Communications officer, Christian Aid Ireland

Who we are and why we need you

We are an international aid and development agency, working with local partners in over 40 countries worldwide. Our vision is to end poverty. We believe in tackling the root causes of poverty, not just the symptoms. We believe that the world can and must be changed so that there is equality, dignity and freedom for all. We are driven to make this change happen and to inspire others to help make it happen.

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and dynamic communications professional who can help us do that. This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference.

What we need you to do

You will report to the Head of Media and Communications, based in Belfast, and will also be matrix managed by the Head of Advocacy and Policy, based in Dublin. You will work closely with both these departments and with the International Programme Development Department which is also based in Dublin.

Your role will be to identify, create, organise and deliver PR opportunities for these teams to help raise awareness of Christian Aid, the work we do and the specific international development issues that we tackle and campaign against such as tax injustice, land grabbing and gender based violence.

The key elements of the role are to

• increase the organisation’s media exposure
• identify and develop new opportunities and contacts
• work closely with the relevant individuals to maximise coverage and identify opportunities
• develop messaging and angles to be used
• write press releases
• pitch stories to the media and follow up to maximise opportunities for exposure
• identify the most appropriate media to target in terms of target audience

What knowledge and skills we require

We will provide a full briefing on Christian Aid and the work we do, but it would be highly desirable if you had knowledge and/or experience of international development issues.

You need to have substantial experience of PR and media relations and excellent writing and communication skills. You should be fluent and competent in both speaking and writing the English language. You should be able to deliver to tight deadlines. You should have the ability to translate complex messages for various target audiences.

While Christian Aid has a high profile in the NGO sector, it is relatively unknown amongst the general public. We need you to be able to work proactively and creatively, thinking of angles and ways in which you can pitch and communicate the key messages and raise the profile of Christian Aid while still maintaining the integrity and professionalism of the organisation. At times you will have to work quickly in a reactive scenario where we need to get information out in a very short time period in response to a situation or event.

It is essential that you have good media contacts and good political contacts. A good knowledge of social media and the ability to write for social media would be desirable. You must be sympathetic to the aims of Christian Aid and believe that campaigning can change people’s lives.

For more information on what we do visit our website  www.christianaid.ie

To apply for this consultancy, please send your CV and a covering letter to Adrian Horsman, Head of Media and Communications, at: RecruitmentIreland@christian-aid.org

Closing date: 5pm, Wednesday 12 March 2014

Interview date: Friday 21 March 2014