Deployable Global Press Officer at Plan International

Role Purpose

• Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Active in over 75 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 post of the Deployable Global Press Officer is an integral part of the team responsible for the development and promotion of Plan International’s external profile in the media as the go to organisation responding in humanitarian emergencies and advancing children’s rights and equality for girls.
• The role involves being deployed to coordinate our communications and messaging in response to humanitarian emergencies. As well as dealing directly with media, the Deployable Global Press Officer creates compelling content and messaging for use by Plan International’s network of communicators.

Dimensions of The Role

• Work as part of the Media Team and in close collaboration with Digital, Humanitarian, Regional, Country Office, Campaign, Humanitarian Advocacy Network and National Organisation colleagues to proactively profile the organisation, its experts and issues.
• Create key messages and compelling content for use in media outreach and across Plan International’s communication network.
• Coordinate global communication responses during humanitarian disasters and emergencies. Deployment into emergency settings, often as part of the first response team as required.
• Reactive media work including monitoring and responding to developments and the news agenda to ensure Plan International is positioned as the ‘go to’ organisation for girls and children’s rights, particularly in relation to humanitarian emergencies.
• The role is primarily to support external communications and global media relations and works closely with humanitarian team including programmes and advocacy colleagues.
• International travel (up to 60%) will be required, including to complex environments.
• The role reports into Head of Global Media & Public Relations

Accountabilities:

• Manage accurate, timely and appropriate responses to media enquiries.
• Look for opportunities to use developments and the international news agenda to drive positive and consistent messaging about Plan International which represents the organisation effectively and raises its profile and reputation as a principled humanitarian agency.
• As part of the international 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.
• 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.
• Identify new and innovative ways of promoting Plan International’s work by creating compelling content for media and promotion across digital channels, and for use by Plan International National Organisations.
• Monitor developments and news in assigned regions / area of work in order to respond swiftly and proactively to opportunities when appropriate. Examples include quickly turning information into strong press releases, statements and opeds.
• Assist regional and CO communications in crisis communications by supporting development of messages and Q&As, as requested by the Head of Global Media and PR.
• Liaise (mostly remotely) with communications teams in programme implementing countries, fundraising offices, regional hubs and advocacy/influencing liaison offices.
• Play a full part in coordination of dynamic communications coverage of disaster and emergency response operations, stepping into a lead role, if required.
• Track media coverage of Plan International and use insights gained to refine future pitches, feature development, messaging and story ideas.
• Build strong contacts with international media with demonstrable impact on coverage.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Given the nature of the role, the post holder will be expected to share on-call responsibilities with other members of the media team.
• Advise, support and coach country office communications colleagues – mostly remotely.
• Support Plan International’s global, regional and national marketing and advocacy campaigns and initiatives, working with other departmental staff as the need arises.
• 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 team worker who can operate in a large organisation and deliver results by collaboratively working with others as well as autonomously.
• Proactively develop and strengthen productive relationships with key global media contacts and outlets in assigned regions and specialist areas.
• Work closely with Humanitarian, regional and country-based colleagues in the assigned regions; build relations and offer guidance, support and coaching as required.
• Work collaboratively and supportively with other teams, National Organisations, Country Offices, Liaison Offices, partner organisations and external contacts.
• To work positively with other Communication Department colleagues – including the video unit, multimedia archivist, digital and internal communications teams as well as with freelance photographers and film makers in creating effective press packages and content.

Technical Expertise, Skills And Knowledge
Essential:

• Substantial experience working in journalism, media relations or PR at an international level.
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English with ability to quickly turn around complex information into strong messages and compelling content.
• Track record of writing news articles, features, picture stories, op-eds and press releases and developing vlogs and visual content.
• Proven success at pitching stories to the media and working with journalists.
• Strong understanding of international humanitarian and development issues and rights-based work.
• Practical experience of working in complex emergency settings.
• Ability to organise media visits, set up interviews and brief spokespeople.
• Track record of working on high profile and complex campaigns.
• Track record of handling complex, sensitive and fast-moving situations and work in high pressure environments with tight deadlines.
• Good understanding of social media and digital channels.
• Uses strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, to build relationships, negotiate and persuade a wide range of audiences.
• Easily absorb, adapt and précis reports to write engaging, accurate copy to deadline for different audiences.
• Keeps up to date with key humanitarian and international development issues and trends, and to be able to spot new opportunities as they arise.
• Work on their own initiative with a flexible attitude to work but able to manage a wide and varied workload. Strong organisational skills to deal with a complex work environment.
• Be flexible in multitasking and working with other colleagues within the communications department to help achieve overall efficiency.
• Work enthusiastically as part of a team and form effective and constructive working relationships across the whole organisation and wider network within sector.
• Participate in training and other activities as requested by the organization.
• Good understanding of humanitarian values, principles, the Humanitarian Charter and Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief.

Desirable:

• Multimedia skills including photography, filming and video editing.
• Languages: French, Spanish. Arabic.

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 Office with good communications links.
• The post-holder will be expected to travel regularly – up to 60% 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:

• The job responsibilities of this position require occasional / mid contact with children.