Job Purpose:

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the WGEO Director-General, the Communications Manager provide and responsible for ensuring seamless communication, effective coordination, and support for the Director General’s office. The role requires managing communication channels, coordinating organizational activities, along with secretarial role and minutes of meetings, and supporting media and photography needs to enhance visibility and promote the organization’s objectives. Communication support to the work of the WGEO Director- General and efficient functioning of the WGEO Director-General Office, provides high level support and analytical services, ensuring high quality of work, accurate, timely and properly recorded/ documented services. The Communications Manager ensure that the WGEO communicates and reports on its strategic focus and activities clearly, coherently and consistently, to stakeholders and the wider public, so as to promote transparency, accountability and understanding of the WGEO’s work.

The Communications Manager also plays an important role in advocating key WGEO messages to a broad range of external stakeholders. Provides hands on support to the communications needs on WGEO joint programs, projects, and activities. The Communications Manager works in close collaboration with the communications and coordination staff, UN Agencies/ IGO/ and NOG’s focal points, national government officials and authorities and other stakeholders to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions agendas, the donor community, civil society, and media. The Communications Manager is also needs to maintain full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

Summary of Key Accountabilities:

• Ensures clear, coherent and consistent communication about the strategic focus and activates of the WGEO Secretariat Office.
• Manages media relations on behalf of WGEO Director-General – prepares press releases, responding to enquiries, developing and managing media outreach plans as required, and ensuring that material for the media can be readily used by the media and understood by the public.
• Supports internal WGEO communication among international agencies, by preparing regular updates on events and activities.
• Supports advocacy campaigns for the WGEO Secretariat Office as a whole as well as for the WGEO Director-General
• Provide strategic advice and overall support to WGEO Director-General and Secretariat Office team, and secretarial role for the Director General and manage the minutes of meetings and schedule of meetings.
• Facilitation of knowledge building and management

Key Accountabilities:

• Manages and elaborates content on the WGEO website, one of the principal mediums of communications of the organization, ensuring information is clearly presented, relevant and continuously updated.
• Prepares communications materials for print/electronic/voice/visual media and supports the production of WGEO joint programs results reporting.
• Support the WGEO Director-General Office to draft and disseminate key reports, such as the annual results report, to internal and external audiences.
• Keeps abreast of the activities of all the WGEO Secretariat Office and programs operational, activities and Centers, and regularly updates the WGEO Senior Management team on these (e.g. WGEO in the News, Upcoming Events, & meetings).
• Supports the WEGO Director-General Office in preparing for and organizing public speaking engagements with the preparation of background materials and specking points.
• Provides communication support as need for seminars, lectures, conferences, public events on major issues and events concerning the WGEO.
• Identifies media stories and researches, writes and edits media releases and briefings.
• Identifies media opportunities in print media features, radio and television programs.
• Provides translation of concepts and issues into a form that can be readily used by the media and understood by the public.
• Provides internal consultancy and media advice to staff to ensure that the agreed strategies are implemented and consistency of image is maintained.
• Coordinates with service providers (e.g. printers, designers, photographers, writers, editors, advertising/ marketing/ event coordination agencies).
• Works proactively with Agency communications officers and focal points and the WGEO Secretariat Office team to develop a strategy, related work plan and budget to clearly and consistently convey the WGEO role, as we as the key aims, objectives and results of the WGEO Development framework and other WGEO activities in the Secretariat Office.
• As required, support WGEO Secretariat office, projects, and Centers to prepare press releases and other outreach material.
• For WGEO joint program activities, produces success stories, case studies and features to share with stakeholders and audiences, regularly communicates WGEO joint program progress and impacts online.
• Maintains a photo video database that contains images expressive of the issues, actions and results the WGEO is working on.
• Provides advice on strategic and innovative approaches to communicating the WGEO’s work and supports the planning and implementation of advocacy campaigns directed at a broad range of stakeholders.
• In line with the communications strategy, proactively advocates key WGEO messages in all interaction with media and partners, ensuring consistency and clarity of agreed messages.
• As necessary, manages media relations on behalf of WGEO joint programs-responding to enquiries, developing and managing media outreach plans, drafting material for the media and ensuring that these can be readily used by the media and understood by the public.
• Provides secretarial role for the Director General, minutes of meetings, schedule of meetings, running the office meetings for WGEO activities and program.
• Identification of sources of information related to policy-driven issues. Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to communication goals.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director General consistent with the staff member background and experience and organization needs.

Knowledge / Experience/ Skills:

• University degree equivalent in Communications, social science, economics, business management, political sciences or related field.
• 6+ years (with a Master’s degree) or 8+ years (with a Bachelor’s degree) or relevant experience at the national and international level is required.
• Solid understanding of a broad range of development issues.
• Experience in conceptualizing and managing the production of printed materials, including detailed reports.
• Experience with managing websites, photograph will be an asset.
• Demonstrated experience of dealing with media.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing communication and/ or media outreach plans in support of overall corporate goals, including preparing presentations.
• Demonstrated experience in developing content that clearly communicates development ideas and experiences for media web, print production, and audio-visual productions.
• Experience in overseeing translations work.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc), experience in handling of web-based management systems and ERP systems including basic design software.
• Fluency in English and Arabic.

Required Behaviors:

When defined in numbers of staff, with a very large remit. All of our people need to ensure that they demonstrate the required behaviors in order that we can deliver on our mission. These behaviors underpin everything that we do, both internally and when working with stakeholders.

We are in ambitious organization and know that we can only achieve that ambition through pulling together and using the behaviors that will allow us to optimize our contribution. These are important to all of our roles and are essential for everyone.

• Communication:

We engage in honest, respectful, two-way communication. We actively listen and seek opportunities to share and engage with colleagues and stakeholders. We consider the best way to share information and willingly engage in discussion with others. WE are open, honest and transparent and give and receive clarity.

• Collaboration and teamwork:

We show respect to every colleague and value their expertise, contribution and perspective. We trust each other to be the best they can be and give help and support when its needed.

We willingly share resources, ideas and effort. We actively engage with others and help then to be the best they can be and create win-win solutions.

• Flexibility:

We remain optimistic about what we do and have a positive ‘can do’ attitude. We look for solutions and are proactive in driving performance. We take responsibility for planning, managing risks and getting things done through being helpful and flexible in our approach. We look to build on team strengths and are always willing to step in when additional support in needed.

• A learning organization:

We take opportunities to learn, to share learning and to encourage to do the same. We try new things and experiment in order to help WGEO work successfully with others. We look at things from different perspectives; seeking alternative views and finding ways to become even better at what we do.