Director, Communications (Asia/Pacific Region)

Habitat has an exciting and challenging opportunity for a Director of Communications at our Bangkok, Thailand Asia/Pacific Area Office (AO). This position reports to our Asia/Pacific Area Vice-President, with cross-functional reporting to the HQ-based Senior Director, International Communications. This role is responsible for the management and creative leadership of the Habitat for Humanity brand in the Asia-Pacific region. The Director is a key member of the Asia-Pacific Management Team responsible for the overall strategic direction and success of Habitat’s work in the region.

Please express interest to http://www.habitatjobs.org/JobDetail.asp?jid=43793

The Director is responsible for brand projection – developing resources and systems to spread the good news of Habitat’s work – and brand protection – counseling on and implementing strategies to preserve the integrity of the Habitat logo and name. The work of the Director and the Asia-Pacific communications teams involves addressing a range of internal and external audiences including existing and potential Habitat donors, staff and supporters as well as wider audiences.
Specific responsibilities are defined in the following key areas:

• Regional: Counsel and support the Asia-Pacific management team as it pursues its regional goals. This includes advice on creating and implementing Asia-Pacific-wide communications strategies and campaigns for brand-building, media relations, special events, fund raising, housing finance, appropriate technology, volunteer mobilization, advocacy, crisis communications; and the provision of consistent communications messages and materials to support these responsibilities. The Director may act as the public spokesperson for the Asia-Pacific region.

• National: Counsel Habitat national organizations in the Asia-Pacific region as they pursue their wider goals. This includes advice on creating and implementing communications and marketing-related strategies and campaigns for brand-building, fund raising, volunteer mobilization, advocacy, crisis communications; and the provision of communications messages, tools, techniques and training.

• Global: Represent the Asia-Pacific region in the global Habitat communications team in the creation and implementation of worldwide brand building, marketing and advocacy initiatives and campaigns. This includes devising Asia-Pacific roll-out strategies; liaising and sharing with peers in other Habitat regions; and coordinating and collaborating with the HQ communications team on global strategies and initiatives.

• Messaging: Create and update key information and clear and consistent messages about housing and Habitat’s work in the Asia-Pacific region for use throughout the Habitat network; adapt related global systems and information for Habitat audiences in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Disaster and Crisis Communications: Lead and counsel communications aspects of Habitat’s work following natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region, including devising and managing information and reporting flows during and after an event; counsel and manage communications aspects of issues and crises affecting the operations of Habitat entities in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Materials: Lead and direct the compilation, writing, editing, design, production and distribution of printed, audio-visual, digital materials used by the Asia-Pacific office. This includes speeches and presentations and executive materials for international board members. Counsel and support the national organizations as they create their materials; contribute to global Habitat materials, and adapt and share global Habitat materials.

• Management: Lead and direct communications staff attached to the Asia-Pacific office; devise protocols, assign responsibilities and assess performance against agreed criteria; devise and operate the team and communications needs within budgets agreed by the Area Vice President.

• Management: Lead and direct communications staff attached to the Asia-Pacific office; devise protocols, assign responsibilities and assess performance against agreed criteria; devise and operate the team and communications needs within budgets agreed by the Area Vice President.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• 10+ year’s progressive experience in communications and media management, with a strong focus on brand building and resource development

• Undergraduate degree in relevant field

• Strong background at a senior level as a communications professional preferably with an international business corporation, non-governmental organization or similar body

• Experience providing training in communications and marketing topics

• Proven experience managing communications staff

• Solid experience in journalism and corporate communications/public relations, preferably including event management

• Written and spoken fluency in English with strong editing skills a must; outstanding spoken and written interpersonal communication skills

• Ability to plan and produce quality work to tight deadlines

• Strong reporting and presentation skills; and an eye for design

• Computer literate with proficiency in use of word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software

• Ability to train others in media and brand-building skills

• Experience of working in a multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-faith environment a must

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE A MAJOR PLUS:

• International community development experience highly preferred

• Master’s degree strong bonus

• Ability to work with national and international media added plus

• Knowledge of creative, design and production processes, preferably including experience in web and digital media preferred

Habitat for Humanity International is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. The purpose and goal of Habitat for Humanity International is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses in partnership with families in need. Habitat for Humanity is a global, non-profit ministry where our employees build futures and lives.

Habitat for Humanity, sometimes referred to as “Habitat”, began working in the Asia-Pacific region in 1983 with a pilot program in Khammam, India. Since then, Habitat has built and rehabilitated tens of thousands of homes. Every year thousands of other families are helped with repairs, and financial and technical assistance. In addition, tens of thousands of families have benefited from Habitat programs to help victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami and other natural disasters.

HFHI is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified personnel for all our positions in a manner that does not unlawfully discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, veteran/reserve national guard status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.