Website Mercy Corps
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Communication Specialist
Location: Kathmandu with frequent travel to field (Karnali)
Position Status: Full-time, Regular
Salary Level: M1
Current Team Member: N/A
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action – helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future. Mercy Corps has been present in Nepal since 2005.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps is implementing a program to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce future humanitarian caseload and improve the resilience of communities to recurrent shocks in the Karnali Province in Nepal from October 1, 2020. The program is a Multi-Year Emergency Food Security Activity funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, and implemented in 6 districts (Mugu, Jumla, Kalikot, Surkhet, Achham, and Dailekh, with cluster hubs in Surkhet and Jumla) in the Karnali River Basin area. The program, called “Building Hope Along the Karnali River Basin (BHAKARI)”, is somewhat built upon many of the successes of the Nepal team’s previous Food for Peace program which ended in January 2020, the PAHAL program, but with some new districts and a much heavier emphasis on emergency response. It includes program components of agriculture and market systems, disaster risk reduction, water for productive use, natural resources management, and a large emphasis on a gender ad social inclusion approach, all with a highly integrated multi-sectoral approach.
General Position Summary
Working under the supervision of the Communications and SBC Manager, the Communications Specialist will support the implementation of all the communications related activities planned for BHAKARI.
The Communications Specialist will assist the Communications and SBC Manager in planning, implementing, disseminating, and assessing the BHAKARI program communications strategy. The goal of the communication strategy is to increase the visibility of the Program’s goal, approaches, and progress in order to enhance the Program’s credibility and brand. This work also supports the overall country office’s reputation nationally and globally, and support positioning for external collaborations. The Communications Specialist will work directly with the Communications and SBC Manager and provide support to craft the outward image of BHAKARI and to develop policies, practices, templates, learning forums and specific communications activities.
BHAKARI adopts a GESI first approach, and it is a key priority for the entire Mercy Corps Nepal country office. As gender and social inclusion (GESI), safeguarding, governance and environmental sensitivity are cross-cutting and core components of the all MC programs, the Communications Specialist is required to own these components and ensure these components are integrated into their work area.
Description
Essential Job Responsibilities
The specific duties and responsibilities of the Communication Specialist include, but are not limited to, the following:
Program communications support: internal
- Support in implementation of communication tools and mechanism in coordination with the Communications and SBC Manager, such as report and publication templates, photo guidance, success story guidance and templates, social media guidance and samples.
- Support in implementation of communications policies, such a social media policies and personal representation guidance.
- Support the Communications and SBC Manager in matters related to communication.
- Harvest and share stories, lessons learned, and best practices for products, events, and other public opportunities.
- Manage internal database of quality photographs; ensure consent forms are completed and inventoried for every photo. Provide regular guidance to staff on best practices for photos. (NOTE: Mercy Corps communications team globally already has many of these tools and will also provide support).
- Assist the Communications and SBC Manager in producing engaging and informative communication materials (i.e., success stories, program summaries, thought leadership pieces, newsletters, etc.).
Program communications support: external
- Support the Communications and SBC Manager to collect, structure and document project related information for internal and external audiences, government and to ensure that publications are regularly posted and accessible.
- Monitor external media and maintain a roster of focal points of key media platforms.
- Collect project related information for internal Mercy Corps global audiences.
- Provide support in managing the design and content for Mercy Corps Nepal’s external website, and any social media accounts.
SECURITY
- Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
- Proactively ensure that team members and community operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
- Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging participating communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
- Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
OTHERS
- Mercy Corps as a humanitarian agency is expected to respond as and when a crisis and humanitarian situation engulfs. As an MC employee all staff are expected to be part of humanitarian and emergency response in addition to their regular roles and responsibilities.
- Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
- Conduct themselves both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not to jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
- Other duties as assigned by his/her supervisor and or Country Director.
Supervisory Responsibility: NA
Accountability
Reports Directly to: Communications and SBC Manager
Works Directly with: SBC Officer, Cluster Coordinator, Program Leads, Partner Organizations, other support team members.
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Mass communication, Development Studies, Economics, or any other relevant fields. Master’s Degree preferred.
- Minimum 3 years’ relevant professional experience development programs.
- A solid understanding of communications strategies and materials and the program context.
- Experience in communication material design and production process
- Prior experience with USAID funded projects is preferred.
- Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary.
- Strong analytical, communication and organizational skills with attention to detail.
- Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment
- Familiarity with gender mainstreaming and education programs.
- Awareness on the particular needs and related program considerations for vulnerable and marginalized girls.
- Communication and knowledge management design and implementation skill.
- Ability to search for different resources to develop innovative approaches.
- Willingness to travel frequently to remote areas.
- Strong Monitoring and Evaluation skills with demonstrated skills in preparing fact sheet, presentation, and documentation.
- Strong facilitation and consensus-building skills.
- Strong team building and staff handling skills.
- Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player.
- Excellent negotiation, representation, skills and the ability to work comfortably with an ethnically diverse staff in a very sensitive environment.
- Good computer skills, including preliminary research and information gathering from the internet, MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint preparation, design software (Photoshop, Illustration, InDesign, freehand, Adobe Premier Pro package, etc.) is required.
- Strong written and oral presentation and communication skills in both English and Nepali required, including report development, writing, and editing.
Success Factors
The successful Communication Specialist should be a good communicator and high-level understanding and skill of communicating and documenting projects results and best practices. S/he is a skilled communicator and documenter, able to develop and utilize strong relationships with staff, partners and donors. S/he will be a skilled writer and synthesizer of diverse and complex information, helping teams to generate new insights into their works focused to communication and knowledge management areas. S/he will have an ability to think creatively about improving sustainable livelihood, climate change, community based program, and resilience. Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail, as well as strategic vision, are essential.
Application Deadline: Monday 20th Feb,2023