Communication Advisor - Cell 5 at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)

MAIN FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSABILITIES

• The CA core role is to advise the Operations staff on strategic communications based on a good understanding of the context of countries within their portfolio, MSF’s operations and the dynamics of the communications environment relevant to the portfolio. The CA guides and supports field communication teams who are working closely with missions in developing & implementing communication strategies and plans aimed at achieving operational priorities and objectives. S/he also supports field communication teams in addressing communication needs and requests relayed from the MSF movement. And s/he contributes to achieving MSF’s social mission of bearing witness (temoignage) and speaking out outlined in our strategic communication orientations.

Communications Strategy

• Together with the team in the cell unit and, jointly with the field coms teams working with the missions, assesses communication needs and priorities in order to advise and support in defining and designing a communication strategy and plan of activities to meet the objectives for each country/project;
• Advises and works with the cell, the mission and advocacy/humanitarian affairs colleagues, as needed, on MSF’s public positioning linked to the operations and to the issues identified as priorities where we operate; contributing to bearing witness (temoignage), drawing attention, alerting, mobilizing and/or denouncing on situations and conditions of populations we are assisting, as well as to ensure transparency and accountability towards our different stakeholders at local, regional and  global levels
• Works closely with the operational colleagues at both HQ and field levels to define the communication objectives and messaging and based on the targeted audience, propose the most optimum way in terms of format and channel to ensure the relevance and impact of the communication;
• Advises and supports field communication teams in implementing and assessing impact of communications strategies;
• Works closely with the OCBA Digital Advisor for operational communications to ensure operations and field communications teams engage in proper analysis of digital needs and integrate them in the overall communication strategies and plans as well as properly equip them to address these specific needs;
• Coordinates with CAs from other Operational Centers covering the same portfolio of countries to inform and understand each other’s priorities, strategies and plans, collaborate when possible on joint initiatives and enable intersectional field communication resources to implement our respective activities;
• Works in collaboration with Advocacy Managers/Humanitarian Affairs Officers (HAOs), members of OCBA’s reflection and analysis team (ARHP) to support advocacy efforts on topics and issues at stake in the countries covered according to the needs;
• Works in collaboration with the communications hubs based in the region to identify opportunities of media and digital engagement at international, regional and local levels and reinforce overall the implementation and impact of the communication strategies defined for the countries in the region.

Communication Assessment, Monitoring, Analysis & Reporting

• Ensures with the support of the field communication resources, digital advisor and regional communication hubs as needed that the communication landscape (traditional and digital) is integrated in the context analysis of the country and is regularly updated (through the country communication framework, digital assessments);
• Ensures with the support of the field communication resources and digital advisor that monitoring is in place and is relayed to the operational colleagues;
• Keeps abreast of the public discourse, debates, narratives around the countries/projects/issues of the portfolio to advise Operations on opportunities for public positioning that would contribute to achieving operational objectives;
• Contributes to assessing risks identified by operations and advises on the role and potential impact of public positioning in mitigating those risks;
• Follows and analyzes the changing communications environment particularly on audience, segmentation, consumption of media, tools, timing, platforms, dissemination, etc.
• Supports field communication teams in assessing and reporting back on impact of coms initiatives by engaging relevant regional communication hubs, partner sections, IO depending on the targeted audience to gather their respective feedback;
• Overall contributes to reporting on OCBA’s operational communication unit’s goals and metrics linked to OCBA’s strategic orientations.

Media management

• Advises and supports field coms teams in their media dissemination strategies including identification and segmentation of audience, deciding on choices of channels and types of content, as well as engaging relevant colleagues in the movement to optimize impact of communications. This includes proactively connecting the field and the region-based communications hubs as well as partner sections to maximize impact of the communication.
• Maintaining a network of media representatives following their relevant contexts and issues and facilitating exchanges between them and cell/field colleagues;
• Identify partnership opportunities with media in collaboration with MSF Spain’s media unit and that of other partner sections or regional hubs for communication initiatives (production and dissemination);
• Supports, facilitates and manages as needed with the field communication teams direct media requests and those from the movement, including field visits;
• Closely monitors the way contextual evolutions/MSF operations are reported in the media for each country/project to alert Operations and other CAs anytime an issue might/has come out in the media and provide guidance on how to handle it, together with Field Communications.

Crisis Management

• Provides strategic advice to the desk and supports field coms teams in ensuring monitoring is in place, coms strategies (incl. scenarios, coms responses) are in place and relevant material is produced and shared for both internal and external communication;
• Acts as a key member of crisis incident management team when put in place;
• Contributes to crisis management related reviews and trainings

Field operations & communications support

• Provides direct comms support through regular field assignments to the projects as needed (emergency, priority dossier, gap-filling…) and, together with the Field Communications resources (if in place), carry out field visits to assess communication needs, better understand the communications/media environment, define communication priorities with the field and coordination teams and support in developing key documents and material (e.g. a Country Communications Framework).
• Briefs and debriefs expatriates going to/from the field about MSF´s communications practices, guidelines, expectations and activities;
• Participates in the conception, preparation and implementation of communication training modules for both field operations and communications staff;
• Provides media/communications training to key spokespeople in the field and conduct information sessions on the role of communications to local staff, if Field Communications staff is not in place;
• Supports recruitment of Field Communications staff and provides induction about MSF’s communications practices, guidelines, expectations and activities;
• Advises and supports field coms teams by establishing concrete objectives, assisting them in prioritizing their workload, providing guidance and training, conducting appraisals & debriefings at the end of their assignment as well as supporting them in the implementation of their work as outlined in the earlier points;

Content Production

• Oversees the production of communications materials gathered by field communication resources or directly by him/her (from field assignment), for the various audiences and channels targeted;
• Ensures that communications initiatives are made with proper preparation, implementation and dissemination (e.g. communication initiative framework, dissemination strategy, etc.) by engaging relevant colleagues (Creative Content Unit, relevant regional hubs or partner sections); 
• Ensures that communications strategies, action plans and materials, including those created by Field Communications teams, are consistent and compliant with MSF´s identity, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion guidelines and ethical standards;
• Works closely with the Creative Content Unit, relevant regional comms hubs or potential external partners, to jointly define and develop creative projects on OCBA’s operational comms priorities; 
• Contributes to- content for various MSF internal and external publications, such as the annual International Activity Report, newsletters, etc.;
• As needed, and in close coordination with Creative Content Unit and field comms teams, occasionally collects material (stories, digital content, photos, videos, etc.) and contributes to the production of content for external dissemination.

Coordination, Back up & On call

• Participates in the relevant cell and operational meetings as needed;
• Participates and engages regularly with other communication colleagues from other sections covering same portfolio (regular calls, meetings); 
• Participates in the regular operational communication team and wider communication department meetings;
• Meets regularly and coordinates production of content with members of the Creative Content Unit;
• Covers temporarily for other team members or upon request of the Head of Operational Communication on other countries or topics;
• S/he is “on-call” for emergency communications some weekends and evenings.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Degree in communications, journalism, political science or other related degrees;
• Minimum four years of professional experience in communications/ advocacy/ humanitarian affairs with an international NGO;
• Knowledge and understanding of the media landscape internationally and regionally;
• Proven skills and experience in digital engagement and social media;
• Field experience with MSF or another humanitarian organization – highly desirable;
• Direct experience and knowledge of the region of the portfolio and its different political/humanitarian stakes;
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading in English / French and main language of the region. Knowledge of other languages of the region is an asset;
• Good understanding of humanitarian interventions, their principles and ethics;
• Track record of developing successful communication strategies;
• Experience in production of communications tools (written, digital and multimedia);
• Ability to analyze and synthesize complex and sensitive material accurately to produce content.

Others

• Ability to handle a large volume of work and know how to prioritize ongoing vs. immediate needs appropriately;
• Strong capacity to deal with stress and short deadlines;
• Availability to travel to unstable contexts with very short notice;
• Possibly spends around 20-30% of his/her annual working time in the field.