Communications Coordinator Responsible To: Chief of Party Location: Jijiga Contract Duration: 1 year Salary: To be confirmed - please state your salary expectations Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin. Closing date: 6th June 2012
Please note this is an unaccompanied position.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date. Please note the job offer will be conditional upon the grants being awarded.
Merlin Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
Our mission is to end the needless loss of life in the poorest countries caused by a lack of effective health care. We help communities set up medical services for the long term including hospitals, clinics, surgeries and training for nurses and other health workers.
We do whatever it takes and we stay for as long as it takes.
Context and Background Merlin has been working in Ethiopia since March 2003. At that time operations were started in Oromiya Region, one of the areas worst affected by a prolonged drought. Merlin’s programs focus mainly on the provision of primary healthcare services through mobile and static clinics but include also community-based water and sanitation programs and community based nutrition programmes. Currently Merlin is maintaining three interventions in the country. Merlin’s health programs in Ethiopia are implemented in coordination with the respective Regional Health Bureaus (MoH).
In April 2008 Merlin started an Emergency health care support project in Gode Zone, located in Somali Region, in the South-Eastern part of Ethiopia and bordering neighbouring Somalia. It is said to be the poorest region in Ethiopia and has an approximate population of more than 4.5 million. Recent assessments in the region show a deterioration of the humanitarian situation with food prices increasing on a monthly basis and trade restrictions continue to adversely affect an already very fragile food security situation.
Cyclical droughts and floods in the past four years have led to the depletion of livestock and the reduction of agricultural output in a largely pastoral community. A long-standing violent conflict between two armed rebel groups and the Ethiopian Army continues to aggravate the situation for the population and access of humanitarian aid to certain areas is sometimes impeded. In Somali Region Merlin has a built a good relationship with the Regional government and local communities through programmes which provide nutrition; preventive and curative healthcare; and reproductive health services. In addition, in 2011 Merlin responded to an AWD and bloody diarrhea outbreak and drought in Somali Region with life-saving health and nutrition services for population in displacement and host populations.
Main purpose of the role The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has released a tender for a consortium lead to build the capacity of the Regional government in Somali region to deliver basic services in health, education and WASH. Merlin is leading a consortium of partners in response to this tender. Under the responsibility of the Chief of Party (CoP), you will be the key contact between the donor, the authorities, and the various stakeholders for this project. You will therefore filter all external communication and ensure that it is in line with the donors’ guidelines and the government’s regulations. You will work closely with the M&E Coordinator to present information and reports in a clear and compelling manner, appropriate to the audience, and will extract the most relevant information to be shared more widely. You will also develop and implement the communication strategy and subsequent action plans. You will need to ensure copyright for all stakeholders are respected and coordinate all communications materials and activities in line with the communications strategy and organisational objectives.
Overall Objectives (scope) • With support from the Chief of Party, you will be responsible for coordinating all communications activities and materials both internally and externally. • Be responsible for writing a communications strategy ensuring the dissemination of results to beneficiaries, partners, government and DfID. • Be aware of the specific communications challenges and ensure materials are appropriate for the audience and that donor guidelines and government regulations are met. • Be the main communications point of contact between the consortium and Dfid • Develop reports with the M&E Coordinator to different audience sin a compelling manner. • Ensure all materials have appropriate copyright • Develop a communications strategy for the consortium in line with the objectives. • Develop and implement efficient systems for communications collateral and ensure correct usage across the consortium. • Work with the medias as and when appropriate
Responsibilities Communications
• Support the Chief of Party to develop and implement the communications strategy, cost-effectively and creatively. • Draft, finalise and distribute all communications materials as required to appropriate audiences. • Oversee the development of reports including coordinating the input from other agencies within the consortium and external agencies where required and ensure effective marketing plans are in place. • Project manage all aspects of communications work. • Implement and develop a system to ensure that the film, photo and audio materials are kept up to date and appropriate pictures are identified and tagged appropriately to ensure all communications collateral is easily accessible. • Brief and commission agencies, photographers and producers to create communications collateral • Sourcing and hiring photographers and film producers as required • Ensure materials are compliant within the consortium, government bodies and for DfID and distribute appropriately. • Act as the main point of contact for communication queries and media. • Champion the programme within the consortium and at external events. • Lead with the communities and the media appropriately to promote the benefits of the program
Dimensions and Limits of Authority
• Responsible for communications strategy and its delivery • Authority for signing off materials • Authority for commissioning external suppliers • Responsible for reporting to beneficiaries, government and DfID • Representing Merlin at appropriate meetings, building relationships in order to increase awareness and support. • Responsible for engagement in media.
Person Specification Essential Qualifications, experience and competences
• Strong experience of creating and communication communications material • Relevant experience/knowledge of Public Relations and working with media • Strong experience of working overseas in an unstable environment • Good understanding of sensitivity and appropriateness of the content and format of the information shared externally • Experience of working in East Africa • Strong experience of liaising with a donor/funding organisations • Good experience of communications collateral management (photo, film and audio) • Good experience of writing documents that are suited to the audience • Good experience of ensuring materials are compliant with guidelines and consistent • Proven ability to think and write creatively • Substantial project management skills, from planning and development, to delivery • Excellent attention to detail • Strong communication skills with excellent written and spoken English • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office • Experience of developing materials for national and international audiences within appropriate guidelines • Experience of designing materials (leaflets, presentations) • Experience of working with multiple organisations or with multiple structures • Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions, cultures and organisations to build consensus and reach agreements • Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines • Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission, values and behaviours
Desirable Qualifications, experience and competences
Experience of working in Ethiopia Experience of reputation management Strong communication skills with excellent written and spoken Amharic/Somali Experience of working with Dfid
Data Protection Please note that in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act, Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purpose of recruitment and employment. This information can be stored in manual and/or electronic form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.
To apply for this position To apply for this job, please email your CV stating your availability and salary expectations toapplications@merlin.org.uk.
Please state in the email subject line “PDP + Communications Coordinator”
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