Media Officer

Job Description

Position: Media Officer

Closing date: 23 April 2023 at 23:59 GMT

Job location: Nairobi, Kenya **,**Johannesburg, South Africa or in an ActionAid country in the Arab region.

Salary: GBP 27,200

Contract type: Permanent

Role Overview:

Can you identify a strong news angle and react quickly? Are you able to write compelling written copy to tight deadlines, which sparks the interest of journalists and gets cut through in an international market? Do you want to use your communications skills to strengthen our fight for climate and gender justice?

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and reliable Media Officer to join our Campaigns and Communications team at ActionAid International as we prepare to launch a new global campaign for climate justice.

As Media Officer, you will develop and deliver creative on-message media materials including press releases, stories, statements and opinion pieces across a variety of topics. Often working under pressure in response to large scale humanitarian emergencies.

Ideally with previous experience working in a press office, you’ll have experience managing competing priorities, responding to incoming media requests and developing and delivering PR plans which support the organisation’s strategic priorities.. Your expertise will support with the effective delivery of international media moments, linked to multi-country campaigns and core comms priorities, including climate justice,women’s rights and youth involvement.

You’ll use your exceptional communication skills to build relationships and work closely with ActionAid countries to amplify their visibility and develop stories with both national and international significance.

Who we're looking for:

You should have:

• At least two years of experience working in a press team or in public relations in an International Non-Goverment Organisation or similar organisation.
• Excellent written and communication skills–withexperience writing press releases, reactive Q&As, key messages, features, opinion pieces, letters to editor and blogs – producing accurate work to a high standard particularly under tight deadlines.
• Demonstrable experience of juggling multiple workloads, prioritising as needed under pressure, to deliver a high quality of work at all times.
• Proven experience of liaising with journalists.
• Experience devising and producing successful proactive media campaigns.
• Excellent news sense and proven experience in identifying,pitching and getting coverage for an engaging story.
• Experience using media monitoring services (e.g. Vuelio or Gorkana) with the degree of proficiency required to run reports and provide others with basic training.
• Good understanding of international development, climate justice and/or women’s rights issues, civil society activism and effective campaigning is desirable.
• Good understanding of the international media is desirable.

You should also have strong commitment to ActionAid’s values and ethos, including ActionAid’s feminist leadership principles.

What we offer

ActionAid is committed to providing a welcoming, supportive workplace where we recognise a job well done. We offer a fair compensation package and a flexible working environment. At ActionAid, you can look forward to

• Fantastic training and development
• A workplace that embraces feminist leadership
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption pay.

How to apply

Please click on the "apply" button to start the application process.  Applications close on 23 April 2023 at 23:59GMT. Please upload an up-to-date CV and a cover letter, clearly explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.

To be considered for this role, you must be able to provide proof of eligibility to work in any of the mentioned locations at the time of appointment.

Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted- usually within 2 weeks of the closing date.

About us

ActionAid is a global federation working for a world free from poverty and injustice.

We want to see a just, fair and sustainable world, in which everybody enjoys the right to a life of dignity, and freedom from poverty and oppression.

We work to achieve social justice and gender equality, and to eradicate poverty.

All our work is underpinned by a set of feminist leadership principles:

self-awareness, self-care and caring for others, dismantling bias, inclusion, sharing power, responsible & transparent use of power, accountable collaboration, respectful feedback, courage and zero tolerance for harassment, exploitation and abuse.

Our commitment to safeguarding

ActionAid is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct. We are also committed to preventing and responding to any form of sexual harassment, exploitation and child abuse and abuse of adults at-risk, whether carried out by staff/representatives or resulting from our work. ActionAid expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

N****ote:

ActionAid is committed to supporting flexible working. If you would like to discuss flexible working options, including the possibility of a job share for this role, there will be space to do so during the interview process.