Global Media Manager (Disasters) at Plan International Full Time

Job Title: Global Media Manager (Disasters)

Location: Nigeria (Preferably Global Hub (Woking), but any Plan International office can be considered)
Type of Role: Permanent or maximum fixed term contract as per employing office’s standard terms and conditions
Grade: GH 4 or equivalent. Please note that employment terms will be as per the standard terms and conditions in the country where you are based
Functional Area: Communications
Reports to: Head of Global Media and Public Relations
Travel Required: Up to 25%
Team: S&E

Role Purpose

• Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Active in over 85 countries, we work together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, striving for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
• The Global Media Manager (Disasters) is responsible for co-ordinating global media engagement and positioning Plan International as a leading humanitarian and girls’ rights organisation.
• The post holder willlead global media responses during disasters and emergencies, providing strategic direction to the organisation’s communications, including international deployment when required.
• As well as dealing directly with media, the Global Media Manager creates compelling content and messaging for use by Plan International’s network of communicators, which will require being able to work collaboratively with colleagues across multiple offices, backgrounds and functions.

Dimensions of the Role

• Develop and own relationships with key global media outlets, developing and promoting Plan International’s external profile as a leading humanitarian and girls’ rights organisation.
• Co-ordinating media relations activity across Plan International’s network of global communicators, supporting national organisations to promote Plan International’s work in their markets. This includes overseeing the development and delivery of organisational messaging, compelling content and media handling advice on key influencing priorities.
• In assigned regions, lead relationship building with regional and country office communications staffto provide strategic direction and co-ordination to the organisation’s global media engagement,drivinghigh-quality coverage in line with Plan International’s strategic priorities.
• Building regional and country office capacity, by providing technical advice, guidance and quality improvement coaching, to further media outreach, both globally and at point of impact. Develop a series of tools and training options for the whole organisation to use, to drive improved knowledge of how to use media strategically for our organisational objectives.
• Deliverexpert external engagement strategies, plans and advice across multiple functions at Global Hub, ensuring organisational objectives around positioning and thought-leadership are achieved through excellent media activity.
• The role is primarily to support external communications. However, the post holder is expected to work collaboratively which requires flexibility and transferable skills.
• The post holder will report to the Head of Global Media & Public Relations, and from time to time will be responsible for managing external freelancers and/or consultants.

Accountabilities

• As part of the global media team, position Plan International as a leading girls’ (and children’s) rights and humanitarian organisation. This includes direct liaison with global media outlets and supporting colleagues across the Plan International federation with national media relations.
• Managing media enquiries, providing quick and appropriate responses to journalists.
• Build strong contacts with international media with demonstrable impact on coverage.
• As part of the international media team, share responsibility and ownership of international press coverage for Plan International’s response in humanitarian emergencies across operational regions: Eastern and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, Asia and Pacific, Middle East and the Americas.
• Monitor developments and news in assigned regions / areas of work in order to respond swiftly and proactively to opportunities when appropriate. Examples include quickly turning information into strong press releases, statements and op-eds.
• Play a full part in coordination of dynamic communications coverage of disaster and emergency response operations, stepping into a lead role when required.
• Assist with crisis communications by supporting development of messages and Q&As, as requested by the Head of Global Media and PR.
• Commission and deliver high quality multi-media packages to highlight priority areas of work, including pictures, stories and video, in coordination with digital and programme teams.
• Assist in forward planning processes for and the delivery of content created for global moments, campaign activity, policy launches, CEO appearances, advocacy pushes etc. Ensure there is productive coordination with digital colleagues, particularly social media.
• Identify opportunities for digital content, and collaboration with digital content teams to develop material on humanitarian issues.
• Advise, support and coach communications teams in programme implementing countries, fundraising offices, regional hubs and advocacy/influencing liaison offices– mostly remotely.
• Track media coverage of Plan International and use insights gained to refine future pitches, feature development, messaging and story ideas.
• In promoting the profile, reputation and influence of Plan International, ensure that messaging, tone of voice and visual identity are consistent with the brand and that brand values are integrated into story choice and treatment.
• Support Plan International’s global, regional and national marketing and advocacy campaigns and initiatives, working with other departmental staff as the need arises.
• Share on-call responsibilities with other members of the media team.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility.
• This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Key Relationships:
The post holder will need to be excellent at working collaboratively across all levels of a large, global organisation, someone who can motivate, influence and rally colleagues from a diverse range of backgrounds and areas of expertise. This includes:

• Significant level of engagement with Media and Communications Managers at National and Country Offices, Regional Communications Specialists and Regional Heads of Influencing, to co-ordinate media and wider communications activity across the organisation, building a collaborative, energised and purposeful network of media and communications professionals across the organisation.
• Working with managers within the GH communication teams to develop a global media calendar, aligned to digital and other influencing activities.
• Liaison with programme experts and technical specialists for creation of strategic content that positions Plan International as a thought leader in child rights, particularly girls’ rights.
• Proactively developing and managing relationships with key journalists and influential global media outlets.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• Substantial experience working in journalism, media relations or PR at an international level
• Proven experience of managing media during humanitarian emergencies
• Track record of developing and delivering high-impact media strategies, shifting narratives and opinions and driving tangible change
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English, with ability to quickly turn technical information into compelling copy
• Ability to lead and project manage teams across different offices and functions, including coaching colleagues to improve editorial content
• Ability to work quickly under pressure, including in insecure and sometimes distressing contexts, while motivating and supporting colleagues to do the same
• Ability to persuade, lobby and influence peers and colleagues and form productive relationships and contacts
• Demonstrable experience in safeguarding an organisation’s reputation, including crisis communications
• Ability to tailor communications to different audiences and channels, including media, social media and digital
• Strong understanding of humanitarian and development issues and rights-based work
• Experience of working with people at all levels in a multi- cultural / global environment
• Work on own initiative with strong organisational skills, to manage a wide and varied workload
• Work enthusiastically as part of a team and form effective and constructive working relationships across the whole organisation and wider network within sector

Desirable:

• Multimedia skills such as photography, filming and video editing
• Languages: French, Spanish

Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable:

• We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent.
• We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

We strive for lasting impact:

• We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls.
• We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

We work well together:

• We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors.
• We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals.
• We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering:

• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace.
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

Physical Environment:

• This post may be based at any Plan International Office with good communications links.
• The post-holder will be expected up to 25% of the time, sometimes at short notice, to join emergency responses.  When on deployment, work is demanding, involving long days, travel and subsistence in often challenging circumstances.

Level of contact with children

• Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children

Salary

• Salary & applicable benefits will be set according to your location. If based in the UK the salary would be circa £45,000 PA

Application Closing Date
8th March, 2023 (5:00pm GMT)