Communications Specialist

Who are Plan International?

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for — and respond to — crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

How have Plan International responded to the Ukraine Crisis?

Since March 2022, Plan International has been responding to the crisis in partnership with civil society organisations in Poland, Romania, and Moldova to meet the needs of those affected by the crisis as well as host communities, and now we are ready to extend our operations in Ukraine itself.

We are supporting an integrated education and child protection response, incorporating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), with cash and voucher assistance (CVA) as a modality.

What can you bring?

We know that this crisis will have devastating long-term effects on women and children in the region and Plan International will play a vital role in responding to these needs as we continue to establish operations in each of the four countries. We plan to transition from the current support provided globally by Plan International’s teams to locally based, longer term staffing.

For our Programme section we are looking for a Communications Specialist.

Role and responsibilities

Communications

• Primary communications focal point for the Plan Ukraine team
• Through strong content, highlight the humanitarian situation on the ground, cover Plan International’s response and reinforce Plan International’s advocacy and policy position on the situation
• Plan, produce and coordinate content in conjunction with designated communications contacts in Ukraine Response Hub, Global Hub, and National Organisations.
• Produce press releases and a range of compelling human-interest child-focused content such as: case studies, eyewitness accounts, blogs, first person account, images, audio, video
• Package and position content for sharing with key audiences including external media, digital and social media, internal and key external stakeholders. Ensure all content is available for everyone in the Plan federation to use by uploading all content in high resolution onto the global Media Bank
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of our communications work
• Monitor the situation for challenges, risks, threats and opportunities related to the Ukraine Crisis context that may impact communications and public engagement approaches, messaging and operations

Ensure our media work reflects a specific focus on the needs of girls and reflects advocacy issues

• Ensure brand visibility of Plan International
• Support efforts for timely country office reports such as sit reps, weekly updates, and donor related materials.
• Develop, maintain, and update the communication strategy and objectives in liaison with the Head of Mission to include key messages, activities, and other support needed
• Ensure that child protection guidelines for content are strictly adhered to

Media relations

• Manage in-country media requests and access to spokespersons
• Act as a media spokesperson or position others to do so
• Work with designated communications contacts to coordinate, prioritise and deliver media interviews
• Host media visits
• Prepare spokespeople and media messaging/ talking points
• Liaise with journalists/correspondents
• Develop, maintain, and update media relations contact list/database
• Support VIP / celebrity visits

Required skillset

Experience of communications in disaster and emergency response

• High level of understanding of media, social media, and Information Technology
• Familiarity and understanding of Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy
• Experience as a spokesperson
• Experience of working with photographers / videographers, and negotiating rates and usage rights

Skills

• Technical Ability in writing with an excellent command of Ukrainian and English — both written and spoken
• Strong photography skills, additional technical skills are desirable, including proficiency in Adobe Photoshop or photo-editing software
• Intermediate videography skills (including sound and microphones, and lighting), additional technical skills are desirable, including movie-editing software such as Adobe Premier or Final Cut Pro
• Good experience of using social media
• Additional languages desirable
• Script-writing skills desirable

Behaviours

• Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan’s core values and humanitarian principles
• Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
• Aware of impact on others and uses impact to create positive climate at work
• Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable, and resilient manner.
• Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
• Willingness to learn and be exposed to new learning opportunities

Who are we looking for?

We strongly encourage citizens of Ukraine to apply, including those who have been displaced as a result of the conflict and members of minority communities. We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and idea.

Where will I be based?

Our main office is in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Why join Plan International?

It’s an exciting time to join as we shape our longer-term strategy and presence within each of the response countries. You’ll have a direct impact on women and children affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

How do I apply?

Please submit your CV and Cover Letter stating the position you are interested in.

Please note, interviews will take place on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to close this advert once sufficient applications are received. During our emergency response, there may be a delay in hearing from us; at Plan International we appreciate the time invested in application processes and aim to respond to every candidate in due course.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.