Communications Manager

JOB TITLE: Communications Manager TEAM/PROGRAMME: ACCM LOCATION: Kabul, Afghanistan (40% roving) GRADE: 3 TYPE OF CONTRACT: 1 year fixed term (possibility of extension) International or National CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

ROLE PURPOSE: The Communications Manager is responsible for development and implementation of communications plans and strategies and overall management of the Country Office’s communications outputs. S/He will be also responsible for the implementation of creative and impactful communications policies and provision of support to programmes, including those of implementing partners, for all communication work of Save the Children International in Afghanistan.

SCOPE OF ROLE: Reports to: Director of Advocacy, Communications, Campaigns and Media Director

Staff directly reporting to this post: 3 (Multimedia Design and Communications Officer, Info/Comms Coordinator, Sponsorship Comms Coordinator)

Budget Responsibilities: None

ORGANIZATION’S PROFILE: Save the Children is an international independent non-governmental, non- profit, organisation founded in 1919. We work in over 120 countries worldwide. We are the world’s leading independent organisation for Children. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children has worked in Afghanistan since 1976. Our way of working close to people and on their own terms has enabled us to deliver lasting change to tens of thousands of children in the country. The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child is the basis of our work.

We are helping children get a better education, we make it possible for more boys and girls to attend school, we help children protect themselves and influence their own conditions. We work with families, communities and health workers in homes, clinics and hospitals to promote basic health in order to save lives of children and mothers

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1. Strategy and planning * Lead in the development and implementation of communications strategy and workplan and plans that contribute to supporting SCI Country Strategic Plan and are aligned with SCI guidelines; * Lead on the establishment and overall management of the inter-agency Communications Working Group to undertake joint communications activities to maximise impact;

III. Program Communications * Lead in the development of an internal communications plan for programme support and external plan for public products, including social media, and oversee its effective implementation; * Oversee and coordination of all aspects of communications requirements for response plans, donors, as well as strategic moments defined within the communications strategy; * Supervise/manage the Multimedia & Design Officer including development of workplans, supervision/review of tasks and assignments, and professional development planning and review; * Coordinate and manage all communications requests from SCI Asia Regional Office; Member Offices; Advocacy Offices; and, SCI HQ (‘Centre’); * Represent SCI-AF accordingly internally and externally through meetings and workshops to ensure that communications activities are aligned with SCI-AF, regional, and global workflows; * Develop and implement staff and partner communications training workshops; * Provide technical assistance for designated communications focal points from individual programs/projects and provincial/field locations; * Lead on the coordination of communications activities among SCI-AF’s partners, including communications product development, training and capacity-building, and technical support in the development of individual policies and plans as-needed in accordance and collaboration with SCI-AF’s Partnerships unit/department; * Lead on the coordination and oversight of communications deliverables in proposals and proposal-development processes; * Support the review and translation of global campaign and advocacy products and messaging into Pashto for wider dissemination across SCI-AF project areas and other strategic locations; * Conduct the final review of documents translated into Pashto; * Lead in ensuring that SCI-AF brand identity remains strong and visible with SCI-AF and its partner organizations, to positively influence government, donors, NGOs and beneficiaries; * Supervise and assist in photography and videography activities in the organization to creatively profile key meetings, workshops, gatherings, and events; * Supervise and develop high quality communication materials and social media profiles; * Coordinate travel to the field to develop and oversee the development of communications materials on a timely basis for SCI-AF programs and projects; SCI Asia Regional Office; Member Offices; Advocacy Offices; and, SCI HQ (‘Centre’), including a minimum of 30% travel out of Kabul in support of Provincial and Field Offices; * Routinely review SCI-AF digital assets, including website, to ensure information is relevant and up-to-date; * Develop and review scripts and supervise post-production activities of visual assets, including video documentaries, animations, and other creative assets for Save the Children; * Establish a communication mechanism with field offices for exchange of relevant information, including the support of designated ‘communications focal points’ in provinces as agreed with Provincial Managers; * Collect data and develop monthly, quarterly, and annual newsletters and circulate to SCI-AF staff and other stakeholders; * Oversee and support design and coordinate publishing of SCI-AF documents, including annual reports, policy and advocacy briefings, and technical surveys; * Develop social media messages, and tools for advocacy and campaigns of SCI-AF for the Country Office and provincial teams; * Co-lead on the development and implementation of the Asia Regional Office’s ‘social listening’ platform and co-manage its use; * Ensure media is used as a key platform for SCI-AF to raise the organization’s profile through raising awareness and influencing policies and decisions.

IV. Monitoring, evaluation and learning * Establish monitoring and evaluation key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor the outputs and outcomes of communications activities; * Routinely assess capacities of SCI-AF staff and partners regarding communications and address gaps as-necessary, * Monitor the implementation of Branding and Social Media policies and strategies in Afghanistan by Save the Children and its partners to ensure that projects and programs meet quality standards for branding and overall Save the Children’s Communication Strategy; * Ensure that SCI-AF partners adhere to SCI’s communications guidelines, including use of SCI’s name and brand identity, including monitoring any mis-use to mitigate reputational risks;

* Others * Report to the line manager on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis on plan and key achievements of the communications work; * Provide technical supervision and support the Multimedia & Design Coordinator, Provincial Managers and/or Focal Points * Provide support to the line manager in identifying and managing potential risks associated with SCI-AF’s public positions and design strategies to mitigate the risks that have been identified; * Organize events, meetings, and workshops; * Manage and keep up to date the unit’s filling system; SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice) Accountability: * Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling SCI-AF values * Provide support to the line manager to hold the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities; Ambition: * Provide support to the line manager to set ambitious and challenging goals for the team, and the team take responsibility for their own personal development; Collaboration: * Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; * Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, members and external partners and supporters; * Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally; Creativity: * Develop and encourage new and innovative solutions; Integrity: * Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence; * Displays consistent excellent judgement; JOB REQUIREMENT: * Bachelor degree journalism, business administration or a related field, master degree is preferred; * 3-4 years’ experience of working with NGOs in communications field, including both programme communications and media, ideally in a management role. * Excellent content collection skills including interviewing affected communities, taking photos and videos to a professional standard. * Demonstrated knowledge and experience in designing and implementing communication projects and initiatives; * Demonstrated knowledge and experience of MS Office Package, and designing programmes (including, Coral Draw, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, Light room, and Adobe InDesign); * Experience of managing organization’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; * Experience in producing newsletters, scripts, documentaries, and photos; * Experience of establishing mechanisms and sustaining for effective communication with Country Office and provincial teams; * Excellent communication skills with a high level of written and spoken English * Experience of working with partner organizations in carrying out joint social media campaigns; * Ability to travel to the field at least 40% of the time. * Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy; * Proven skills as a trainer/facilitator and mentor; * Commitment to and understanding of SCI-AF’s aims, values and principles; * Wide understanding of communications and social media campaigns in Afghanistan; * Experience in developing and successfully implementing strategies and annual plans; * Experience in event management; * Good conceptual and analytical thinking, and good attention to detail;

Desirable experience: * Knowledge and experience of editing videos in Final Cut Pro; * Having strong networking with I/NGOs, government, parliament and media; * Knowledge of Dari or Pashtu