Communications Manager

Cagi; Genf; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) seeks a senior Communications Lead to drive the organisation's communications strategy and ensure proactive engagement with media, public, and stakeholders across humanitarian sectors. You will oversee content creation, crisis planning, and partnerships to elevate GICHD’s visibility in Switzerland and beyond.

Fluency in English plus at least two of German or French is required, with strong team leadership, budgeting, and donor

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in communication, journalism, international relations, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in communications at national and/or international levels.

Responsibilities

• Identify opportunities for media engagement, launch events and disseminate knowledge on the work of GICHD.
• Develop and implement GICHD’s communications strategy to ensure effective communication with target audiences in a way that advances the overall organizational objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with media professionals to support GICHD's visibility in the media, especially in Switzerland.
• Oversee the creation of engaging and consistent content across various platforms, including publications, press releases and audio-visual materials.
• Draft high-level and donor-related content, as needed.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of written content, translations, and media articles produced by GICHD; ensure corporate style guidelines are up to date.
• Work closely with the Director and management to support executive communication, including with traditional and social media.
• Provide guidance to staff on communications good practices, including media relations, social media, and messaging.
• Identify and develop communications partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including with GCSP and DCAF, to enhance GICHD’s communication efforts.
• Implement crisis management good practices and develop crisis communication plans to address potential security risks, negative publicity or unforeseen events.
• Lead, manage, and coach the communication team to ensure project delivery within budget and timelines, promoting an inclusive and respectful work culture.
• Contribute to the implementation of the new GICHD Strategy.
• Manage the communications budget.

Skills

Media relations

Campaign management

Budget planning

Project management

Crisis communication

Team management

Diversity in comms

Stakeholder engagement

Multilingual communication

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent in comms/IR

Job description

Lead the Communications Team in implementing and monitoring the Centre’s communication strategy, ensuring proactive engagement with the media, the public, the mine action community, and key stakeholders across the human security, humanitarian, and development sectors. Oversee the production of high-quality digital and print materials, lead awareness-raising initiatives, and strengthen the Centre’s visibility and impact through effective communication.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify opportunities for media engagement, launch events and disseminate knowledge on the work of GICHD.
• Develop and implement GICHD’s communications strategy to ensure effective communication with target audiences in a way that advances the overall organizational objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with media professionals to support GICHD's visibility in the media, especially in Switzerland.
• Oversee the creation of engaging and consistent content across various platforms, including publications, press releases and audio-visual materials. Draft high-level and donor-related content, as needed.
• Oversee the quality and consistency of written content, translations, and media articles produced by GICHD; ensure corporate style guidelines are up to date
• Work closely with the Director and management to support executive communication, including with traditional and social media.
• Provide guidance to staff on communications good practices, including media relations, social media, and messaging
• Identify and develop communications partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including with GCSP and DCAF, to enhance GICHD’s communication efforts.
• Implement crisis management good practices and develop crisis communication plans to address potential security risks, negative publicity or unforeseen events.
• Lead, manage, and coach the communication team to ensure project delivery within budget and timelines, promoting an inclusive and respectful work culture.
• Contribute to the implementation of the new GICHD Strategy.
• Manage the communications budget.

Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in communication, journalism, international relations, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in communications at national and/or international levels.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies

• Solid knowledge and competence in communication approaches, tools, and methodologies essential to planning and executing effective campaign strategies and programmes, e.g., campaign management, advocacy, engagement, media operations, message targeting.
• Media relations skills; knowledge of the Swiss media landscape strongly desired.
• Experience in an international setting and/or humanitarian organization.
• Fluency in English, German and/or French, both written and oral, with the ability to speak in public in at least two of the three languages, other languages a plus.
• Great story-teller.
• Good project management skills, budget planning and monitoring and project team management.
• Experience managing communications agencies or other service providers are an asset.
• Understanding and experience in mainstreaming gender and diversity throughout communications materials.
• Knowledge of international relations, UN agencies, relevant national authorities, NGOs and humanitarian organisations.
• Professional understanding of or experience in crisis management communication.
• Experience in managing a team.

Operating network

• Journalists and other professionals in media (both in international and Swiss media).
• National authorities, governmental ministries/departments
• Representatives of donor countries
• Internal stakeholders, partners, suppliers
• Diplomatic fora/actors
• National and international mine action operators
• International (including UN), regional and civil society organizations
• Consultants and service providers for communications products

Travel Requirements

Travel may be required up to 15% of the time, including to medium and high risks environments.