Communications Manager

World Vision International – Vietnam (WVV) invites competent candidates for the position Communications Manager - Work base: Hanoi office.

Interested candidates are invited to apply ONLINE via WORLD VISION VIETNAM'S WEBSITE BY 15 MAY 2016 - https://careers.wvi.org/jobs/vietnam/communications/wvv-communications-m...

WORK CONTEXT/BACKGROUND

World Vision (WV) is a Christian relief and development organisation working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty. WV serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. As a child-focused organization, WV’s work focuses on children, ensuring they are protected and their basic needs are met. WV Vietnam has a total income of more than $21M USD (FY15) with funding from 14 support countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia. WVV employs 500 staff, of which 99% are Vietnamese nationals.

WV Vietnam has 40 Area Development Programs (ADPs). Each ADP is a 10-15 year community development program that is an integrated approach to community development, emphasizing the process of community participation, ownership and sustainability, while addressing the macro and micro causes of poverty. WV Vietnam’s ADPs focus within one administrative district of a province, which is usually populated by ethnic minority people with very high rates of poverty. 

This position’s purpose is to provide strong and strategic communications direction and support to WV Vietnam, through the leadership and management of a communications function that is staffed and focused to serve the essential communications needs of WV Vietnam. The position will further oversee the production of key communications resources for donor and public engagement; position the ministry of WV Vietnam with in-country and international media; lead external communications on a range of humanitarian and justice issues; direct communications in potential emergency and PR crisis situations; and manage internal communications processes which support and advance the strategic goals of WV Vietnam and its core ministry functions, both in-country and internationally.

This position will oversee directly the Communications team of 3 Communications staff; report to the National Director, with matrix reporting to the Regional Communications Director for East Asia.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

To increase the overall influence, income and impact of World Vision in Vietnam, by leading in the development and implementation of an integrated strategy for the building of a high-performance communications function that is managed, structured, focused and staffed for productive and quality work. This strategy will identify the key communications needs of WV Vietnam, while setting and steering strategic communications goals and processes that are contextualized to and in alignment with its core ministry functions and goals.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITY

Major management responsibilities include:

• Team Management: Understand and apply principles of group dynamics and stages of team development to enable high performance. Lead goal setting, prioritization, process and relationship management.
• Strategy Development: Develop and implement context-driven communications strategy and associated business planning that supports organizational strategy execution.
• Executive Engagement: Contribute to senior and cross-functional teams, with good understanding of how communications relates to organizational strategy and the work of other ministry, resource acquisition and support functions
• Performance Management: Define capabilities and assess team and individual performance needed to deliver on communications strategy. Implement solutions to address capability gaps, development opportunities and retention strategies.
• Stakeholder Management: Identify, develop and influence key stakeholders, manage expectations and build stakeholder commitment to communications.
• Reputation Management & Brand Assurance: Promote the organization’s brand and guard the organization’s reputation in the national context, including crisis mitigation and response, high-level messaging and positioning of ambassadors/spokespersons.

Major technical areas to deliver are:

Media Communications Management:

• Contact and work with print and broadcast media to generate proactive and positive news coverage.
• Prepare and position the National Director for important media opportunities and interviews that promote and protect the public image and ministry of WV Vietnam, while raising public awareness on key issues of poverty and justice.
• Identify, train and position other media spokespersons within the organization - from the ADP project-level to senior leadership - as strategic and appropriate for responding to media inquiries and achieving positive coverage.
• Monitor national media and establish the overall capacity of WV Vietnam to initiate and respond to media contacts with required speed and skill. 
• Monitor social media networks and establish the overall capacity of WV Vietnam to identify potential risks and opportunities to initiate and respond with required speed and skill. 

Emergency Communications Management:

• Plan and manage communications in response to both slow- and rapid-onset emergency disaster/relief situations – ensuring that the WV Partnership is provided with quality stories, photos and media interviews from the field.
• Deploy to disaster zones if/as required to provide national and international media with information, interviews and assistance in the field.
• Ensure that the communications team has all key tools and training required for rapid deployments to and communications from the field for extended periods of time.

Donor/Public Engagement Communications Management:

• Manage the planning and production of compelling and issues-oriented fundraising, advocacy and publicity materials (web-based, electronic, print and video) for effective donor and public engagement by WV Vietnam – both in-country and internationally, and in collaboration with other World Vision Offices if/as appropriate.
• Oversee the consistent and timely offering and production of feature stories and photos for “SHARE” -- the World Vision Partnership-wide system for management of all such resources.
• Ensure that stories, photos and other materials are produced to standards of quality required for informing, educating and engaging said donors and publics via Partnership websites, magazines, adverts, donor appeals, media releases and other communications channels and outlets.
• Develop a management plan for implementation if/as needed to protect the reputation of WV Vietnam from actual or potential media crises.

Advocacy Communications Management

• Collaborate with advocacy colleagues to define key issues, messaging, and communications channels for public advocacy initiatives.
• Oversee the development of advocacy-oriented communications products including web-based and print materials, videos, posters, briefing papers, reports, stories, social media content/campaigns, and photo essays.
• Support advocacy campaigns by engaging the media to gain exposure and credibility, and increase public discussion and fundraising.

Integrated Communications Management

• Engage with cross-functional departments including operations, programmes, and DME, to support and/or lead the introduction and rollout of Communications for Development for Community Voice, in particular with sponsorship operations.

Internal Communications Management:

• Ensure that key internal communications messages and products of WV Vietnam are skillfully developed and articulated for meeting their objectives.
• Support NO executive leadership in communicating areas of their work that create shared understanding and support.
• Serve as a consistent, creative and timely information source to the WV Partnership on key areas and issues of WV Vietnam ministry – development, relief and advocacy – and their specific programme sectors.
• Establish systems and safeguards for the appropriate and effective flows of relevant information to and from WV Vietnam staff both internally and externally as/when required.
• Consult and network with relevant WV Vietnam “stakeholders” around the WV Partnership as needed and appropriate to ensure that their key information resource needs are being met by WV Vietnam, in compliance with agreed standards, policies and priorities.

JOB REQUIREMENT

The following knowledge, skills and abilities may be acquired through a combination of formal schooling, self-education, prior experience, or on the job training:

• Bachelor degree, preferably Masters Degree in public relations, communication or equivalent.
• At least 5 years management experience in professional NGO or corporate communications, advertising, journalism, or public relations field
• Experience working in development context, a fast paced, multi-cultural working environment.
• Fluent in oral communications and written skills in Vietnamese and English
• Excellent writing skills, with photographic and/or video skills also preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to think and manage strategically, plan and meet deadlines.
• An energetic, analytical and self-starting approach to projects that involve significant responsibility.
• General experience in project management, with specific experience in the production of diverse and creative communications projects including publications, multi-media, websites/pages, photo and video reports, etc. 
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Able to travel and work in the field as an essential function of the position.
• Support WV’s Christian identity and ethos, living out World Vision’s core values.
• Familiarity with or knowledge about development in rural context

World Vision Vietnam is a Christian non-government organization. Applicants having working experience in a similar kind of organization will be an advantage.

Our contact details are:

People and Culture Department
World Vision International - Vietnam
Address: 4th floor, the HEAC building, 14-16 Ham Long street, Hanoi
Tel: 04. 39439920 (ext.121)

We give equal opportunity to every candidate, regardless of religion, race and gender.

A competitive salary, benefits and career development opportunity will be offered and commensurate with the experience, qualifications and responsibilities.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization which works to improve the quality of life of people, especially children, who are marginalized and living in poverty regardless of religion, race and gender.