Communications career transitions in international development

A freelance journalist. A think tank researcher. A manager at a boutique public relations firm. A multimedia officer at an international corporation. They all have skills and experiences valuable to organizations engaged in international development. “Every organization needs to communicate the work it is doing,” Kalaivani Karunanethy, former communications officer at the Asia-Europe Foundation, told Devex. This is especially true for organizations engaged in development, since they must be accountable to their donors, constituents, governments and the public — a wider group of people than most private companies have to deal with. Communications experts working in international development engage in a variety of activities, from drafting reports and newsletters to web design, event planning, press engagement, social media, fundraising and advocacy. We spoke with several industry experts and successful communications professionals about transitioning into and working in international development. Where are the communications jobs? Communications experts work in all types of aid groups — from multilateral banks and bilateral donors to NGOs and consultancies. In particular, opportunities abound with advocacy groups and nonprofits, said Gisele McAuliffe, president of Advocacy Communications International. Types of jobs run the gamut from traditional media relations to full-blown strategic communications. They may involve everything from business development to project management and graphic design. Aid agencies hire web specialists, writers, internal communications professionals, web and offline materials designers, press officers and audio and visual specialists. “Advocacy within the media is covered by press officers, while outside media the role is fulfilled by policy specialists,” said Pascale Palmer, currently the director of communications at ProExposure, an agency that trains aspiring photographers and filmmakers, and formerly an advocacy media officer for CAFOD, the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales. “There are opportunities within campaigns, marketing and fundraising for communications professionals with relevant experience.” Many of these positions are with organizations located in international donor hubs such as Washington, New York and Geneva. Most UK development organizations are based in London to facilitate regular contact with policymakers and other influencers. However, there are also jobs in other major cities, including those in the developing world. In Ghana, for instance, opportunities may be most frequent in Accra and Kumasi, while in Nigeria, most can be found in Lagos and Abuja. “But there are certainly such opportunities in other cities as well,” said Victoria Okoye, an urban development and communications practitioner who has worked with both international and local organizations in Ghana. Transferable skills and connections Transferable skills and personal connections within the aid world are key to landing a plum communications job anywhere from the United Nations to that small Ecuadorian nonprofit. If you’re applying for a Washington-based position focused on building strategic relations, you may want to review your Rolodex for contacts within the World Bank, U.S. Agency for International Development and other donors and decision makers. If you’re gunning for a job in media relations, create a list of journalists and bloggers you know. Those eager to work in fundraising or campaigning may want to brush up on their knowledge of event planning and social media. Skills that are currently hot in other types of communications positions are also highly marketable in global development. For instance, many employers are interested in hiring people with experience in multimedia and social media. If you don’t have the right skills and contacts, most aid groups – especially smaller NGOs – will probably not take a chance on you, however passionate you may be to work in the field. Being able to work in more than one medium may give candidates an edge. Journalistic skills – from researching to interviewing and writing – are always in demand. Also, “it is helpful to be a former journalist because you know that other side,” said Joop Koopman, communications officer for Aid to the Church in Need, an international Catholic charity in New York City that helps persecuted Christians around the world, referring to the reporters – and their expectations – that you’ll have to deal with as a development organization’s media officer. Former journalists are particularly sought after for their focus on facts and their ability to express complex issues in a convincing manner. The ability to read and write critically, then – and a fluency in development business jargon and perhaps even proposal writing – can open many doors in international development, especially with consultancies and NGOs that rely on government contracts and grants for funding. One journalist’s transition While traditional journalism skills can get you one foot in a recruiter’s door, it may not be enough to land that dream job. “It just gives you news media outreach capabilities,” stressed McAuliffe, the Advocacy Communications International president, “but it doesn’t give you a dozen other skills you need to lead communications for an international development organization.” Many positions require experience in PR, strategic communications and media relations. To learn the ropes, McAuliffe recommended getting a job with a PR agency or a company that has a strong communications department. You’ll gain valuable skills and may be able to network with development folks, since many communications firms – including Edelman, APCO and PRT Communication Group – have clients in international development. McAuliffe began her career as a broadcast journalist. Later, she began to freelance as a radio reporter and traveled around much of the world. While living in southeastern Africa, McAuliffe realized she wanted to be part of the solution rather than telling the story. She started her career transition as an account executive at a public relations agency with the objective of learning the ropes in PR and strategic communications. McAuliffe then served as a communications volunteer delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross in war zones during the Balkans conflict. She became media relations manager at the American Red Cross national headquarters in Washington. She managed WWF’s international climate change campaign and directed communications for the Wilderness Society before founding Advocacy Communications International in 2001. How to make the transition Even though you may have lots of experience and relevant skills, it can be very challenging to make the transition to a communications job in global development. For the most part, NGOs and humanitarian aid groups, especially smaller ones, don’t have large budgets for communications and media relations. Larger organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and CARE tend to have more sizable teams of communications and PR professionals. “One of the problems for people trying to break into international development work is that most organizations have good staff retention rates, so jobs do not come up very frequently,” said Palmer, ProExposure’s director of communications. Leverage your skills and demonstrate how they can be indispensable for the organizations you’d like to work with. “Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box, too, when you identify your target list of companies,” said Okoye, the communications specialist in Ghana. “There is so much to do and learn, and the more flexible you are (within certain limits, of course), the more you can try new things and make the most of your experience and skills.” Networking is essential. Informational interviews with industry professionals and experts are a great way to develop relationships that may lead to your first job in international development – and they help you gauge the organizational culture at some of the aid groups you’re interested in. “As in any job search, it’s about talking to people who have your dream job,” said Aman Battish, a former tabloid and online journalist who went back to school to earn a master’s in public communication at American University before joining APCO Worldwide, where she served as vice president until 2011. International development is a broad field, so pursue jobs in areas you are truly interested – and skilled – in. If you have limited skills related to your dream job, consider going back to school for a degree in a field such as public health or economic development, but realize that recruiters tend to value professional experience – including volunteer work – higher than academic background. Use the Devex People database to research individuals who have the types of jobs you fancy, and familiarize yourself with the experience and academic qualifications you need to make the switch. Consider joining organizations such as the Society for International Development to gain a better understanding of key issues, trends and players. What to expect: Challenges and advantages International development organizations tend to work on complex and often controversial issues without easy fixes. This can be as exciting as it can be challenging. “The NPO sector is a very different environment from that of an agency or traditional media,” Karunanethy, formerly of the Asia-Europe Foundation, said. “The audience is much more specialized and a lot more demanding. You need to be aware of the legal and political aspects of the environment that your specific NPO operates in.” The same certainly holds true for other aid groups as well. And although compensation at bilateral and, in particular, multilateral donors tends to be competitive, chances are you’ll take a pay cut when transitioning from the private sector. “Salaries typically are lower compared to similar positions in the business sector,” McAuliffe said. At an NGO or advocacy group, you may also have to work longer hours than usual. On occasion, communications professionals might need to travel to the field to interview individuals who work on projects and beneficiaries or to arrange visits for top donors or media. “People within the sector work very, very hard, and professional goodwill is essential,” Palmer stressed. “The work can sometimes be emotionally tough, and travel to politically and socially fragile countries can be more difficult than many people would think at first.” Gaining media attention can be hard for communications folks working in international development, a field that often focuses less on attention-grabbing breakthroughs than on long-term, sustainable solutions to global challenges. “You’re competing with maybe 10 other issues, and they are all very important,” Battish noted. “It’s not always breaking news, so it can be challenging to get a reporter to cover your issue or organization. Plus, there are just not as many reporters covering international development anymore.” Former journalists in particular should be aware that the culture at an NGO or advocacy group is very different from that of a news organization. “Journalists are trained to work independently,” McAuliffe said. “A big challenge for anyone working in the news media to move into international development communications is assessing their abilities to effectively work and collaborate with other people within an organization. You have to know how to be on a team.” Despite these challenges, communications professionals say that working in global development can be very fulfilling if you are passionate about the issues. “You get the chance to meet or talk to a wide variety of people, from Forbes list donors to Indian farmers, which is both intellectually stimulating and inspiring,” Karunanethy said. McAuliffe struck a similar tone, saying: “Communications for international development is a thrilling and hugely satisfying career. It has enabled me to have a passionate love for my work for the past 20 years.” Check out more career advice stories online, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news.