HEAD OF OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATION

SOS MEDITERRANEE is a civil European rescue association founded in 2015 to face the humanitarian tragedy and the lack of adequate state rescue capacity in the Mediterranean on the deadliest maritime migratory route in the world since 2014. Created by a group of European citizens, our maritime and humanitarian organisation has three missions:

1. To rescue people in distress at sea.

2. To protect and assist survivors on board our ship.

3. To bear witness and raise awareness about the tragedy unfolding in the central Mediterranean.

Today, SOS MEDITERRANEE is a network composed of four European entities (Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland) sharing the objective to support our rescue operations at sea. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations have been carried out since February 2016 in the Central Mediterranean off the Libyan coasts with the chartered ships Aquarius and Ocean Viking. To date, over 42.000 people have been rescued by SOS MEDITERRANEE.

AIM OF THE POSITION

This role will be responsible for managing the operational communications team, while actively contributing to, and supporting the broader strategic reflection on the department’s organization, scope and ways of working.

MAIN OBJECTIVE

Strategy

• Contribute to the global reflection on the operational communication department organization

• Define and oversee the implementation of the communication strategy and production plan

• Liaise with SOS MED institutional partners on joint narrative, communications and projects

• Participate to the advocacy and public positioning strategy of the network

 Implementation of operational communication activities 

• Supervise the timely production, editing and archiving of communication materials

• Validate operational digitial communication and social media content production

• Provide guidance and define positionings on operational matters, in close collaboration with the Head of Advocacy and under the supervision of the Director of Operations

• Identify or respond to needs of communications support from all the different operations departments

Network communication

• Advise SOS MEDITERRANEE’s Director of Operations on risks, dilemmas, priorities and benefits of operational communication and sensitive public positioning

• Ensure the alignment and information sharing with the other communications directors within the Network about operational communications' plans

• Coordinate the publication of operational contents with SOS MED European communication's Network

Representation

• Coordinate communications with SOS MEDITERRANEE’s operational partners.

• Actively participate to and eventually leads the SAR NGOs communications group, and develop possible common initiatives

• Supervise relations with international media, maintaining and developing close contact with journalists

Budget Management

• Define and monitor the budget linked to its activities

• Analyze fluctuations between forecast and actual budget and communicate or alert the finance department of changes in its budget consumption.

• Commit and/or validate expenses within the limits of the allocated budget, in compliance with the finance processes and ensuring optimization of budget.

Team Management 

• Analyzes, quantifies and qualifies the human resources needs of his/her team

• Recruits and ensure the briefing of his/her team members in their new positions

• Defines his.her team’s objectives and conducts annual performance reviews for team members

• Supports the professional development of team members

• Provides leadership and communication for and within the team

• Ensures a good working environment for team members

Diploma(s) & certification(s)

• Master’s degree in Journalism, Communications, International Relations, Humanitarian Affairs, Political Science or related university degree.

Work Experience

• Previous work experience of 7 years or more in humanitarian work public relations, communications, journalism

• Proven experience communication in the humanitarian sector

• Proven experience of management

• Strong experience with crisis management

• Relevant experience in a similar position

• Experience in SAR sector

Technical expertise

• Significant knowledge of the central Mediterranean Search and Rescue context and its evolution

• Knowledge of humanitarian sector and migration issues.

• Ability to analyse and handle complex and sensitive information with internal and external stakeholders

• Good understanding of humanitarian principles and ethics

• Knowledge of SAR activities.

Languages

• Fluent in English (spoken and written)

• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading in English are essential.

• Italian, German, and French are strong assets.

IT skills

• Good experience in supervision and production of communications tools, digital and social media.

• Highly computer literate with capability in email, MS Office, including Excel, and related business and communication tools.

• MS Teams/SharePoint

• Canvas, Photoshop knowledge is desirable

Soft skills

• Autonomy

• Sense of initiative

• Stress management skills

• Ability to take some steps back

• Sense of leadership and ability to motivate

• Ability to work in team

• Conflict resolution and mediation skills

• Active listening

• Critical thinking