SignPost Manager at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: SignPost Manager

Requisition ID: req42612
Location: Damaturu, Yobe
Sector: Protection and rule of law
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Description

• The International Rescue Committee has been in Nigeria since October 2012 and came in response to a widespread flood disaster. IRC’s Emergency Response Team, with local partners, Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication (CISCOPE), implemented projects to support food security, livelihoods, nutrition, and WASH in Kogi State.
• Beginning of January 2014, IRC shifted its geographical location to the Northeast, in Adamawa state to provide a humanitarian response to the conflict-affected populations. In the Northeast, IRC has operational offices: Yola and Mubi field offices in Adamawa State, Damaturu in Yobe State and Bama, Monguno, Gwoza and Maiduguri field offices in Borno State-with the latter office opened in October 2015. In both states, IRC is providing humanitarian support to internally displaced populations hosted in IDP camps, camp-like settings, host communities, and returnee populations. In 2023, the IRC began operations in Northwest Nigeria.
• The IRC Nigeria country program is implementing multi-sectoral interventions in the sectors of: Health and Nutrition; Environmental Health; Child Protection; Education; Women’s Protection and Empowerment; Economic Recovery and Development and Protection Rule of Law. Most of these programs are driven in partnership with strategic local NGOs.

About SignPost

• SignPost is an innovative, first-of-its-kind project within the Nigeria Country Program that harnesses social media and other digital tools to change the way the humanitarian community communicates with IDPs, Host community Members, returnees, and refugees.
• SignPost meets IDPs, Host community Members, returnees, and refugees in Northeast Nigeria where they are online to listen to their questions and concerns and to provide the information they need to make informed choices about their lives. We also provide the humanitarian community with a platform to reach IDPs, returnees, and host community members with accessible information in multiple languages.
• It meets communities on the digital platforms they already use and aims to deliver information that is contextualized to their specific needs and speaks to their lived realities.
• This approach draws on evidence that people are more likely to trust and act on information that is responsive to their needs, speaks to their lived realities, and that comes from “peers” rather than authority figures.
• Signpost very often incorporates face-to-face information services in order to reach people who have less access to the internet and social media. In Nigeria, we are anticipating face-to-face delivery modalities to be incorporated into the overall information strategy.

Position Summary

• The SignPost Manager’s main responsibilities are helping develop and implement a content strategy and assigning, line and copy editing, and approving content for SignPost’s online and offline information-sharing platforms.
• S/he is tasked with ensuring content is accurate, complete, easy to understand, and engaging.
• The Senior editorial officer will have a reporting line to the SignPost Manager.
• S/he will coach the senior editorial officer to produce content that meets high editorial standards.
• The SignPost Manager is also responsible for using our content management system and other tools to work with the Senior editorial officer to usher content from the first draft through editing and translation and ultimately to its final, published form.
• Additionally, the SignPost Manager will ensure our photo database, style guide, and editorial calendar are up to date.
• S/he will also use other project management tools to keep the project organized and on track. S/he will write or co-write reports on SignPost content.
• The SignPost Manager may also pitch and create content for SignPost.
• The SignPost Manager will be line-managed by the Protection and Rule of Law Coordinator and work closely with the entire SignPost editorial team as well as the Senior Advocacy manager.

Essential Responsibilities

• Ensure SignPost content is accurate, complete, easy to understand, and engaging.
• Edit written and multimedia content created by SignPost staff, including the Senior Editorial officer, Community Engagement, Protection and Service mapping officer, and Moderators.
• Use MS Word, MS Office Publisher, PowerPoint, Adobe IN-design, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Contentful CMS, Transifex translation-management software, and other tools to prepare content for publication.
• Create and execute work plans, spending plans, procurement plans and related systems to ensure that project deadlines are met, and targets achieved.
• Convene and facilitate the monthly/semi-monthly staff meetings and community forums.
• Support the Protection Officers in maintaining a good working knowledge of available services from IRC and partners, and an ability to make appropriate referrals to those services during SignPost activities.
• Develop and maintain a good knowledge of the protection situation locally and the priority needs of the IDP population and host community.
• Participate in the development of proposals, budgets, and concept notes in coordination with the Protection and Rule Law Coordinator, DDP, Grants team, and HQ Technical Unit.
• Contribute to the development of the Country Sector Strategy for the Nigeria Protection Program.
• Support other protection programs as needed, including Child Protection and Women’s Protection and Empowerment.
• Publish content.
• Organize, update, and manage the SignPost style guide.
• Ensure the SignPost photo database is up to date.
• Ensure the SignPost editorial calendar is up to date.
• Work with ICT team to resolve technical issues across platforms.
• Help monitor traffic and other feedback.
• Draft reports on SignPost content as assigned.
• Represent SignPost at conferences, workshops, and other events.

Team Collaboration:

• Collaborate with the editorial team (Senior Editorial officer, Community Engagement, Protection, and Service mapping officer, and Moderators); translators; and Senior Advocacy Manager to manage content across all SignPost platforms.
• Work closely with individual Senior Editorial officer, Community Engagement, Protection and Service mapping officer, to edit content they have drafted.
• Coordinate with ICT focal point and MEAL Officer to ensure smooth operation of the SignPost tools.
• Work with editorial team to ensure content is aligned with the content strategy and appropriate for publication.
• Use online tools and other modes of communication to consistently share information with other members of the editorial team.
• Participate in all team meetings, workshops, strategy sessions, regular communications, etc., as established by the Senior Editor.

Accountability:

• Reports Directly To: Protection and Rule of Law Coordinator
• Works Directly With: SignPost editorial team (Senior Editorial officer, Community Engagement, Protection, and Service mapping officer, and Moderators); translators; and Senior Advocacy Manager

Success Factors

• The successful SignPost Editorial Manager will be extremely proactive, detail-oriented and organized.
• S/he values accurate and error-free reporting above all.
• S/he is self-directed and reliably completes tasks.
• S/he is diplomatic and able to work with a range of peers.
• S/he is computer-savvy and quick to learn new tools.
• S/he has a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability and regularly seeks opportunities for collaboration.
• S/he thrives in evolving and changing environments.
• S/he has a Facebook account.

Qualifications
Knowledge and Experience:

• BA/BS in English, Journalism, Social sciences, Communications or a field in the humanities desired but not required.
• Minimum of 5 years of editing experience required; sub-editing/copy editing experience strongly desired.
• Expert-level knowledge of English grammar and usage.
• Knowledge of MS Word, MS Office Publisher, PowerPoint, Adobe IN-design, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Contentful CMS, Transifex translation-management software is strongly desired.
• Experience using a CMS.
• Knowledge of online content best practices.
• Knowledge of social media strategy and content best practices.
• Experience in a newsroom a plus.
• Experience in a humanitarian organization a plus.
• Knowledge of IDP issues in Northeast desired.       

Skills and Interests:

• Very strong content editing skills required.
• Native-level oral and written English skills required.
• Ability to edit content drafted by non-native speakers into North American English.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse team in a sensitive environment.
• Ability to work independently with remote management.
• Strong interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence.
• Ability to handle pressure and ambiguity with grace and humor.
• Proven organizational skills.
• Healthy respect for deadlines.
• Strong interest in IDP/ refugee/humanitarian issues.
• Good news judgment.
• Photo and video skills a plus.
• Native or near-native Hausa, Kanuri, Barbur, Margi, Waha, Shuwa Arab, Fulani / Fulfulde languages a plus.

Travel:

• The position is based in Damaturu, Yobe State, and will require travel to Maiduguri or other locations as needed (up to 20%).

Representation & Coordination:

• Actively participate in coordination mechanisms with partners, IDPs, and host community leaders to ensure information sharing and coordination of interventions, and to enable meaningful participation of both IDPs and host communities.
• Liaise with partners, particularly through the protection sector working group/coordination mechanism, to share findings and any issues of relevance and/or concern related to the local context or broader trends.
• Establish relationships with other NGOs, international organizations, and government offices, particularly those working in protection, and participate in relevant coordination forum.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Code of Conduct. 
• These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality:

• IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.