Media & Communications Officer at Oxfam

Internal Job Grade  D1 national
Contract type  Fixed Term (renewable)
Reporting to Head of Influencing & Public Engagements
Staff reporting directly to this post  -      None                        
Key relationships/interactions   Internal: Supply & Logistics team, IPE team, SMT External: NUJ, media houses, Government 

Job Purpose
To coordinate and deliver resources and processes in support of the media and communication component to our programme. To be responsible for delivering the media part of the Nigeria programme working with partners to achieve impact and improvement in the lives of people in Nigeria on the issues relating to agriculture, food security, trade and climate change.

The post holder will also lead, develop and deliver digital strategies and campaigns on GROW, Right to Food, Climate Change Adaptation, women’s land rights and access to credits, Agriculture budget monitoring and advocacy training and Gender Justice. The post holder is required to be a strong team player and contribute to the country programme team work. The role requires capacity to conduct power analysis of political terrain needed for developing advocacy and media and digital campaign plans, strategies and tactics. It demands creativity and proficiency in analysing and synthesizing information to understand issues, identify options and support the Oxfam country team in sound decision making.

Moreover, the post holder is required to support partners to strengthen their capacity for effective advocacy work, train them on advocacy especially media (new and traditional) and campaigning tools, brief government officials, private sector actors, journalists, campaigners and others on the campaign issues above.

Job Responsibilities

• Contribute immensely towards media, digital and communication as part of advocacy development in all programmes
• Agrees on media and communication as part of advocacy issues and together with the relevant programme staff identifies advocacy and communication issues related to Oxfam's work in Nigeria.
• Support Programme Officers in building Networks to carry out advocacy on livelihoods, Market Access and Right To Be Heard issues in Nigeria.
• Design and produce training and educational materials on media and communication for marketing the Oxfam programme, and its GROW campaign
• Develops work plans, individual development plans, and regular reports to the Campaign Manager
• Support programme partners in media and communications related capacity building and ensuring that this is integrated within programmes
• Supports in identifying potential new strategic media partners for Oxfam in Nigeria and develop strategies for working with them.
• Have responsibility for the monitoring and supervision of media as part of advocacy related partner activities and plans in Nigeria by ensuring that these are in line with Oxfam GB strategy in Nigeria
• Document and publish Oxfam's learning in Nigeria by contributing articles briefing notes, media publications and case studies for Oxfam's campaigns.
• Support Oxfam Nigeria staff and partners in getting relevant messages across to target audiences within and outside the organisation on major activities.
• Bulletin in West Africa, our bi-monthly site reps, and other relevant publications.
• Maintain contact with key civil servants, ministries and parliamentarians (Trade, Land, Education, etc) for information and feed these into Oxfam's national media and advocacy work
• Frequently update our Oxfam in Nigeria social media outlets (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc.) and ensure we disseminate information about our program on a weekly basis
• Develop and sustain relationship with the media and the civil society groups in Nigeria to feed into Oxfam's advocacy work.
• Ensure adequate media coverage for all programme activities, functions and press releases/press statements
• Liase with active allies to identify and help them to use rare opportunities to drive Oxfam's corporate advocacy issues in various media outlets in Nigeria
• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (click here) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights (click here). 
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

Persons Specifications
Education:
A minimum of bachelor’s degree in social science, Communication Studies, Development Studies or any other related field.
Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years work experience with at least three (3) years spent in a similar role is essential
• Minimum of three (3) years demonstrable skills and experience in direct and indirect lobbying/ advocacy and campaigning work in this field highly desirable
• Demonstrable broad grasp and understanding of policy issues and policy environment in Nigeria regarding Livelihoods (Market Access, Trade, and Right To Be Heard) and Gender.
• Demonstrable skills and experience in effective media relations
• A demonstrable understanding of NGO media/advocacy work in the context of development
• Experience in capacity building and/or training skills is highly advantageous
• Demonstrable and proven strong conceptual, research, analytical and writing skills
• Demonstrable understanding and experience of gender and diversity issues as it relates to all media work and commitment to addressing inequalities in all the key areas of responsibility.
• Experience of working with Civil Society/ Media Network partners.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to communicate complex ideas in simple language
• Demonstrable ability to work independently, think strategically as well as work within a team
• Creative thinking, developing, designing, or creating new ideas, relationships, systems, or products
• High level interpersonal and diplomatic skills along with awareness of political sensitivities in different settings of Nigeria
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Familiar with the latest trends, tactics and technologies in digital influencing and can link online with offline media.
• Some graphic design skills and ability to develop simple infographics is desirable
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Organisational Values:
Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Key Behavioral Competencies
(based on Oxfam’s Leadership Model)

Competencies 
Decisiveness                 
We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.
Influencing                    
We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organization We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.
Humility                        
We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.
Relationship Building   
We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.
Listening                       
We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear and consider different preferences.
Mutual Accountability   
We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values.  We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.
Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity   
We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.
Systems Thinking           
We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation. We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well unintended consequences of organizational decisions and actions.
Strategic Thinking and Judgment   
We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.
Vision Setting               
We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.
Self-Awareness

We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.
Enabling                 
We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organizations goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job.  We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support.