Communication Officer Job at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Position: Communication Officer

Job Location: Damaturu, Yobe

COOPI in Nigeria

• COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.
• The COOPI Nigeria Field Office is located in Yobe State, in order to cover intervention LGAs in Yobe State and to provide direct assistance to the IDPs and their hosting communities, through a multi-sectorial programme covering Food Security, Social protection, Early Recovery and Livelihoods, Nutrition and Child Protection interventions.
• COOPI's capacity to respond to the humanitarian situation in the country is confirmed by its experience in providing humanitarian aid in more than 24 other Countries around the World, in over 50 years of operations.

Main Duties / Responsibilities
Under the general supervision and guidance of the Deputy Country Director or the designate the Communications Officer, P3 will be responsible for the following key duties:

• Develop, maintain and update an appropriate work plan for the assigned area, which implements the corporate communications strategy, in order to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of COOPI, and support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with COOPI strategy.
• Plan, manage and evaluate communications campaigns that favourably impact the views of the public, opinion leaders and donors in order to raise COOPI’s profile and support fundraising activities and donor reporting requirements.
• Prepare communications products that effectively convey the desired message to targeted audience(s).
• Maintain and develop a contact list of journalists and media outlets, and manage the regular flow of news/information about COOPI’s work to the media, ensuring reputational risks are identified and managed.
• Define a social media plan for the assigned area which leverages social media content, platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of COOPI’s activities.
• Generate and/or facilitate the production of donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fundraising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.
• Track and analyse traditional and online media, to identify trends and/or issues, and propose solutions and ideas to improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities.
• Coordinate and prepare accurate and timely reporting on communications activities that enables informed decision-making, evaluation of objectives and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.
• Build capacity of COOPI staff on all aspects of external relations communication, providing advice, guidance and training to ensure consistent, quality communications activities that deliver the desired impact.
• Work in close collaboration with counterparts to align activities and ensure a coherent approach to communications within COOPI.
• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance and monitoring the management of communications specific risks.
• Other duties as required.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of COOPI and WFP policies, strategies, processes and best practices on Communications and Public information related issues to support program visibility, reporting and success stories.
• Conduct regular program field visits and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of COOPI and WFP policies, strategies, processes and best practices on Communications and Public information related issues to support program visibility, reporting and success stories.
• Treat beneficiaries with dignity and apply COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the field, including sensitizing Field Monitors and vendors/agents on such principles.

Profile of the Candidate (Education, Training, Experience, Competences, Skills)
Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Advanced University degree in Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or other relevant fields, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or specialised trainings/courses.

Experience:

• 3 years working in INGO, at least 1 year of which should be communications for FSL and Nutrition programming.
• At least one year of postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience as a journalist or communications/public information officer.
• Development of information strategies and programmes;

Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Sound theoretical understanding of Communications concepts and principles with a broad knowledge of best practices, techniques and processes and specialized knowledge in a specific area;
• Knowledge of common business principles and processes and the ability to quickly assimilate COOPI and UN/WFP specific processes and systems;
• Ability to rapidly analyse and integrate diverse information.

Competencies:

• Good communication and negotiation skills with the ability to persuade, influence and adapt communication style to different situations and individuals;
• Excellent oral, editing and writing skills.
• Well organized and detail-oriented;
• Ability to work independently and on a team with other Communications Officers and other units.

Essential:

• Be professional, motivated, flexible and culturally sensitive
• Be excellent in communication skills and proficient in report writing especially success stories.
• Be resident and familiar with the terrain in Northeast Nigeria.
• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office programming (Access, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
• Excellent communication, writing and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication, coordination and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work in a team, and establish effective working relationships with a person of different national and cultural background.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and simultaneously manage multiple tasks in an autonomous manner.
• Previous work experience with INGOs and UN Organization is desirable

Preferred:

• Knowledge of the local language (Hausa and Kanuri).
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.
• Previous experience with similar position
• This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the Project Manager and direct supervisor for what concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Note: Qualified candidates from Yobe State and female applicants are especially encouraged to apply.