Temporary Global Press Officer

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 75 countries.

The Opportunity

We are currently recruiting for a Global Press Officer to join the team during a particularly busy period. The post of Global Press Officer is an integral part of the team responsible for the development and promotion of Plan International’s external profile in the media as the go to organisation for girls’ (and children’s) rights to a wide and diverse range of audiences. The role involves creating compelling content and dealing with international, national and regional media and specialist press across print, broadcast and digital platforms.

Dimensions of the Role

• Work as part of the Media Team and in close collaboration with the Digital and Global Campaigns teams to create compelling content, implement international public relations campaigns, proactively profile the organisation and its experts, and promote Plan International’s work to the media across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
• Lead/coordinate global communication responses during disasters and emergencies, including deployment to Country Offices as required
• The role is primarily to support external communications. However, teams are expected to work collaboratively which requires flexibility and transferable skills. It is highly desirable that that the post holder will have basic video editing, photography and production skills.
• Some international travel may be required.
• The role reports into Head of Global Media & Public Relations

Accountabilities

• Manage accurate, timely and appropriate responses to media enquiries.
• Drive positive, proactive and consistent messaging about Plan International which represents the organisation effectively and raises its profile.
• As part of the international media team, position Plan International as a leading girls’ (and children’s) rights and humanitarian organisation.
• As part of the international media team, share responsibility and ownership of international press coverage for Plan International’s operational regions: Eastern and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, Asia, Middle East and the Americas.
• Identify new and innovative ways of promoting Plan International’s work by creating compelling content for media and promotion across digital channels.
• Monitor developments and news in assigned regions / area of work in order to respond swiftly and proactively to opportunities when appropriate. Examples include quickly turning information into strong press releases and statements.
• Liaise (mostly remotely) with communications teams in programme implementing countries, fundraising offices, regional hubs and advocacy/influencing liaison offices.  
• Play a full part in coordination of dynamic communications coverage of disaster and emergency response operations, stepping into a lead role, if required.
• Track media coverage of Plan International and use insights gained to refine future pitches, feature development, messaging and story ideas.
• Build strong contacts with international media with demonstrable impact on coverage.
• Help produce high quality multi-media packages in coordination with digital and global campaigns teams.
• Handle basic levels of video editing and video production.
• In promoting the profile, reputation and influence of Plan International, ensure that messaging, tone of voice and visual identity are consistent with the brand and that brand values are integrated into story choice and treatment.
• Assist in forward planning processes for and the delivery of content created for global moments, campaign activity, policy launches, CEO appearances, advocacy pushes etc. Ensure there is productive coordination with digital colleagues, particularly social media.
• Given the nature of the role, the post holder will be expected to share on-call responsibilities with other members of the media team.
• Advise, support and coach country office communications colleagues – mostly remotely.
• Support Plan International’s global, regional and national marketing and advocacy campaigns and initiatives, working with other departmental staff as the need arises.
• Researching and producing media packs on topical subjects as the need arises.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

About You

• Strong and effective communicator
• Excellent verbal and writing skills in English with ability to quickly turn around information into compelling content
• Track record of writing news articles, features, picture stories, op-eds and press releases
• Proven success at pitching stories to the media and working with journalists
• Strong understanding of development issues and rights-based work
• Ability to organise media visits and set up interviews
• Track record of working on campaigns
• Track record of handling complex, sensitive and fast-moving situations
• Good understanding of social media and digital channels
• Use strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, to build relationships, negotiate and persuade a wide range of audiences.
• Easily absorb, adapt and précis reports to write engaging, accurate copy to deadline for different audiences.
• Keep up to date with key development and media issues and to be able to spot new opportunities as they arise.
• Persuade, lobby and influence peers and colleagues and form productive relationships and contacts
• Work on their own initiative with a flexible attitude to work but able to manage a wide and varied workload
• Strong organisational skills to deal with a complex work environment.
• Behaves consistently in approach to work and decision making
• Be flexible in multitasking and working with other colleagues within the communications department to help achieve overall efficiency
• Work enthusiastically as part of a team and form effective and constructive working relationships across the whole organisation and wider network within sector
• Participate in training and other activities as requested by the organization
• Undertake reasonable additional duties and responsibilities as requested by the Head of Communications

Please follow this link for a full role profile; Global Press Officer JD.docx

Location: The location of this role can be flexible where Plan International has an office* that can employ on behalf of the Global Hub and you have the pre-existing right to work and live.

Type of Role: 3 month temporary contract

Reports to: Head of Global Media and Public Relations

Grade: GH3 or equivalent

Closing Date: Friday 28th October. Please note that we may close this advert early. 

*Applicable locations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.