Senior Communications Officer

Malaysian Red Crescent; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent humanitarian organization seeks a dedicated Senior Communications Officer to lead and manage communications efforts. The role involves telling impactful stories, enhancing fundraising efforts, and engaging with both internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate should have at least 3 years of experience in communications, a degree in a relevant field, and be fluent in English and Bahasa Malaysia. This position is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in communications, media, or PR (preferably in humanitarian or NGO sector).
• Fluent in both English and Bahasa Malaysia (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement communication strategies for MRC programmes.
• Serve as the primary focal point for media relations.
• Design impactful social media strategies for various platforms.
• Collaborate with Programme Funding Manager on proposals.
• Introduce internal communication initiatives to enhance engagement.

Skills

Excellent writing and storytelling skills

Strong knowledge of digital and social media platforms

Good interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills

Attention to detail and problem-solving ability

Basic design skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field

Master’s degree

Job description

2mo ago , from Malaysian Red Crescent Society

The Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) also known as Bulan Sabit Merah Malaysia (BSMM), part of the global humanitarian IFRC network, is committed to delivering emergency relief, building community resilience, and promoting universal humanitarian values.

We are seeking a dedicated and creative individual to join our team as aSenior Communications Officer— a vital role responsible for telling our humanitarian stories,

This role is responsible for leading and managing the communications function to strengthen MRC’s public image, support communication needs for fundraising, and enhance engagement with internal and external stakeholders. It involves strategic planning, team coordination, and ensuring quality content that conveys MRC’s humanitarian stories.engaging stakeholders, and strengthening the organization’s public image and reputation.

Senior Communications Officer to lead communications, tell impactful stories, strengthen MRC’s image, support fundraising, and engage stakeholders through strategic planning, team coordination, and quality content.

Duties and Responsibilities Communication & Fundraising Resources

• Develop and implement short- and long-term communication strategies for MRC programme .
• Coordinate the collection and preparation of communication materials (photos, videos, stories, press releases, testimonials, programme reports) for inclusion in the photo/video database and document management system.
• Ensure high-quality fundraising content such as project summaries, proposals, reports, and marketing materials.
• Coordinate the preparation of the Annual Report by collecting data and information from relevant departments.
• Approve or review communication and fundraising content at field level before publication.
• Plan, coordinate, and accompany field visits for high-profile visitors, photographers, journalists or media crews; prepare terms of reference and contracts as necessary.

Media & Public Relations

• Serve as the primary focal point for media relations, including drafting press releases, fact sheets and managing crisis communications.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with journalists, media agencies and partners to increase MRC’s coverage.
• Conduct media monitoring and analysis to identify key channels, target audiences and potential issues requiring rapid response.
• Advise management on reputational or access risks that may arise from media reporting.

Social Media

• Design and execute impactful social media strategies for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Coordinate teams in producing multimedia content, manage publishing schedules and ensure consistent tone and brand identity.
• Use analytics to evaluate performance, refine approaches and provide reports to management on campaign effectiveness.

Institutional & Private Donor Relations

• Collaborate with the Programme Funding Manager to integrate communication components into proposals and reports for institutional donors.
• Contribute to private fundraising proposals, ensuring narratives are compelling and aligned with MRC’s humanitarian agenda.
• Ensure compliance with donor branding and visibility requirements.

Branding & Co-Branding

• Serve as the primary advisor on MRC brand guidelines, ensuring correct use of logos, colours and messaging in all materials.
• Coordinate co-branding projects with partners, including reviewing design of field visibility materials alongside logistics staff.
• Guide design of visibility materials (infographics, digital newsletters, reports) to ensure consistency and impact.

Internal Communication

• Introduce internal communication initiatives such as newsletters, internal forums or town hall sessions to enhance engagement and information flow within the organization.
• Provide regular reports to management on communication activities, achievements and suggestions for improvement.
• Support programme leaders in change management, announcements and workplace culture communications.

General Duties

• Act as mentor and supervisor to junior communication officers; provide guidance and professional development opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with Red Cross and Red Crescent principles and MRC policies and procedures.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned by management.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field
• Master’s degree is an advantage

Experience:

• Minimum 3 year of experience in communications, media, or PR (preferably in humanitarian or NGO sector)

Skills:

• Excellent writing and storytelling skills
• Strong knowledge of digital and social media platforms
• Good interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
• Attention to detail and problem-solving ability
• Basic design skills are an added advantage

Languages:

• Fluent in both English and Bahasa Malaysia (written and spoken)