Communications Officer, TRAFFIC Central Africa

BACKGROUND
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild animals and plants is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC actively monitors and investigates wildlife trade and provides information to diverse audiences worldwide as a basis for effective conservation policies and programmes. The organization was founded in 1976 and has grown into an international network, with 25 offices worldwide, organized in eight regional programmes. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF, the conservation organization, and IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
TRAFFIC Central Africa is seeking a Communications Officer. This position is responsible for ensuring the consistent and efficient communication activities and public relations aspects of TRAFFIC’s Central Africa Programme (TCAF). It includes the planning, implementation and evaluation of communication activities of TCAF in the context of extending TRAFFIC’s profile and impact of its conservation programme.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Public relations

• Increase TCAF's visibility through engagement in promotional activities in the public arena e.g. speaking at conferences and other events;
• Support production of adequate communication materials for TCAF and partners for fundraising and other promotional purposes;
• Oversee TCAF's presence at international and regional conferences and other events with regard to the dissemination of results of work on specific TCAF research projects.

Programme interface

• Provide input to proposal and project development efforts of TCAF, ensure that adequate budget allocation and planning of communications activities in the project cycle are fully incorporated into TCAF activities;
• Participate and provide input to TCAF reporting cycles e.g. TRAFFIC annual and technical reports, and reports under formal partnerships as necessary (e.g. WWF, IUCN, COMIFAC, CBFP, CITES, CBD, UN-GRASP etc.).

Planning

• Under the guidance of senior Communications colleagues at TRAFFIC International, collaborate in the implementation of the network’s global communications and advocacy strategies, supporting delivery of TRAFFIC’s global conservation programme.
• Carry out a stakeholder analysis for communication in Central Africa and a needs assessment for wildlife trade-related communication (incl. a needs assessment of journalists) with identified key stakeholders;
• Develop a communications strategy for TCAF;
• Develop and update annual advocacy and communications activities for TCAF together with the Advocacy and Campaigns Director and Global Communications Co-ordinator of TRAFFIC International;
• Maintain and update a communications management tool for internal TCAF planning purposes, which indicates dates and communications plans developed for all TCAF outputs; and inform WWF CARPO, IUCN PACO and partners of forthcoming communications opportunities;
• Establish effective systems for management of communications materials (e.g. photographs, publications, reports);
• Review all external communications outputs of TCAF and ensure adherence to network guidelines including final review.

Delivery

• Serve as TCAF spokesperson , in collaboration with the Regional Director and other staff of TRAFFIC, vis à vis media, scientists, researchers, governments and others seeking information about wildlife trade issues;
• Plan and produce high quality communications materials, including press releases, newsletters (INFO-TRAFFIC), technical reports, updated website information, brochures, articles (TRAFFIC Bulletin) etc.;
• Ensure the dissemination of information and communication materials (and evaluate their impact;
• Prepare French & English Press Releases and Web-Updates;
• Seek and provide information to fill and update the TRAFFIC network web site;
• Keep abreast of information on wildlife trade-related incidents in Central Africa and provide them to the Global Communications Co-ordinator of TRAFFIC International;
• Keep a contact list of conservation / economy / wildlife trade-interested journalists and correspondents in Central Africa, G20 embassy press attachés and foreign correspondents;
• Keep the above groups up-to-date on wildlife trade-related information within Central Africa;
• Stay abreast of communication procedures and frameworks of TRAFFIC (style manual, final clearance process, etc);
• Sign-on to key regional and national web information services in Central Africa (COMIFAC, CBFP, RAPAC, CEFDHAC, GRASP, African Scientists, IIED-L’s, WWF-CARPO, IUCN-PACO, LAGA, RARE, etc);
• Sign-on to WWF Connect (set relevant alerts) and IUCN Knowledge Network;
• Ensure translation of technical documents from French to English or vice versa;
• Contribute to capacity building of TRAFFIC regarding communication of projects in Central Africa;
• Support media campaigns of TCAF and/or its partners (WWF CARPO and IUCN PACO) in order to capitalize and share programme experiences/outputs;
• Build and maintain relationships with national, regional and international media agencies (radio, television and newspaper) and independent journalists to ensure quality media coverage of key TCAF activities.

Partnership

• Maintain close collaboration and dialogue with the communications focal points of TRAFFIC, and of WWF CARPO and IUCN PACO staff and ensure that the communications activities of TCAF are aligned with the partner organizations’ goals and activities and developed jointly as appropriate;
• Share communications workplan and strategy with regional partners.
• Fundraising
• Support TCAF’s fundraising efforts as appropriate, identify opportunities to fundraise for communications work (incl. capacity building / training workshops for journalists on wildlife trade) and draft respective concepts and proposals.
• Other tasks related to TCAF as agreed with the Regional Director.

What you need:

REQUIREMENTS

• A University degree (Bac + 4) in nature conservation related disciplines with specific skills in communication and/or journalism and public relationships;
• At least 3 years’ of professional experience in the communications field, including proven experience in biodiversity conservation or facilitation of environment networks, and in managing communications projects;
• Work experience in an international NGO is an asset;
• Organizational skills and attention to details;
• Strong writing and oral communication skills;
• Excellent skill in synthesising complex technical reports and communicating to a wider audience in an accessible language;
• Good interpersonal skills;
• Working languages: English and French (bilingualism is strongly needed);
• Good knowledge of computer software (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Photoshop), NICT and familiarity with web-based information and knowledge tools;
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively with others, and effectively in a multi-cultural team;
• A willingness to travel frequently in Central Africa and potentially to other parts of the world and work under pressure.

SUPERVISION:

This position may upon request supervise consultants on specific communications projects.

Location:

Cameroon, Africa

How to apply?

Applicants are requested to apply online through the IUCN HR Management System (which is an administrative system used by TRAFFIC), by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button at: https://hrms.iucn.org/iresy/index.cfm?event=vac.show&vacId=365

Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date.

Deadline for applications: The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST) on 25th May 2012