Regional Communications Officer
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Job summary
The American Friends Service Committee is seeking a Regional Communications Officer to lead narrative change and regional communications for the Latin America and the Caribbean program. The role emphasizes strategic messaging, media engagement, and coordinating with Philadelphia to ensure brand consistency.
Location is flexible within Latin America with remote work and travel across the region. The candidate should have a strong background in social change communications, at least 5 years’
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in social communications, journalism, social sciences, or related fields.
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience designing and implementing communications strategies for civil society organizations or networks, national or international NGOs, international cooperation agencies, or intergovernmental bodies.
- Experience in communications for social change, communications for development, strategic communications targeting diverse audiences, and narrative change.
- Knowledge of the context of forced migration, displacement, and human rights in Mexico and Central America.
- Experience working with vulnerable communities, grassroots organizations, and/or civil society networks in Latin America is desirable.
- Experience in monitoring and evaluating communications activities and managing digital impact metrics is desirable.
Responsibilities
- Strategy and communications for narrative change.
- Develop and execute creative and innovative communications action plans aimed at key audiences, including local or community-based organizations, partner organizations, donors, decision-makers, media outlets, and the general public.
- Design, implement, and guide diagnostics and specific communications strategies to counter xenophobic, stigmatizing, and dehumanizing narratives toward people on the move.
- Implement participatory methodologies for narrative-building with a decolonial and intercultural approach.
- Support human rights monitoring and documentation efforts to generate evidence that underpins strategic communications and advocacy.
- Regularly update the editorial calendar and tools related to monitoring and evaluating activities.
- Generate periodic reports on the impact of activities
- Coordinate with the Communications Department in Philadelphia on aligning common messaging, the correct use of the institutional brand, and compliance with AFSC's communications protocols and standards.
- Collaborate on follow-up of activities under Pillar 1 (reintegration pathways) and Pillar 3 (evidence for advocacy), as needed by the regional team.
- Implement team capacity-strengthening actions in line with AFSC's regional communications strategy.
- Support the systematization of the program's experiences, lessons learned, and good practices to generate inputs for advocacy and communications.
- Contribute to the development and assessment of baselines to strengthen the program's monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system.
- Actively participate in planning, monitoring, strategic reflection, and internal coordination spaces of the regional team.
- Participate in coordination meetings with the Philadelphia communications department, as needed.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker religious organization that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action. Drawing on continuing spiritual insights and working with people of many backgrounds, we nurture the seeds of change and respect for human life that transform social relations and systems.
Join Our Team! Make A Difference
- Implement and update the regional internal and external communications strategy, with an emphasis on changing narratives around forced migration and climate-driven mobility, and mobilizing greater public support for these causes.
- Develop and execute creative and innovative communications action plans aimed at key audiences, including local or community-based organizations, partner organizations, donors, decision-makers, media outlets, and the general public.
- Design, implement, and guide diagnostics and specific communications strategies to counter xenophobic, stigmatizing, and dehumanizing narratives toward people on the move.
- Implement participatory methodologies for narrative-building with a decolonial and intercultural approach.
- Support human rights monitoring and documentation efforts to generate evidence that underpins strategic communications and advocacy.
- Regularly update the editorial calendar and tools related to monitoring and evaluating activities.
- Generate periodic reports on the impact of activities
- Coordinate with the Communications Department in Philadelphia on aligning common messaging, the correct use of the institutional brand, and compliance with AFSC's communications protocols and standards.
- Collaborate on follow-up of activities under Pillar 1 (reintegration pathways) and Pillar 3 (evidence for advocacy), as needed by the regional team.
- Implement team capacity-strengthening actions in line with AFSC's regional communications strategy.
- Support the systematization of the program's experiences, lessons learned, and good practices to generate inputs for advocacy and communications.
- Contribute to the development and assessment of baselines to strengthen the program's monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system.
- Actively participate in planning, monitoring, strategic reflection, and internal coordination spaces of the regional team.
- Participate in coordination meetings with the Philadelphia communications department, as needed.
- Update the regional media mapping, including influencers, contact information, reach analysis, and identification of opportunities for narrative positioning.
- Manage relationships with media outlets and identify opportunities to raise the visibility of the work of AFSC, partner organizations, and allies.
- Keep the social media mapping of partner and allied organizations up to date.
- Manage and keep institutional social media platforms up to date, ensuring message consistency, brand identity, institutional values, and visibility of programmatic impact.
- Produce written, visual, and/or audiovisual content that highlights the program's work and the voices of the people and communities we work with.
- Maintain and expand relationships with partner and allied organizations, media outlets, journalists, influencers, and other civil society actors who contribute to AFSC's positioning and narrative change.
- Coordinate interviews with local and regional actors as required, and produce key information based on priorities and the approved strategy.
- Coordinate AFSC's visibility and presence at relevant national, regional, and international events, in coordination with the direct supervisor, the Regional Directorate, and the Philadelphia Communications Department.
- Prepare narrative reports on progress, results, obstacles, and lessons learned from communications activities for internal use.
- Support the preparation of funding proposals and strategic planning documents.
- Manage activities, schedules, and budgets assigned to their area of responsibility under the supervision of the Regional Policy Advocacy Coordination (PEAC).
- Comply with AFSC's institutional policies, procedures, and standards, including brand-use guidelines and information confidentiality rules.
- Prepare status reports on program progress for internal and external use, as well as informational materials for donors and strategic allies.
This position has no direct staff supervision responsibilities. It may, however, coordinate the work of consultants, volunteers, and partner organizations within the framework of specific program activities.
- Bachelor's degree in social communications, journalism, social sciences, or related fields. Graduate studies in strategic communications, advertising/marketing, human rights, or related areas will be considered a plus.
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience designing and implementing communications strategies for civil society organizations or networks, national or international NGOs, international cooperation agencies, or intergovernmental bodies.
- Proven experience in communications for social change, communications for development, strategic communications targeting diverse audiences, and narrative change.
- Experience designing local, national, and multi-country communications strategies.
- Experience producing content for digital media, social media, and institutional visibility materials (texts, graphics, videos, infographics) is desirable.
- Knowledge of the context of forced migration, displacement, and human rights in Mexico and Central America.
- Experience working with vulnerable communities, grassroots organizations, and/or civil society networks in Latin America is desirable.
- Experience in monitoring and evaluating communications activities and managing digital impact metrics is desirable.
- Experience managing media relations with journalists and positioning thematic agendas in regional media.
- Proficiency with digital tools for social media management, basic graphic design (Canva, Adobe, among others), and audiovisual content editing.
- Solid knowledge of the migration context in Central America, Mexico, and Colombia, including dynamics of forced displacement, return/deportation, and climate-driven migration.
- Knowledge of human rights.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in Spanish; ability to write in journalistic, narrative, and outreach styles tailored to different audiences.
- Professional proficiency in English, with the ability to communicate verbally and in writing, draft and review documents, and interact effectively with staff and other stakeholders.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in multicultural and geographically dispersed environments.
- Proficiency with standard Microsoft Office tools and remote collaboration platforms.
- Willingness and ability to travel to the program's areas of operation.
- Ability to work remotely, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
- Knowledge of participatory and decolonial methodologies for building transformative narratives, and storytelling, is desirable.
- Solid knowledge of monitoring and evaluating communications strategies.
- Respect for the values of nonviolence and belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
- Respect and sensitivity toward cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, and religious diversity, and familiarity with nonviolent approaches to conflict resolution.
- Demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity, justice, and inclusion with respect to race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
- Intercultural and gender-sensitive approach to working with communities and organizations.
- Ethical commitment to the confidential handling of sensitive information.
- Openness to continuous learning and feedback.
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position requires availability for regular travel to communities and program intervention areas in Central America, Mexico, and Colombia, which may involve fieldwork conditions and hard-to-reach environments.
AFSC offers a competitive total compensation package consistent with the organization's salary band for this position. Specific details regarding salary, benefits, and contract conditions will be communicated during the selection process
The American Friends Service Committee is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity within our organization. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation, race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.
AFSC's Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is not represented.
AFSC maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities. The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.
Position duties and expectations change over time. This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exclusive or exhaustive list of the job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform from time to time. The employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. If there is ever a time that you are unsure what is expected of you, you are expected to meet with your manager and ask questions. If you are unsure how to perform a certain task, ask your manager before performing.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
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