Job Description

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Introduction

SOS Children’s Villages International is the umbrella organization to which all SOS Children’s Villages including SOS Children’s Villages Somalia Association is affiliated. SOS Children’s Villages Somalia has officially been working in Somalia since 1985. SOS is currently working in 134 countries worldwide. We are committed to the welfare of children – often throughout the whole of their childhood, and to strengthening families and communities as a preventive measure in the fight against abandonment and social neglect. We also run education and health facilities. With the SOS Children’s Village concept, the organization pioneered a family approach to the long-term care of orphaned and abandoned children. SOS Children’s Villages upholds child protection policy and our selection processes reflect our commitment to the protection of children and youth from abuse. SOS Children’s Villages Somalia current works in three regions; Banadir Regions (Heliwa, Wadajir, Dharkenley and Dayninle districts) southwest-state (Baidoa, BurHakaba, Berdale,Qasaxdhere and Hudur) Hirshabelle State (Jowhar,Adale & Balcad)

SOS Children’s Villages invite applications from suitably qualified and interested candidates who fulfill the eligibility criterion for the below position.

Position title : Communication and Branding Officer

Reporting to : Area Manager

Location : Baidoa, with frequent travels to other project locations in SWS

Job summary:

The communication and branding officer assumes primary responsibility for planning, developing, and implementing communication strategies to promote SOS Children's Villages' work in the Southwest State of Somalia. You will also contribute to driving the national brand-strengthening process to enable a consistent brand alignment with the overall mission of SOS Children’s Villages globally and in the MA Somalia. He/she facilitates and supports the implementation of the global brand frame and makes sure sufficient room is provided for local adaptations. He/she is also responsible for gathering and producing key messages and materials throughout the MA’s projects for both internal and external communication.

The communication and branding officer is also responsible for ensuring an uninterrupted flow of highquality content from the field to the National Office (NO), including content production, social media, advocacy, internal & external engagement, and reporting.

Job Responsibilities:

Main duties and Responsibilities:

1. Lead in High-quality Content Production

• Production and dissemination of high-quality multimedia content, including photos, videos, success stories, testimonials, transcriptions, and situation updates according to the national communication and advocacy strategy.

• Lead in the development and production of visibility materials in conformity with the donor and SOS CVs' specific guidelines (e.g., banners, brochures, leaflets, fact sheets, merchandise, promotional materials, thematic bulletins, newsletters, reporting templates, etc.)

• Support the graphic design of reports, publications, audiovisual materials and other products that showcase and build credibility for our work.

• Ensure all communication materials are archived in an organized and easily accessible manner, including digital materials using the SOS media database platform and a dedicated external hard drive for content archiving.

• Support fundraising campaigns by proactively identifying cross-cutting issues which are relevant to our work and advise on public positioning to evolving situations.

• Identify and provide ideas for SOS CVs Somalia publicity and marketing materials, including but not limited to organisational information brochures, calendars, diaries, souvenirs, almanacks, and best practice magazines for better visibility of our work.

• Mapping and guiding freelance photographers, translators and media consultants in ensuring our work is adequately covered as per our media and communication guidelines.

• Develop a tailored Internal communications strategy to increase staff knowledge on basic communication and visibility, contribute to the bi-annual newsletter, annual reports, and create awareness of our media and communication guidelines, policies and events among staff members.

• Assist in translations of key documents such as articles, official letters, SM posts and audio/video testimonials of beneficiaries and local leaders.

2. Contribute to Digital and Mainstream Media Management

• Identify and create a database for key local media stations, journalists and media influencers from the Southwest State and build a relationship with them.

• Provide leadership in coordinating media engagement with our activities, including inviting them to key events such as project launches, handovers, campaigns, and international days and events.

• Develop and share routine content tailored for social media that effectively informs and engages local and international audiences, including graphics, videos, photo stories, blogs, quotes, staff spotlight, situational bulletins, etc.

• Receive and triage all media requests from the SWS and sometimes identify relevant stories that we can pitch to local media, which are unique and give us an advantage in our operations in the area, such as smart farming, youth skills development, etc.

• Monitor local, regional and international media with a focus on stories relevant to SWS, e.g. droughts, displacements, health and malnutrition crises, and share with the NO-based communication team.

• Produce strategic reports on the local media landscape (key media, audience spread and preferences, trending topics, new shifts) and regularly report on new developments. Provide guidance on handling local media during a crisis.

• Lead on rolling out relevant policies and guidance to staff, such as social media policies, media sensitivities and photo/video guidelines.

• Monitor and evaluate the impact of communication materials and advocacy events/campaigns— including collecting and analysing social media metrics to assess reach, engagement, and overall feedback across posts, accounts, and campaigns.

3. Representation and Risk Management

• Proactively identify and report any potential reputational risks to the organisation

• Assist the Area Management Team and the National Office (NO) in developing an informed crisis communication plan in the event of negative publicity.

• Champion safeguarding, diversity, and the dignity of beneficiaries in our communication, media, and advocacy work.

• Represent the organisation in the SWS’s advocacy and communication working groups (ACWG), chaired by the Somali NGO Consortium (SNC) in Baidoa

• Promote a culture of teamwork, accountability, and high-level integrity, thus serving as a model in portraying SOS CVs' values and ethics. 

4. Events & Campaign Management

• Assist in organizing and generating public support for special events and campaigns to highlight and build credibility for our work.

• Coordinate and collaborate with other local, international, and government entities in celebration of international days and campaigns such as measles campaigns, water, food, and children’s day, etc.

• Provide a comprehensive media coverage of events and campaigns

• Undertake any other responsibilities/duties that you may be reasonably expected by your line supervisors.

Experiences and Qualifications

Job competencies:

Essential

• Minimum: Degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing or a related field.

• Minimum of 3 years of work experience in field communications within an NGO environment in Somalia.

• Proven experience in writing stories, photography, and video production for fund development, advocacy and social media.

• Practical working knowledge of child safeguarding and data protection matters.

• Excellent organizational and administrative capabilities.

• Must show attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines, with flexibility in working arrangements if necessary

• Experience in working in an environment with varying cultural backgrounds.

• Ability to work with or within physical and virtual teams.

• Experience in planning, team-building, and team-motivation techniques.

• Previous training and presentation skills.

• Essential: Fluent in English & Somali (speaking, reading and writing)

Child Safeguarding Policy:

SOS Children’s Villages Somalia holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates’ value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes. SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, is expected that every individual who joins with SOS Children’s Villages Somalia understands his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping children always safe

Skills Required

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