Sightsavers is an international organisation that changes lives for the long term. We work in more than 30 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments to live independently. We do what we do because 80 per cent of blindness in the world is avoidable, and we think that’s astoundingly unfair.
Contract: Fixed Term Contract with remote working
Salary: Local Terms and Conditions Apply
Purpose of the role
The Global Media and Content Teams are excited to be hiring a Regional Stories and Media Lead in West Africa. The role is available in one of our programme countries listed.
The purpose of the role is to extend Sightsavers’ communications reach throughout our programme countries within West Africa. The post-holder, supporting global and national communications goals will have knowledge and expertise of regional media with the ability to pitch and place stories in targeted news outlets where they can help raise the profile of Sightsavers and support campaign and programmatic goals.
If world class relationship building skills, authentic story telling at a regional level in West Africa, a passion for news and a passion for telling stories sounds like an opportunity you have been waiting for then we are keen to hear from you.
About the role of Regional Stories and Media Lead WARO
This new opportunity sits across the global Media and Content teams with responsibilities to both.
The right candidate will need to be fluent in both written and spoken English and French, be a passionate and responsible storyteller with excellent regional media knowledge within West Africa and strong communications strategy experience.
Accountabilities
Stories
- Collaborating with West African teams and UK communications and fundraising teams to source content and identify story opportunities across our three main thematic areas and priority programmes
- Liaising with stories producers, freelance photographers and videographers, predominantly focussing on written and audio stories collections and projects
- Providing training, advice and workshops within country offices relevant to the project stories
Media
- Influencing media engagement plans at a regional level to support communication strategies across West Africa linked to our three thematic areas
- Guiding and sharing knowledge to build media relationships within relevant media outlets across West Africa, supporting country teams.
- Acting as the main point of contact to avoid and resolve any media reputational crisis for Sightsavers in the region with availability to travel where necessary
Knowledge, skills and experience for Regional Stories and Media Lead WARO
- Excellent knowledge of national and international media and social media, ideally within international development
- Extensive experience sourcing and documenting emotive, contributor led stories; managing photography and video documentation projects; developing and delivering communications and content strategies within West Africa
- Experienced in building strong internal networks and maintaining relationships and communications across teams and countries
- Professional experience working in a policy or campaigns focussed media role
- Ability to sell international/development stories to the consumer, national and international media
- Advocate both internally and externally with stakeholders to showcase how media and PR contribute to achieving organisational objectives
- Awareness of ethical content; disability inclusion; safeguarding best practice, wider global development issues; understanding of the power of individual stories
- Experience of training and skills transfer
- Excellent time management
- Team builder, line manager
- Fluent English and French, both written and spoken
- Current and ongoing right to work in one of the countries detailed
Desirable:
The Regional Stories and Media Lead is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified? Go to Sightsavers on isw.changeworknow.co.uk to apply