BACKGROUND Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization committed to the relief, assistance and advancement of the poorest people in the least developed countries of the world. Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern Worldwide has nearly 3,000 personnel working in 29 countries across the globe. Concern believes in a world where no one lives in fear; where all have access to a decent standard of living and the opportunities essential to a long, healthy and creative life. Our mission is to help people living in absolute poverty achieve major improvements in their lives, improvements that are sustainable without ongoing support from Concern. Concern Worldwide US is an independent affiliate of Concern Worldwide, with offices in New York and Chicago. Our mandate is to support the work of Concern Worldwide by financially supporting programs, representing Concern with national/international co-funders and organizations, facilitating the recruitment of personnel and raising the organization’s profile. In the area of communications, Concern Worldwide US is recognized by the wider Concern network and peer organizations as a leader in the production of world-class content as an essential tool for building awareness, engagement and income to support life-saving efforts around the globe. Concern Worldwide US also engages in development education programs with the general public and with high schools in the US. THE ROLE Concern is a global leader in content that tells the stories of the world’s poorest people. It will be the responsibility of the Communication Officer, Content to uphold and improve the quality of our storytelling and to help ensure that the content produced is used to the maximum benefit of the organization and the people we serve. In part, this will entail traveling to the countries where Concern works to report on our impact especially through human stories – approximately 30% international travel. It will also involve working from the New York office as a liaison with field staff and colleagues based in Dublin and London to coordinate and meet global content needs. Just as important will be the packaging and placement of material across a broad range of channels, and playing an important part in a team approach to pitching high-value media outlets. Based in New York, the Communications Officer, Content works as part of a seven-person communications unit and reports to the Communications Manager, with ultimate oversight by the Vice President of Communications. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • Collect and package original content, including written stories, photography, and video, that showcases the on-the-ground realities and needs as well as Concern’s impact. This will be done both through field-travel and home office coordination. Identify compelling stories and news angles and capture them through photography, video, and written stories Shoot, edit, and caption photographs and make them available on internal media database for wider organizational use Help draft and edit web stories, blogs, annual report copy, press releases, appeals, brochures, reports, and other communications and fundraising products as needed When in New York, source and/or ghost-write original content in coordination with field offices, the international programs department, and communications colleague, and pitch pieces to outlets Help with media placements, and track and report on those placements, including audience reach, and facilitate internal communications regarding any coverage of Concern in the U.S. and activities of the communications department in general Cultivate relationships with journalists working in-country or in the region so that they are aware of Concern’s work; proactively pitch stories and respond to media inquiries Maintain and develop our media contact databases, including ones specific to humantarian emergencies, and ensure communications colleagues have access Serve as communications and fundraising focal point for all offices while in the field for both content and information from the ground REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, or related field (graduate study a plus) Proven track record in multimedia content creation and editing, with 5 to 7 years of experience; additional media/public relations experience preferred Strong story development, outreach, and pitching experience Fluency in visual and graphic design software, e.g. Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator a plus WordPress experience a plus Solid knowledge/understanding of social media–platforms and best practice and ability to support implemented technologies SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS: Outstanding writing, editing, and presentation skills Must be able to identify opportunities quickly and create compelling storylines and pitches Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects and priorities Willingness to travel – often on short notice – to difficult environments, possibly for up to 6-8 weeks at a time Cultural sensitivity Ability to work with people at all levels of the organization and with both traditional and online media and bloggers Experience implementing media and PR strategies and familiarity with media analytics,databases, and other tools and tactics for promotion and outreach. Strong media targeting and cultivation skills Proven ability to manage several projects at once and work well in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment Excellent strategic and critical thinking skills Ability to multi-task and continually re-prioritize Ability to create and maintain systems, and work under limited supervision with initiative and self-managed deadlines Can-do positive attitude and team orientation Comfort with creative thinking and problem solving
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