WACC Communications Coordinator – ACT Global Climate Project At ACT Alliance

Position type: Full time
Contract type: Indefinite
Position at %: 100%
Deadline for applications: April 16, 2021

The successful candidate for this position as WACC Communications Coordinator – ACT Global Climate Project will implement the communications for the ACT Alliance’s Global Climate Project and other ACT communications, and will work with the ACT advocacy team on climate justice.

About ACT Alliance

ACT Alliance is a coalition of more than 135 churches and affiliated organizations working together to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalized people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality. ACT Alliance works in three targeted areas: humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and advocacy action. The global ACT Alliance secretariat is based in Geneva Switzerland, Amman Jordan, Bangkok Thailand, Brussels Belgium, San Salvador El Salvador, Nairobi Kenya, New York USA and Toronto Canada. The Secretariat supports the work of ACT forums and members by fulfilling key functions of connecting, facilitating, promoting and leveraging the work of members and ACT national and regional forums. For more details about the general work of ACT, please refer to http://www.actalliance.org/

1. Major functions summary

The Communications Coordinator takes the lead and implements a number of initiatives and projects:

• They will oversee the internal and external communications of the ACT Global Climate Project, supporting the various structures at global, regional and national levels in the implementation of climate change and sustainable development projects (50%).
• They will contribute to building the ACT brand visibility and to manage the organisation’s reputation both at the secretariat and members’ level through working as part of the communications team of the ACT secretariat supporting and ensuring excellence in communications.
• They will coordinate with ACT Alliance forums, members and partners at regional and national levels to help build ACT member and group capacities, to facilitate increased collaboration and joint initiatives.

2. Duties and Responsibilities

The Coordinator will significantly contribute to the implementation of the communications and advocacy strategies for the ACT Alliance in the context of the climate justice and sustainable development agenda. This includes:

• Internal communication: Ensuring that all the relevant colleagues, members and partners receive timely and appropriate communication and information. This involves:
  • Supporting the drafting, editing and layout of policy briefs, toolkits, newsletters and messages to the alliance and other actors.
  • Assisting with communications and advocacy work within the regions;
  • Moderating online communication platforms;
  • Supporting the communications team to implement the digital communications strategy of the alliance;
  • Developing and maintaining a support network of staff in ACT member organisations to assist with resource-sharing and collaboration;
  • Ensuring relevant member and partners’ enquiries are handled effectively and professionally.
• Media relations: Building and maintaining media relations; undertaking media work and monitoring coverage.
• Event communications coordination and visibility: Identifying opportunities and ensuring visibility of ACT Alliance at key events; project managing communication aspects related to ACT’s presence at UNFCCC events.
• Materials development: Undertaking and managing the development of ACT materials including publications, brochures and materials, including the Annual Report, for use in a variety of contexts, and ensuring their appropriate and timely dissemination.
• Writing/editing: Writing and editing quality stories for the ACT website and editing relevant policy and/or other documents; drafting newsletters and reports.
• Fieldwork: Carrying out fieldwork and partner visits when required.
• Liaison between the Advocacy and Communications teams: As a member of both teams, act as the link between the two, bringing information, requests, etc., back and forth.

3. Competences

• Committed to the values of the ACT Alliance and takes pride in delivering on agreed priorities according to the highest standards individually and as part of a global team.
• Proactively finds innovative and creative solutions, is efficient and reliable, adapts to change and uncertainty, is decisive and acts with integrity.
• Builds effective internal and external relationships, involves others when solving problems and treats others with consideration and respect in an alliance where faith is a key ingredient of people’s lives.
• Passion for building and developing core skills for the role and contributes knowledge outside of immediate own role.

4. Working relationships

The candidate will be required to establish and cultivate relations with ACT secretariat staff in all ACT offices, as well as with member organisations.

• Internally, the Coordinator will report to the Director of Communications, and collaborate closely with the advocacy team and communications team, as well as the regional representatives and humanitarian coordinators in the regions, to identify appropriate humanitarian, development and advocacy work for profiling in ACT communications and across the membership.
• Externally, the Coordinator will liaise with relevant ACT members, ecumenical actors and other partners to build relationships across the alliance, increase member capacity and foster trust and allegiance among members.

5 Technical skills and experience

• At least 5 years’ experience in a project coordination, advocacy and/or communications role, including international experience in a network setting.
• Experience in working with the mass media, including social media, capacity building and strategic communications and campaigns.
• Deep understanding of global civil society working on environment and multilateral processes within the UN with a particular focus on UNFCCC and the UN sustainable development and disaster risk reduction agenda an asset.
• Experience engaging with governments, working within the faith sector and facilitating multi-stakeholder communications and dialogues an asset.
• Fluent English written and verbal communication skills. Good knowledge of Spanish and/or French an asset.
• Advanced degree in communications, journalism, public relations or relevant discipline an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-cultural situations and/or multi-locational settings using a flexible, collaborative approach.
• Working knowledge of Adobe InDesign and/or other design programmes.
• Demonstrated competency to build and maintain trust among diverse groups towards consistent collaborative work.
• Highly organised, with strong project management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and undertaking capacity building initiatives.
• Track record of building and maintaining strong relationships with global media houses.
• Strong experience and understanding of issues regarding branding and marketing.
• Ability to manage own work and time within the context of multiple responsibilities and projects, and a demonstrated capacity to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Some travel will be required.