to draft a range of visual materials for online use.
• Build relationships with social media editors at leading news and media organizations, helping to secure external placement of STBP’s content and enhance coverage of its work.
• Work with various departmental teams to ensure comprehensive digital coverage of events and launches worldwide. Train staff on how to optimize social media use, and manage access to STBP’s social media accounts.
• Flexibility and adaptability to perform other duties as and when requested by the Head of the A&C department.

Communications

• Provide support and lead (where needed) in developing high quality communications content for external and internal use.
• Work with various departmental teams to ensure that the communications activities calendar is kept up to date and is applied for weekly planning in consultation with the Senior Communications Officer
• Ensure development of high quality content and dissemination of internal and external monthly newsletters.
• Develop subject specific content for external use as and when required.
• Develop high-level content for corporate communications products such as PowerPoints, fact sheets and other relevant material.
• Provide editorial support to web-content development.
• Support A&C team in identifying and developing effective messages, framing and means for delivering them to reach communication objectives.
• Actively work with the Web and Partnership Officer to expand STBP audience engagement and viewership, mailing lists etc.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent), preferably in communications, media, journalism and other related discipline is required.

A First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

A minimum of 5 years (7 years for a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in media relations and all aspects of communications work.

• Experience of working in a creative public relations or marketing role would be an added advantage.
• Proven ability to achieve coverage of issues and experts.
• Proven ability to develop good content

Languages
Fluency in both written and spoken English is required.

About the Organization

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.