Field Communications Manager

Introduction

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) translates to Doctors without Borders. We provide medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. Our teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff - bound together by our charter.  Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality. We are a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organization.

MSF was founded in 1971 in Paris by a group of journalists and doctors. Today, we are a worldwide movement of nearly 63,000 people.

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Rationale/Objective for position

To define, implement, coordinate and supervise all operational communication activities according to MSF standards in the mission/ or during an emergency. The FCM aims at building MSF visibility, acceptance and leverage inside the mission country. For any large scale emergencies, an Emergency Field Communications Manager EFCM with the same responsibilities as the FCM may be sent to the mission.  

Tasks & Responsibilities

Strategy Building

• Under the supervision of the HOM(s) and in cooperation with the Communications Advisor in HQ the FCM defines the communications strategy for the mission, advising on public positioning and remaining reactive to emergencies and crisis communications.
• The FCM promotes the visibility of the organization, improving awareness of its principles and work, and reinforcing information on MSF activities among communities.
• The FCM should have the capacity to identify key cross-cutting issues across MSF operations which are relevant to communications and to advise on public positioning.
• He /she will develop guidelines for dealing with crisis communications through local media and have the capacity to remain reactive to emergencies.
• In emergencies with high media pressure the (E)FCM can act as a spokesperson to take interview pressure away from the field teams.

Media Management/ Alert

• The FCM maintains close contact with key local media and foreign correspondents.
• The FCM liaises with communications staff from other organizations and institutions, and will monitor and analyze the communication lines developed by actors of importance for MSF (authorities, armed groups, other NGOs…).
• The FCM facilitates international media visits to MSF projects and he/she organizes media events (Press conferences, Press briefings…) in collaboration with MSF international communication network.
• The FCO briefs spokespersons and assesses media training needs for key staff.
• He/she can play the role of a spokesperson when seen as opportune and necessary.
• The FCM produces strategic reports on the local media landscape and regularly reports on new developments. He/she provides guidance on how to deal with local media at times of crisis, and will develop guidelines for dealing with such crises through in-country media.

Team Management

• The FCM manages, develops and supervises staff (Field Communication Officers) under his/her direct responsibility.

Content Production

• The FCM advises on which communications tools to choose according to objective, message and audience at local and national levels. He/she then produces - or supervises the production of - local comms content (leaflets, brochures, posters, radio spots, articles, photos, videos.) according to strategy and budget.)
• The FCM helps produce international comms content by providing data, information, quotes, testimonies, pictures, videos and other means to the CA or the comms person in charge of writing international comms content at headquarters level.
• The FCM tracks and archives communications production in the country to build institutional memory.

Content Diffusion

• The FCM actively promotes the diffusion of MSF content in the country. Under the supervision of the Head(s) of Mission, the FCM identifies communications opportunities using MSF comms network production (from List_Press) or returning staff to pitch content on MSF activities in the country and other countries.
• When judged opportune and strategic, he/ she uses social media (Twitter, blogs, Facebook....) to promote MSF content and visibility.

Reporting

• The FCM produces regular reports on achieved results and future priorities.. 

Budget Management 

• The FCM will produce a yearly communications budget meant to support identified and agreed com priorities. This budget will be submitted for approval to the Head of Mission(s) and coms department at HQ.

Qualifications

• Education
• • ​Essential, degree in Journalism, Communications, Humanitarian affairs, Political Sciences or related university degree.
    
• Experience
• • Essential, previous working experience of at least 4 years in communications, journalism or public relations.
  • Essential, previous working experience in producing communications content production.
  • Desirable, experience with MSF or other international NGOs in developing countries. Experience working in an international environment.
    
• Competencies 
• • Essential, mission language/Bilingual (English & French). 
  • Essential, computer literacy (word, excel, internet and digital media).
  • People Management.
  • Commitment to MSF Principles.
  • Flexibility.
  • Results-oriented.
  • Teamwork.