Global Communications Advisor

SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.

Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.

Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.

Location: Vienna (Austria), Innsbruck (Austria), Dakar (Senegal), Skopje (Macedonia), Nairobi (Kenya), Faridabad (India), Lome (Togo), Casablanca (Morocco), La Paz (Bolivia), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Amman (Jordan), Tallin (Estonia)

Duration: Full-time, limited for one year

Mission

Inspire engagement for global action for children and young people without or at risk of losing parental care. Position SOS Children's Villages as the champion for these children and young people, to ensure that they can grow up with the bonds they need to become their strongest selves.

The primary focus of the role is pro-active media outreach and engagement by identifying and creating opportunities for increased visibility in international media.

Tasks & Responsibilities

• Works closely with the President of SOS Children’s Villages International, serving as the primary liaison for the President on external communications and his internal communications towards federation-audiences.
• Proactively seeks, identifies and coordinates media engagement opportunities. Manages media relations, drafts responses, coordinates media interviews, prepares briefs.
• Researches and drafts various communications materials for the President, talking points, video messages, op-eds, (end-of-year) messages or letters etc. Relevant for external and internal audiences. Ensures that all material is on brand and in line with relevant organizational and communications strategies.
• Provides strategic advice on social media engagement, and manages the President’s social media platforms and online profiles as necessary. Defines KPIs for social media engagement and manages monitoring and evaluation. This includes the President’s engagement on the internal social media channel Yammer.
• Manages the existing internal communications formats of the President like President’s Townhall or President’s blog and all related tasks.
• Ensures that content and information from the President’s office are visible and easy to access on the Collaboration Platform.
• Provides advice and expertise to the President, other senior staff members and the Communications and Brand community on a range of public relations issues and approaches.
• Monitors external trends and proposes messaging helps position SOS Children’s Villages toward global audiences.

Requirements

Essential:

• Master's degree in journalism, communications, international development or similar, or an undergraduate degree with comparable experience.
• Minimum of five years working experience in journalism, communications or public relations in the area of campaigning, reputation management or similar, combined with experience in public affairs or media relations preferably in an INGO.
• Experience in working closely with senior official's desirable.
• Experience with communications monitoring and evaluation desirable.
• Excellent English writing and editing skills combined with the ability to convey and adapt complex information to the needs of the intended audiences.
• Ability to provide strategic counsel and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Experience working on media relations.
• Strong academic research skills.
• Experience working at the international level.
• Citizenship or work permit that allows working in the location of your choice
• Strong willingness and ability to relocate to the location of your choice (including traveling outside of the assigned duty station)

Desirable:

• Experience supporting high-level officials
• Experience working in the field of child rights.
• Experience with communications monitoring and evaluation
• Knowledge of French, German or Spanish would be an asset

We offer

• A diverse range of interesting tasks in a leading INGO with multicultural working environment
• As a responsible employer we provide a range of training schemes and encourage educational enhancement
• A salary that will be commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Flexible working hours
• Home-office possibility

If you are interested in this position, please submit your detailed application in English by the 10th of February at https://careers-sos-kd.icims.com

Please note that due to the high number of applications, SOS Children's Villages is only able to contact shortlisted candidates.

Successful candidates will have to submit a criminal record certificate, current within the last three years. In accordance with the organisation’s child protection policy, these positions will be subject to criminal record checks.