Strategic Communication Advisor

Context & Mission

As part of the communications and fundraising department based in Geneva/Dakar, the Strategic Communication Advisor (SCA) position is one of the five public positioning referent to provide strategic advice, coordination and execution from a public positioning perspective including visibility and local communications.

The strategic communications Advisor is the referent and the first responder for a portfolio of countries and/or topics for all public positioning and communications matter (internal/external).

He/She initiates, develops and drives validation on PR strategies for OCG countries and topics, developing compelling messaging for public audiences as well as media plan and partnerships in line with Telling It as It is vision.

Under the leadership of the relevant Operational Program Managers and in collaboration with the relevant Advocacy Advisor, he/she has a senior role to play in providing his/her analysis, contributing inputs about positioning, advices on tactics as well as identifying messages and powerful tools for a portfolio of countries and themes. Positioning discussion should happen in triangular mode between RP, SCA and AA and with other inputs (negotiation, UREPH, Dirop, GD…) when relevant.

She/he validates a regular flow of information on MSF response to humanitarian crises, both within OCG, the movement and externally, and liaises with international media, in partnership with the existing units in the department of operations and the department of communications and fundraising, with the 4 other OCs, the new entities and the hubs.

She/he goes to the field to cover MSF emergency response, particularly but not only for the countries in his/her portfolio, and act as a sparring and strategic partner of our program managers, heads of mission and field coms staff.

Responsibilities

Main responsibilities are :

• Under the leadership of the appropriate Operational Program Managers and in collaboration with the relevant Advocacy Advisor, initiates, engages in, and contributes strategic advice to discussions about the context and issues. This involves providing analysis, relevant inputs, and guidance on tactics.
• Is expected to propose and lead the implementation of strategies for public positioning and communications, including engagement strategies, messaging, and tools, in order to effectively communicate MSF's mission and activities. This effort should be in consultation with Program Managers, Heads of Mission, and field communications staff.
• Gathers, develops, and ensures the accuracy of information through thorough research, turning it into accessible narratives.
• Possesses a keen sense for news, actively seeking methods to convey stories and their impact via compelling articles, video scripts/narrations, social media posts/strategies, and making decisions concerning content while providing solutions.

Education

• Tertiary degree in a relevant discipline such as political science, international relations, journalism, communication management or public relations

Experience

• Proven experience in journalism and/or communications, and/or content generation (inside or outside of MSF) in the humanitarian sector, and/or MSF OPS experience
• Excellent public communications skills and sound knowledge of the media environment
• Proven capacity to work in stressful environment and to tight deadlines
• A year of MSF and/or field experience a strong asset.
• An understanding of humanitarian interventions, their principles and ethics.
• Track record of developing successful communications

Skills/ Technical competencies

• Solid understanding of dilemmas associated with humanitarian assistance
• Strong knowledge of crisis communications and public relations skills
• Available to travel to the field with very short notice for a cumulative minimum of eight weeks per year
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills including ability to accurately synthesize complex and sensitive material to produce content for publication
• Demonstrated understanding of how media works at national, local and international level
• Ability to deliver multiple simultaneous projects

Languages

• Highly effective oral and written communication skills in English
• Ability to understand oral and spoken French is a strong asset
• Knowledge of a local language

Personal Abilities

• Aligns with the core values of MSF
• Demonstrates behaviours in ways of working: Articulate, creative, strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly, innovate fearlessly, tenacious.

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position 100% (40h/week)
• Open-ended contract
• Working place: Geneva
• Ideal start date: June 2024
• Gross annual salary (for 100%): from CHF 93’504.- to CHF 107’280.- (salary commensurate with equivalent experience and internal salary grid)
• Paid vacation: 25 days per year, prorate temporis, plus any Swiss public holidays falling within the contract period.
• Pension plan: pension contribution covered 3/4 by MSF, 1/4 by staff member
• Relocation package if moving from a different country to Switzerland.

How to apply

Candidates submit their application following the requirements: CV 2 p. max. – letter of motivation 1p. max. – in French or English.

Deadline for application is 28 April 2023.

We reserve the right to close the position early if we consider the number and quality of applications received to be sufficient.

The applications will be treated confidentially.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Only applications submitted on our recruitment platforms will be considered.

Please note that we do not wish to use the services of recruitment or placement agencies.

At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our staff members. We strive to create workplaces where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together for the social mission of MSF to create better outcomes for our patients and the communities we work with.

We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, ethnicities, background, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.

MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference checks.