Media and Communications Officer at Oxfam Nigeria

Oxfam Nigeria is a confederation of 17 Affiliates committed to creating a just world without poverty. In Nigeria Oxfam works in the areas of Economic Justice/Sustainable Livelihoods, Humanitarian programming to save lives, Advancing Gender Justice and Good governance, adopting a rights based approach.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Media and Communications Officer

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Job Family: Programme
Reporting to: Research Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
Level: D1

Oxfam Purpose

• To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

Job Purpose

• To coordinate and deliver resources and processes in support of the media and communication component to our programme.
• To be responsible for delivering the media part of the Nigeria programme working with partners to achieve impact and improvement in the lives of people in Nigeria on the issues relating to agriculture, food security, trade and climate change and gender justice.

Dimensions

• Development of a media and communications strategy together with an action plan, with strategic inputs from the Programme areas (Livelihoods, Governance, Gender and Advocacy)
• Providing specialist advice or specific skills to teams to reinforce the media and communications components of programme
• Support the development and maintenance of strong alliances with networks and coalitions of partners
• Representation in coordination meetings and maintain external relationships as requested, especially with various media outlets both social and traditional media
• Impact and influence within own team and also in partners that we work with.
• Plans/objectives contribute to /broader Country programme strategy and can involve collaboration with other partners
• Requires the ability to analyse media and communication as part of complex information to a wide audience
• Develop partner capacity in media and communication and mentor these strategically
• Decision-making requires significant levels of judgement based on technical experience, generally actively supported within line management or the programme team
• Role is variable with well-defined targets and/or minimum standards and is both proactive and reactive
• To play active role in media and communication, lobby and advocacy on issues related to programmes through personal contacts and co-ordination of allies
• To take part in public campaigns with partners based on agreed of action.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute immensely towards media and communication as part of advocacy development in all programmes
• Agree on media and communication as part of advocacy issues and together with the relevant programme staff identify advocacy and communication issues related to Oxfam's work in Nigeria.
• Draft press releases and statements, including regular program updates on Nigeria, for use with the media and in line with agreed Oxfam policy, and/or review media and communication products.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other international agencies and Oxfam Affiliates, directly and through developing and delivering media work.
• Proactively cultivate relationships with key media contacts and compile and maintain contacts and a general database in close coordination with others
• Act as a public spokesperson for Oxfam by liaising with media and other external parties and giving interviews.
• To keep updated on the latest developments in the region related to the development context and provide brief bi-weekly progress reports of the international and national media and advocacy work and others as required.
• Support effective information management and documentation in relation to Oxfam’s media work, ensuring in particular that media documents are archived appropriately in an easily retrievable electronic based filing system.
• Support Programme Officers in building Networks to carry out advocacy on livelihoods, Market Access, Gender, Governance, and Right To Be Heard issues in Nigeria.
• Design and produce training and educational materials on media and communication for marketing the Oxfam programme, and its GROW campaign
• Develops work plans, individual development plans, and regular reports to the Research, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
• Support programme partners in media and communications related capacity building and ensuring that this is integrated within programmes
• Supports in identifying potential new strategic media partners for Oxfam in Nigeria and develop strategies for working with them.
• Have responsibility for the monitoring and supervision of media as part of advocacy related partner activities and plans in Nigeria by ensuring that these are in line with Oxfam GB strategy in Nigeria
• Document and publish Oxfam's learning in Nigeria by contributing articles briefing notes, media publications and case studies for Oxfam's campaigns.
• Support Oxfam Nigeria staff and partners in getting relevant messages across to target audiences within and outside the organisation on major activities.
• Coordinate Oxfam GB contribution to bulletin in West Africa, our bi-monthly site reps, and other relevant publications.
• Maintain contact with key civil servants, ministries and parliamentarians (Agriculture, Gender, Water, etc) for information and to feed these into Oxfam's national media and advocacy work
• Frequently update our Oxfam in Nigeria social media outlets (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, bulk SMS etc.) and ensure we dissemination about our program at minimum on a weekly basis
• Develop and sustain relationship with the media and the civil society groups in Nigeria to feed into Oxfam's advocacy work.
• Ensuring adequate media coverage for all programme activities, functions and press releases/press statements
• Liaise with active allies to identify and help them to use rare opportunities to drive Oxfam's corporate advocacy issues in various media outlets in Nigeria.

Skills and Competence

• A minimum of Bachelor's Degree in Social Science, Communication Studies, Development Studies or any other related field.
• Demonstrable skills in effective media relations, experience in talking directly to media organisations and a high level of writing skills
• Demonstrable skills in direct and indirect lobbying/ advocacy work (minimum 3 years), experience of campaigning in this field highly desirable
• Demonstrable broad grasp and understanding of policy issues and policy environment in Nigeria regarding Livelihoods (Market Access, Trade, and Governance and Right To Be Heard) and Gender.
• A demonstrable understanding of NGO media/advocacy work in the context of development
• Experience in capacity building and/or training skills highly advantageous
• Demonstrable and proven strong conceptual, research and analytical and writing and oral skills
• Demonstrable ability to work independently, think strategically as well as work within a team
• Creative thinking, developing, designing, or creating new ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• High level interpersonal and diplomatic skills along with awareness of political sensitivities in different settings of Nigeria
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Demonstrable understanding and experience of gender and diversity issues as it relates to all media work and commitment to addressing inequalities in all the key areas of responsibility.
• Experience of working with Civil Society/ Media Network partners.
• You will be expected to regularly travel within Nigeria to our and partner field offices, including to various states on overnight trips.

Other:

• The Research Policy and Advocacy Coordinator will manage this post.

Remuneration
Remuneration is Based on the National Salary Scale of Nigeria Country Office

Application Closing Date
6th July, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send application letter and curriculum vitae in English to: [email protected]