Title: Strategic Communications Expert
Department: BBC Media Action
Grade: Depending upon experience and qualifications
Reports To: Senior Project Manager
Based: Kathmandu with possible travel to field locations
Duration: One year (possibility of extension subject to funding)

Context

BBC Media Action is the BBC’s international development charity. Working with media and communication to help reduce poverty and support people in claiming their rights, our aim is to inform, connect and empower people around the world. BBC Media Action reaches some 200 million people through local broadcast partners, BBC channels (especially the BBC World Service), online, mobile and print platforms and through interpersonal communication. We are currently delivering projects in 24 countries, including in Nepal. BBC Media Action has been working on communication for development projects in Nepal since 2007, giving us a well-developed understanding of Nepali audiences and significant experience of producing and evaluating media content on a range of issues to diverse target audiences.

BBC Media Action Nepal is recruiting a Strategic Communications Expert to work full time for a project that is focused on building resilience of communities towards climate related natural hazards. Through this project, BBC Media Action will be working with line agencies, partners, and stakeholders to develop and share Weather and Climate Information Systems for the most vulnerable to climate change.

“The role may involve working with groups of vulnerable children and adults. For the successful candidate, mandatory training will be provided on BBC Media Action’s safeguarding policy and staff code of conduct. A police background check may form part of the recruitment process. BBC Media Action operates a zero-tolerance policy concerning all forms of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people.”

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Project Manager, the Communication and Outreach Expert will work in close coordination with government line agencies working in DRR, Climate Resilience and E4All. S/he will be responsible for providing strategic communications support to government line agencies in supporting their communication strategies.

It should be noted that this position will be embedded within the related government line agency.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Work in close collaboration with the line agencies.
• Coordinate with organisations working in Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) including Early Warning for All.
• Assess the NDRRMA’s existing communication and dissemination plan, methods, tools available for effective delivery of WCIS.
• Provide necessary support such as orientation, training and mentoring to NDRRMA officials on outreach and communication.
• Support NDRRMA to develop effective communication skills with audiences, to enable more informed decision-making and reduce the risk of mis- and disinformation.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key government agencies, civil society groups, development partners, media partners and any other external stakeholders as per the project need and requirement.
• Provide communication advisory assistance to partner organisations when requested.
• Provide support to the Senior Project Manager in ensuring that programmatic outputs are in line with BBC Media Action editorial values. Ensure that key thematic issues such as Gender and Social Inclusion, as well as wider BBC Editorial Values, are reflected throughout project deliverables and outputs.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and policy development across the organisation.
• Understand and comply with the Safeguarding policy and the staff Code of Conduct.
• Participate in relevant mandatory training on Safeguarding and Respect at Work.
• Report any Safeguarding concerns immediately, either to the Country Director, or using the Whistleblowing Policy.

Essential skills and experience

• Substantial experience of managing relationships and coordinating with Government organisations, government representatives, civil society groups, and/or media partners.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience ideally in designing and managing strategic communications initiatives.
• Demonstrated capacity to manage and guide communications teams/partners, and to manage and build the capacity of local communications partners.
• Demonstrated experience of conducting and managing communications activities in resource limited and politically sensitive contexts.
• Fluency in both Nepali and English.
• Adaptable to changing circumstances and organisational needs.
• High analytical skills and able to represent the views and values of BBC Media Action.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience in designing and/or managing natural resources management, climate adaption, Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience programmes.
• Experience using media for developmental goals.
• Experience of working with radio/television production and/or outreach staff, working on a range of outputs.
• Demonstrable creative ability, with ability to support staff to think creatively about programme formats and project design development.

Key Competencies

The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies.

• Leadership: Ability to inspire others to realise an identified vision.
• Analytical Thinking: Able to simplify complex problems, process projects into component parts, explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships and construct frameworks, for problem solving and/or development.
• Strategic Thinking: Can identify a vision along with the plans that need to be implemented to meet the end goal. Evaluates situations, decisions, issues, etc. in the short, medium and longer-term.
• Decision Making: Is ready and able to take the initiative, originate action and be responsible for the consequences of the decision made.
• Influencing and Persuading: Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.
• Planning and Organising: Is able to think ahead in order to establish an effective and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements.
• Imagination/Creative Thinking: Is able to transform creative ideas/impulses into practical reality. Can look at existing situations and problems in novel ways and come up with creative solutions.
• Managing Relationships: Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. Team working.
• Communication: The ability to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.
• Problem Solving: Able to simplify complex problems, processes or projects into component parts, explore and evaluate them systematically. Able to identify causal relationships, and construct frameworks, for decision making and problem-solving. Transforms proposals/ideas into practical reality.
• Flexibility: Adapts and works effectively with a variety of situations, individuals or groups. Is able to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue, to adapt an approach as the requirements of a situation change, and to change or easily accept changes in one’s own organisation or job requirements.
• Resilience: Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, setbacks or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.