Communications Manager

The International Fund for Public Interest Media is seeking a dynamic Communications Manager who is comfortable operating in a rapidly evolving organization to respond to media inquiries, support ongoing resource mobilization efforts, and showcase the work and continued development of the Fund. The Communications Manager will report to the Director of Partnerships.

The Challenge

Around the world, public interest media face fundamentally challenging conditions, from deteriorating business models because of declining revenue to the worrying rise of government crackdowns on journalists. In particular, the evolution of digital advertising has severely hampered traditional funding models for journalism. These existential challenges have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic which, for many communities, will be a “media extinction event.”

Public interest media is particularly endangered in low- and middle-income countries, where media infrastructure is most fragile and audience engagement has decoupled from advertising revenue. As news outlets struggle to stay afloat, media ecosystems begin to collapse — an outcome linked to increased corruption, conflict, violent extremism, and human-caused disasters like famines and epidemics. Now more than ever, public interest media is a key pillar of democracy, good governance, and sustainable development.

A  feasibility study conducted by BBC Media Action showed that an International Fund for Public Interest Media would be an effective vehicle for bolstering public interest media, especially in low- and middle-income regions in the next decade or two, until new business models can be developed to address challenges faced by both individual news outlets and entire media ecosystems. The International Fund has received extensive political support and seed funding, including at the December 2021 Summit for Democracy, organized by President Biden, and at the November 2022 Paris Peace Forum, where it announced an agreement with the French government to establish its headquarters in Paris with a status akin to an International Organization.

The Role

The Communications Manager will play a key role in shaping the International Fund’s external communications strategy and identity, including across digital and print mediums. In particular, the Communications Manager will:

• Develop strategic communications around the International Fund’s key points of view, including on matters related to the impact of the International Fund’s work and its long-term goals;
• Act as spokesperson and respond to media requests in a timely manner, including through composing and distributing press releases;
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with media professionals that could be helpful to the International Fund’s mission around the world;
• Support the Director of Partnerships and other members of the Executive Group through developing presentations, media content, speeches, and other materials to support public messaging and engagement;
• Oversee the production and distribution of the Annual Report and other external publications;
• Manage key events that the International Fund may sponsor or have a significant presence at, which may include organizing panels, drafting remarks and talking points, and responding to media inquiries about events;
• Write speeches for important institutional engagements, in particular for the CEO and members of the Board;
• Through managing consultants and/or a part-time associate, ensure that the website is current, digital assets are effectively organized and used, and social media engagement is clear and effective;
• Collaborate with colleagues across the organization to ensure that processes for tracking and sharing information about events and external engagement, including on social media, are clear and accessible;
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Desired Profile

• 8+ years of experience in media relations, journalism, PR, or social media communications, with in-depth knowledge of strategic communications planning and implementation;
• High energy, maturity, and leadership capacity with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels;
• Proven experience with cutting edge communications and media approaches and tools;
• Experience working with leading journalists and media professionals;
• Experience in deploying the tactics of media relations, including press conferences, events, feature stories, editorials, broadcasts, etc.;
• Experience creating and/or supervising the creation of multimedia content, including video;
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work well with senior decision-makers and stakeholders;
• Ability to lead and work effectively with a diverse team of different national and cultural backgrounds and in an international setting;
• Highly motivated and committed to supporting public interest media around the world;
• Entrepreneurial mindset with willingness to contribute to the creation of a new institution and to operate in contexts with possible high levels of uncertainty;
• Ability to develop and manage partnerships with a variety of stakeholders globally, in particular media organizations, but also media development actors, technology companies, civil society organizations, and governments;
• Previous experience in strategic communications for an international development organization, fund, or agency is ideal.

Education

• A university degree in communications or a related field would be an asset.

Language

• The International Fund’s working language is English. Its headquarters will be physically located in Paris and French is strongly desirable. Additional languages are an asset.

Contact Information

• Please submit your CV and a short cover letter explaining (with examples) why you are a suitable candidate. Only applications submitted via the BambooHR applicant portal will be reviewed.

Learn more here and apply.