Global Communications Officer

About us:

RET International is an independent, impartial, non-partisan, non-for-profit organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 2000 by Mrs Sadako Ogata (former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).

RET is committed to working in emergencies, in protracted crises, and in fragile contexts to alleviate the deepest sufferings, build people’s resilience and enhance their self-reliance.

We believe we are amongst the leading NGOs to provide tailor-made solutions and relevant programs to bridge the gaps and respond to the real needs and challenges of the communities. We aim to provoke significant positive change, enabling particularly vulnerable youth and young women to take control of their lives and fulfill their social and economic rights.

We stand with people, with refugees, returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s), alongside the host communities adopting the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

Overview:

Communications Department is in charge of RET’s institutional identity, brand narrative, public and media relations and employee engagement under RET’s Support Services. Global Communications Officer under the supervision of RET’s Chief of Staff leads the identification, development, and implementation of communications strategy and action plan for the various target audiences encompassing institutional, governmental, intergovernmental and private sector organizations and individuals.

The Global Communications Officer develops and implements a Public and Media Relations Strategy that promotes a better understanding of RET’s key messages to RET’s various target audiences and stakeholders.

Moreover, the Global Communications Officer manages global internal communications strategy, leads all aspect of employee engagement such that all RET staff can understand RET’s mandate, mission, vision statements as well as overall operations. The Global Communications Officer is also responsible for maintaining and updating the core institutional tools, communications archives, digital communications, and institutional content generation.  

Reporting Line: Global Communications Officer reports to the Chief of Staff. 

Occupation: Global Communications Officer is a full-time position. 

Place of Work: Global Communications Officer is a remote position, with occasional travels to RET’s countries of operations.  

Main Responsibilities 

 A).  External Communications

• Develop and maintain all donor communications materials as follows.
• Serve as the Ambassador of the RET’s mandate, mission, and vision statements as well as represent an overall overview of RET operations; work together with RET President & CEO, and Chiefs to review the RET’s mandate, mission, and vision from time to time, always to stay relevant and contemporary.
• Regularly review the entire portfolio of RET and competitive websites to ensure the static content of the RET sites are up to date (for website articles see section above), well translated and that they function properly for the end user ;
• Develop the digital & content strategy, manage its execution, and measure its impact/reach for websites; social media; newsletters; webinars…etc.); develop and maintain new websites, as necessary.
• Developing a digital fundraising strategy; developing awareness-raising campaigns to drive traffic to RET and to mobilize resources.
• Ensuring that all digital communication projects/programs at country levels are executed in conformance with legal, regulatory, risk, info security, and other applicable communications standards;
• Providing editorial guidance for presentations, e-mails and communications materials to both EMEA and LAC Bureaux;
• Support the President & CEO by updating or developing new donor documents and presentations for both in-person and online donor and Board meetings. These take the form of ad hoc requests made by the President & CEO;

 Public & Media Relations 

• Develop and implement a PR strategy that promotes a better understanding of RET’s key messages to RET’s various targeted audiences and stakeholders; 
• Lead all aspects of media relations to advance RET’s communications and brand objectives.

B).  Internal Communications  

• Cascade overall communications strategy with institutional key messages to the entire operations team with guidelines for execution to RET’s two bureaux, EMEA and LAC.
• Manage global internal communications strategy by supervising internal Brand and Communications SharePoint Site ;
• Lead all aspects of employee engagement such that all RET staff can understand RET’s mandate, mission, and vision statements as well as overall operations ;
• Work closely with the technical teams to ensure that internal and external plans are aligned ;
• Monitor donor opinion and feedback for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of the information dissemination strategy and provides feedback to inform ongoing activities and future programming ;
• Maintain and update the core institutional identity tools ( Communications policies and manuals) such as the “RET Institutional Identity Manual”, the “RET Visual Identity Manual”, the “RET Communications Toolkit”, the “RET Operational Communications Manual” the “RET Institutional Identity Manual…etc ;
• Ensure that the RET Communications Archives are regularly updated with the communications material developed in the regions ;
• Ensure that any content has passed the “security and consent” tests before external publication, according to the guidelines developed in RET’s Institutional Communications Manual ;
• Coordinate the production of communications materials primarily, but not exclusively, in the EMEA and LAC regions ;
• Ensure there are Communications Focal Points in all countries within the EMEA and LAC regions ;
• Develop and implement the annual donor visibility plan;
• Present project progress and ‘storytelling’ of the project to multiple audiences (donor focal points: decision-makers) based on the findings from progress reports and various narrative reports such as baseline studies, fact-finding reports etc.

C).  Responsibilities as a RET Team member

 In addition, like all RET Staff

Comply with internal policies, ensuring that activities and their performance comply with what is established in RET’s Code of Conduct, Prevention from Sexual Abuse, Exploitation and Abuse (PSEASH) Policy and Procedures  (P&P) and other P&P Manuals;

Work as a team member to achieve RET’s goals;

Manage in a transparent way RET’s resources, fulfilling effectively and efficiently the tasks entrusted;

Propose, constructively, alternative solutions to problems that arise in the work area;

1. Core Competencies

As a writer,  

• Must have the capacity to think strategically and view communications as a critical tool to reach the objectives of the organisation;
• Must have a strong capacity to synthesise complex issues and a strong inclination towards clarity of thought;
• Must be fluent in English and French, with Spanish professional proficiency desirable. 

As a designer;

• Must be familiar with art direction and design software, such as ­­­­­for all media executions.
• Must have a capacity and natural inclination to closely follow security and consent verifications, internal procedures and rules;

Respect for confidentiality ;

Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to RET’s core values and humanitarian principles;

Adaptability: Works and lives in a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner in line with the humanitarian nature of RET’s core activities;

Sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity, has the experience and ability to function and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally acceptable manner.

At least five years of relevant experience in communications, social media and digital campaign management is required.

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

How to Apply:

Please submit your resume and  cover letter in English until 31 May 2023 to recruitment@theRET.org

Please indicate in the subject of your message: “Global Communications Officer”.

Due to the urgency to fill this post, RET reserves the right to review the CVs on a rolling basis and selected candidates may be interviewed prior to the closing dates listed, therefore early applications are encouraged. RET is not in a position to respond to every applicant individually due to the anticipated high number of applications. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the first interview.