NRC has been active in Somalia since 2004 with four area offices in Kismayu, Mogadishu, Garowe and Hargeisa, providing protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons and returnees in Somaliland, Puntland, South Central and Jubbaland regions. NRC offers a comprehensive response for returnees and IDPs of high need, addressing their food security, livelihood, shelter, education, ICLA, and water, hygiene and sanitation needs and also responding to emergencies through NRC’s five core competences; Shelter, Education, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH and Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA).
NRC Somalia is part of NRC’s East Africa and Yemen regional operation which comprises of large-scale multi-country humanitarian and early recovery interventions spread across nine countries (Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen, Eritrea, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania). NRC’s overall strategy in the region is to enhance protection and promote the rights of displaced people in humanitarian need by improving living conditions and seeking durable solutions. The regional office is based in Nairobi and works with country programmes to ensure standardization of programmatic and operational approaches, promote multi country programming and ensuring quality and coordination.
Role Specific Information
The overall purpose of the position is to produce communications products for NRC in Somalia for use across the NRC global network for internal and public uses and support the production of advocacy materials for the NRC internal and public purposes.
Duties and responsibilities
Generic responsibilities
- Produce accurate, high quality, user-friendly communications outputs for the media and for internal use, to keep external stakeholders effectively informed and engaged
- Build partnerships with media, identify communications and media opportunities, and respond to them to in order to ensure NRC is a credible source for media, partners, and donors, and to gain positive coverage of NRC in the news
- Monitor and analyse the humanitarian situation, access and protection concerns in the region, emerging trends and displacement patterns, and support NRC’s Regional and representation offices by providing situational updates, analysis, and updates on key messaging for Somalia
- Ensure communications and media work are built into annual planning including proposal development and incorporate ways to allocate resources and build capacity
- Produce content for social media that are suitable for NRC digital and public media uses
- Contribute photos for NRC Somalia programmes for NRC Smugmug photo archive, for all sectors and locations, ensuring adequate quality of photo products for use in advocacy and media work and for quality reporting purposes.
- Act as the focal point accompanying press/media teams to the field, supporting in identifying cases and instant translation at times
- Compliance and adherence to NRC policies, guidance and procedures
Specific responsibilities
- Produce talking points, website stories, media briefings, NRC brochures, thematic summaries, executive bios, and Q&As
- Produce photos and video of NRC Somalia programmes for NRC photo archive
- In collaboration with programme team and Core Competency Specialists develop and disseminate quality communication materials to a range of external and internal audiences, including NRC brochure, thematic summaries, Q&As and talking points to keep external stakeholders effectively informed and engaged
- Assist in collecting testimonies and case studies from the field as required
- Produce regular contextual analysis documents, briefings, trends report, situation updates, research, draft advocacy position papers, talking points, key messages, and ad-hoc reports
- Support the development and delivery of communications materials in preparation for, during and after emergencies, including supporting response teams to receive, compile, and distribute relevant emergency response information in a timely manner
- Provide media relations and support public relations activities for NRC in Somalia, including distributing press releases, coordinating interviews, and hosting media visits to NRC programmes
- Regularly provide social media content for NRC regional Facebook and Twitter accounts
- Assist in collecting testimonies and case studies from the field as required, or other tasks as needed by the NRC Country Director
- Develop and produce and annual work plan for NRC Somalia Communications and Advocacy activities
- Support the design and the implementation of the NRC Somalia advocacy strategy.
Translate for foreign media visiting NRC Somalia office or field programmes
- Facilitate field visits and interviews for media and journalists in collaboration with the relevant country programme staff.
- Represent NRC Somalia in communicaiotn and meetings /events
- Any other tasks as requested by NRC Somalia’s country director
Qualifications
- Minimum 3 years experience of working in a humanitarian/recovery context in a communications position
- University degree in communications/public relations, journalism, International Relations, Conflict Studies, social sciences or relevant experience
- Excellent verbal and written English communication skills for a wide range of different audiences including donors, journalists and the general public
- Documented experience with the production of written materials – such as reports, briefing notes, position papers, talking points, etc.
- Experience of leading communication activities (including information management) in a challenging environment understanding of media handling, pitching and media management
- Experience delivering communications assets across multiple channels, including print, social, and digital, with a solid knowledge and use of media and multimedia platforms
Personal qualities
- Excellent relationship building skills in order to work for limited periods within programmes under pressure of ongoing emergency responses
- Strong influencing skills
- Confident communicator, with experience in giving briefings and presentations
- An initiative-taking, proactive, inspiring attitude with the ability to manage and prioritize an unpredictable workload and solve problems quickly with limited support, and ability to work independently with limited daily support and supervision.
- Ability to deliver high-quality photographs and case studies from affected communities
- Excellent understanding of communication and information needs across fundraising, media and campaigning activities
- Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
- The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
- Flexibility: Ability to work overtime in weekends and evenings according to need and requests
- High attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to multitask and work with short deadlines
- Oral and written proficiency for Somali
Additional Information
Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as applications may be screened prior to the vacancy deadline.
Email and paper applications will not be considered.
Qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
We can offer
Contract period: one year – with possibility of extension Salary/benefits: According to NRC’s salary scale and terms and conditions
Duty station: Mogadishu
Travel: frequent travel to field locations
NRC may be required to verify the identity of its partners and to check that its partners have not been involved in illegal activities. NRC reserves the right to use electronic screening tools for this purpose.
NB: All employees of the Norwegian Refugee Council should be able to adhere to our Code of Conduct and the four organizational values: Dedicated, innovative, inclusive and accountable.
More Information
- Job City Somalia
