Director, Communications UK

BACKGROUND

Over the past 90 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. 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. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC-UK

IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England, a programme that is rapidly growing. In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

The External Relations (ER) unit is comprised of four complementary functions: Private fundraising, Mobilization & Marketing, Policy & Advocacy and Operations & Analytics. To enable IRC to deliver our Strategy100 commitments, the ER unit established a bold new approach that enhances our ability to raise diverse and flexible funding aligned with IRC’s top priorities, while raising our profile and influence. The ER unit is international, with colleagues in more than 10 offices globally.

The Purpose of the Role

As Director of Communications, UK, you lead IRC UK’s core communications strategy with the objectives of growing our profile, influencing policy, driving income, and protecting our reputation. This is done by taking a strategic approach to generating effective messaging for cross-team use, creatively collaborating to produce cut-through external products across media and digital channels, and generating top tier media coverage in collaboration with communications, advocacy and fundraising colleagues globally. In this role you will be expected to use expert judgment to manage IRC UK’s reputation, as well as ensure media and digital outputs protect beneficiaries, staff and programming from harm.

The Director will report to the UK Executive Director and the Senior Director of Global Public Affairs. The Director will collaborate closely with the Senior Director for Digital Engagement, UK Advocacy Director, and the Director of UK Mass Markets to meet the organization’s strategic objectives surrounding profile, income and influence.

Scope and Authority

Authority:

• The role holder sets strategic direction for UK communications, with a focus on earned media, public advocacy and organic digital.
• The role oversees the UK comms operational budget, with access to the Global External Relations budget.
• The role has the authority to brief journalists with agreed messaging and act as spokesperson for the organisation.
• The Director will line manage the communications team and other positions when required.
• The role is a key member of the UK Senior Management Team, with collective responsibility for the leadership, culture and efficacy of IRC UK.

Key Working Relationships

• Reports to the UK Executive Director and Senior Director Global Public Affairs & Communications.
• Close collaboration with External Relations staff in the UK, US and globally, including Advocacy and Influence, Mass Markets, Fundraising, Awards Management, Digital Engagement, Entertainment Relations, Creative Studio, and Experiential Marketing.
• Works closely with key country directors, country programme staff and technical unit colleagues.
• Supports policy staff in the IRC President’s Office on key UK messages and policy initiatives involving the IRC President.
• Works closely with counterparts in NGOs and donors particularly FCDO and the DEC.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic Direction

• Raise IRC UK’s profile, income, influence and brand in the UK market by developing and delivering a 360 comprehensive communications strategy that reaches target audiences, attracts new supporters, and connects supporters with IRC clients.
• Partner with global external relations leadership to set Key Performance Indicators for achieving the strategy, and drive and monitor progress towards them with the support of your team.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of the UK Strategic Plan.

Team Management & Stakeholder engagement

• Manage a team of communications professionals, setting objectives, portfolio scope, and partnering on professional development opportunities
• Drive creative insights and strategic thinking within the UK comms team and influence / maximize policy, advocacy and fundraising outputs and results
• Lead strategic communications planning to maximize opportunities of partnering with income and influence objectives and outputs
• Ensure the UK Communications Team are clear on systems, processes and organization to drive efficiency and team productivity
• Review team performance quarterly and present on results to global stakeholders
• As a member of the UK Senior Management Team (UK SMT) support the UK Executive Director in the creation and delivery of IRC UK strategies and priorities, foster cohesion and collaboration among UK based departments, representing the needs and objectives of the team in the UK SMT and UK office.

Execution: Driving IRC profile, influence and income; and protecting the reputation of the IRC

• Work alongside global communications colleagues, Policy & Advocacy colleagues and UK Fundraisers to develop appropriate messaging on key proactive and reactive issue areas across the scope of IRC’s work.
• Plan and identify key moments of opportunity for IRC UK Communications according to internal and external landscape and timetables.
• Ensure pro/reactive message accuracy and cut through calls to action that engage audiences for proactive campaigns and news cycle opportunities.
• Develop, commission and drive creative cut-through tactics and products, from revealing IRC research and analysis to emergency media briefings.
• Secure top tier media coverage of IRC’s work, solutions and innovation, balancing mentions with long-form/features and profiles.
• Influence and shape key media narratives around priority IRC UK policy issues.
• Oversee strategic media opportunities by commissioning, writing, editing and disseminating messaging for multi-channel use, press-releases, op-eds, statements and other content to secure coverage of the IRC in the UK across print, broadcast and online media.
• Work with global communications colleagues and country office staff to create strong, persuasive and impactful outputs, and to arrange interviews and media visits to frontline work.
• Act as a spokesperson for the organization in the media as needed.
• Liaise closely with Fundraising teams to collaborate on timely messaging, client-centered storytelling, digital outputs, and media coverage to bring in donations to the IRC during emergencies and other fundraising appeals.
• Manage the communications component and IRC UK’s relationship with the DEC and lead communications on DEC appeals.
• Use expert judgment to ensure the IRC is protected in the media and to develop and enact strategies to protect IRC’s reputation, as well as ensure media outputs protect beneficiaries, staff and programming from harm.
• Ensure coordinated and topical messaging across media outreach and digital channels.
• Establish close relationships with press counterparts within statutory donor organizations that lead to opportunities to promote IRC in the media.
• Leverage IRC’s President and CEO, and UK Executive Director to grow our profile in the UK, through proposing and implementing op-eds, interviews and other media activities.
• Support, prepare and coach staff, spokespeople and board members for media interviews and visits; and provide guidance across the organisation to dealing with media.
• Build expertise on current and potential issues in the humanitarian NGO arena via research and monitoring of national media and competitors and in liaison with global colleagues
• Work with the global media colleagues to ensure that IRC has a system for managing media enquiries at all times, as needed.
• Responsible for reporting to the IRCUK board, subcommittees and Executive Director on press activity, trends and upcoming opportunities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Experience

• Track record in creating, driving and evaluating a 360-degree communications strategy that focuses on media, digital and enabling income.
• Experience leading and managing media and digital teams.
• Experience navigating and influencing within large matrixed organizations.
• Extensive experience of developing key messages and implementing media strategies with an international, and ideally humanitarian, or development focus.
• Experience of conducting media relations and communications opportunities in developing countries and sensitive contexts.
• Experience of organising international media visits to projects in order to facilitate reporting on key issues.
• Substantial experience responding to reputational threats.
• Experience leading a digital communications team that delivers breakthrough digital content, client-centered storytelling and brings in new supporters.
• Experience/knowledge of tools for monitoring media coverage and digital results.
• Experience of dealing with media enquiries into crisis and sensitive issues.
• Experience of acting as a spokesperson for an organisation.

Skills and Knowledge

• Creative thinker who can identify opportunities and collaborate internally to produce external products that cut through media and digital and meet strategic IRC UK objectives.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills: ability to communicate effectively with colleagues both in the UK and overseas and manage working relationships diplomatically.
• Excellent eye to detail and commitment to high speed and high quality writing and editing
• Strong organisational and time management skills: ability to prioritise team’s work, and multi-task in a fast-paced work setting.
• Good contacts with key UK journalists and media outlets, and knowledge and ability to develop relationships quickly.
• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills; adept at writing clean, engaging, jargon-free copy for a range of channels.
• Ability to represent IRC-UK and the wider IRC professionally and appropriately at all times.
• Knowledge/interest in international affairs, particularly of conflict and humanitarian crises and issues.
• Knowledge of key political debates in the UK around international development and aid.
• Flexibility as regards working hours, as the need arises.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to conflict areas.
• Fluency in English, spoken and written.