23233 Media and Communications Officer (P)new

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission (COM) in Conakry, Guinea, and the direct collaboration with the Programme/Project Managers, and in close coordination with the Media and Communications Unit (MCU) at the Regional Office (RO) of West and Central Africa in Dakar and the Media and Communications Division (MCD) in Geneva, the Media and Communications Officer will assist with the implementation of internal and external communication and media-related activities for IOM in Conakry, Guinea. In light of the rise in irregular migration and the abuses suffered by migrant’s en-route, notably in Libya, the scale of IOM’s response in West Africa is growing exponentially. The successful candidate will support the preparation and coordination of communications outputs from migrants who have been returned voluntarily to their countries of origin, to share such stories with the communities, the media, the general public, and internally within IOM, with a focus on awareness-raising in Conakry, Guinea.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Facilitate the proper coordination of the awareness-raising strategy in the country.
2. Recommend and organize outreach activities and assist the Chief of Mission in carrying out initiatives that promote IOM’s image and increase the awareness of IOM activities in the country.
3. Inform the Chief of Mission and Programme/Programme Managers on media and communication issues/campaigns.
4. Participate in inter-agency media and communication working groups to encourage information flow across agencies and to contribute to the development of complementary media strategies.
5. Inform field and programme staff in the sub-offices on issues relating to public information and media and communication.
6. Contribute to the design and preparation of appropriate information campaigns for a variety of target groups. Draft detailed cost projections and timelines for executing each element of the strategy.
7. Utilize social media communication tools (including but not limited to Twitter, Facebook, IOM website) to increase awareness of IOM’s work in Conakry, Guinea.
8. Participate in Country Office (CO) key events and workshops and undertake field duty travel as needed in order to acquire material, including photographs of work being undertaken in the field, that would promote IOM with donors and governments.
9. Check that all multimedia materials used in the public domain have the necessary consent forms on file, including digital consent forms through use of the Community Response App.
10. Work closely with Media and Communication Division in Headquarters (HQ) to coordinate news stories, features and Global campaigns.
11. Liaise closely with IOM Conakry, Guinea Programme/Project Managers to regularly update the CO website.
12. Assist the Programme Unit with regular reporting, infographics and situation reports.
13. Contribute to the development of IOM communications strategy for communicating about irregular migration, including development of a centralized system for knowledge sharing and information management.
14. Check that there is appropriate gender parity and awareness in all IOM communications.
15. Contribute towards the coordination of IOM’s media outreach with the UN Humanitarian Communications team and other international and news agencies.
16. Coordinate the development of social mobilization strategies and tools to strengthen information campaigns in Ebola-affected areas.
17. Contribute towards the production of various media resources for affected populations based on key messages and concerns in the context of the Joint Initiative project (funded by the European Union).
18. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Mass Communication, Journalism, Public Information, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with two years of relevant professional experience; or,
• University degree in the above fields with four years of relevant professional experience.

Accredited Universities are those listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database.

Experience

• Experience in media and communications;
• Previous experience in writing and reporting in international and crisis contexts; and,
• Practical experience in multitasking, prioritizing, and working independently.

Skills

• Proven ability to produce quality work accurately and concisely according to set deadlines;
• Strong organizational and editorial skills;
• Ability to understand the Organization’s structure and portfolios; and,
• Ability to work effectively and harmoniously in a team of colleagues of varied cultural and professional backgrounds.

Languages

For this position, English and French is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish) and/ or a West African language is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.