United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Press Officer X 2

Job Description

War Child is striving for a world where children’s lives are no longer torn apart by war.

We are the only specialist charity for children in conflict, delivering high-impact programmes that are rebuilding lives across Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic. We understand children’s needs, respect their rights, and put them at the centre of the solution - from supporting Syrian children to access education, to reintegrating child soldiers in the Central African Republic and working on juvenile justice in Afghanistan.

We aim to reach children early in the conflict cycle and stay to support them through their recovery, providing education and protection services and building longer-term livelihood opportunities. We support children to deal with the traumas of armed conflict, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to go back to school, and providing training to young people so they can support themselves.

We believe that children and young people know what matters to them and that their voices and demands should be heard – we work with them to build their confidence as advocates and to mobilise others to take action in support of them. Through standing by these principles War Child plays a unique role in helping children and young people to overcome the devastating impact of conflict.

Overview:

The Press and PR team at War Child is part of the rapidly growing Advocacy and Communications team. The Press and PR team is responsible for raising War Child UK’s media profile and brand awareness in the UK and internationally, to enhance our reputation, credibility and impact.

We are recruiting for two roles who will have different priority focus areas, but will provide support to each other at times of workload surges. Both roles will have the opportunity to lead and shape their own strategies with the Head of Press and PR, as well as provide support to the other.

• Press Officer – Brand and Partnerships

  • Lead on growing the charity’s brand profile, ensuring synergy of messaging across projects and securing coverage for War Child’s fundraising initiatives, events and corporate partnerships (70%)
  • Support on securing coverage across other War Child priorities – including policy, campaigns, and programmes - responding to the news agenda and providing surge capacity at key moments (30%).

• Press Officer –Cause and Campaigns

  • Lead on securing coverage relating to War Child’s policy, campaigns and programmes, as well as responding to the news agenda (70%)
  • Support on securing coverage on other War Child priorities – including brand, events and partnerships – providing surge capacity at key moments (30%)

The Press Officer – Brand & Partnerships role is ideal for someone who is ready to take a lead on creating strategies to build brand awareness and promote fundraising activities and partnerships within a charitable organisation, and who also wants to build their experience of generating media coverage on the wider issues that War Child on - including responding to the political news agenda.

The Press Officer – Cause and Campaigns role is ideal for someone who is:

• Ready to lead on developing a proactive media strategy designed to set the news agenda and generate extensive coverage for War Child’s priority policy, advocacy, campaigns and programmatic issues:
• Familiar with reacting to a rapidly changing news agenda, and the sudden emergence of issues and emergencies to which War Child needs to respond.
• Keen to build their experience in other priority areas for War Child – from events, to brand and partnerships.

Purpose of Post:

To work with the Advocacy and Communications team and across the wider organisation to develop and deliver strategies to secure diverse and high quality media coverage for War Child, increasing brand reach and impact through print, broadcast and digital channels.

To work with partners and increase War Child’s brand presence in the medias to increase fundraising and drive sales of both tickets to War Child’s events and of products which fundraise for the charity - Showcasing the mission of the charity and profiling the work that is done on the ground.

Working as part of a team to ensure that messages are aligned and work-loads balanced. Providing and managing support when calendar spikes require.

Application process

• Application deadline is Thursday24 November 2016 and completed application forms must be sent to War Child by this date. Please note CVs will not be accepted.
• Please clearly indicate on the Application form whether you would like to be considered for the Press Officer (Cause and Campaigns) or Press Officer (Brand & Partnerships) role.