Media and Communications Officer

INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE

Girls Not Brides is the only global organisation uniquely focused on creating and sustaining a worldwide movement to end child, early and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) and ensuring that this movement leads to tangible change for the girls at risk or affected by the practice. We are a network of more than 1,400 civil society organisations in over 100 countries working in partnership to end child marriage.

Our vision is a world without child marriage, where girls and women enjoy equal status with boys and men and can achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives. Our vision challenges deeply embedded social norms that harm the lives of girls, women, and their communities.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE

This role sits within the Global Communications team - part of the External Engagement directorate - at Girls Not Brides and will report to the Communications Manager. This position will play a pivotal role in supporting the organisation to reach strategic audiences, shaping conversations around ending child marriage, and positioning Girls Not Brides and our members as thought leaders. This role will shape our engagement with media as key strategic influencers and partners to advance the ending child marriage agenda, with a focus on global and cross-regional outlets.

The successful candidate will work closely with internal teams to identify opportunities to engage media in order to influence powerholders and to shape the global and cross-regional narrative around child marriage. The candidate will be responsible for ensuring timely response to breaking news, ensuring adherence to internal procedures and processes.

Job location

London, UK (hybrid with up to three days on site per week). May include international travel.

Accountable to

Communications Manager

Salary range

£32,600 rising on an annual incremental basis. Girls Not Brides also offers a generous 10% pension.

Contract

This is a permanent full-time role. The successful candidate must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Media engagement and storytelling (60%)

• Develop and implement media plans aligned to communications, external engagement, and secretariat strategy.
• Manage Girls Not Brides' press office function and media inbox, managing and coordinating day-to-day media enquiries and responding to requests in coordination with internal teams.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists and media contacts for global and regional media outlets.
• Work with internal colleagues, including regional teams, to proactively identify opportunities for media engagement linked to key events, moments and learning outputs.
• Identify opportunities to position Girls Not Brides CEO, champions and members across key media outlets.
• Brief and prepare Girls Not Brides staff, champions, and members for media interviews and engagements, including developing talking points, advising on messaging, and arranging media training where necessary.
• Respond rapidly to breaking news, informing colleagues of news, and producing news pieces for the website, liaising with subject matter experts for content and evidence.
• Develop, implement and manage risk assessment, management, and mitigation measures for external engagement activity.
• Develop and manage processes for Girls Not Brides positioning and response process to critical issues and news.
• Grow and maintain a database of critical media contacts.
• Monitor media coverage of child marriage around the world, identifying trends, opportunities, and risks to inform strategic decisions.
• Produce media coverage reports, maintain media logs, and report on the impact of media engagement.
• Proactively develop and disseminate press releases, opinion pieces, stories, blog posts, speeches, and other written or multimedia content to strengthen Girls Not Brides' positioning and impact.

Wider communications responsibilities (40%)

• Champion ethical communications principles and processes internally and with external media contacts, ensuring best practices are followed for informed consent and ethical content gathering and storytelling, acting as the champion for ethical communications.
• Gather content, including photography, film and written, applying ethical communications principles.
• Support our members in increasing their capacity to tell their stories of impact and to engage media.
• Support copywriting for blog, website and other channels as needed.
• Support design of digital and print products, marketing materials, and video storytelling as needed.
• Support translation of communications materials across our core languages.
• Play an active role in the Global Communications team and External Engagement directorate, working on whole team projects as required.

Wider organisational responsibilities

• Commit to the mission and vision of Girls Not Brides, putting these at the forefront of all planning, work and actions.
• Uphold the core values of Girls Not Brides in all areas of work and interactions with colleagues, members, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Comply with Girls Not Brides' policies and processes, with note for safeguarding, diversity and inclusion, the code of conduct and data protection.
• Ensure that internal databases and monitoring information are kept fully up-to-date.
• Commit to ongoing personal development and learning.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requests for the advancement Girls Not Brides.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential experience

• Professional experience in media engagement and public relations for not-for-profit organisations, social movements, research centres, or social enterprises, or for media outlets on human rights, gender equality or international development topics, ideally across multiple regions.
• Experience with media relations principles and practices, including experience in building and maintaining relationships with journalists and global media outlets.
• Experience developing and implementing public relations risk assessments, and developing and implementing response processes.
• Significant experience in creating written content, including articles, blogs, case studies, data-driven stories, people-centric stories, news, opinion, keynote speeches, etc.
• Experience in ethical content gathering, including photography, film, and written storytelling, and knowledge of ethical best practices and standards for public relations professionals.
• Experience using and maintaining asset management systems.
• Experience identifying and tracking media coverage and trends, and using insights to inform future planning.

Essential skills and knowledge

• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex ideas and key messages with nuance to diverse audiences.
• Excellent networking, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, as well as the ability to persuade and inspire others.
• Proficiency in crafting compelling written storytelling content for various platforms, including media, press, website, blog, and newsletters.
• Crisis management skills, with the ability to handle sensitive issues and maintain composure under pressure.
• Strong knowledge and demonstrable engagement in current affairs and girls' and women's rights.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Proactive, excellent time management, and able to meet rapid deadlines and respond rapidly to changing priorities.
• In-depth knowledge of media monitoring and media management platforms.
• Understanding of how media engagement fits into a multi-channel strategy for influence.

Desirable skills and knowledge

• Skilled at using third-party email marketing tools, such as Campaign Monitor.
• Skilled at producing graphics and video content across relevant programmes, including Canva, CapCut, and the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Able to speak, read, and write in at least one other language, ideally French, or Spanish.

Essential values and attributes

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Girls Not Brides and our vision in relation to addressing child marriage and gender justice.
• Team player spirit, proactive and able to confidently take initiative and make appropriate decisions.
• Willingness to work flexibly and regularly travel internationally, as necessary.

Safeguarding

Girls Not Brides is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk with whom our staff and representatives work and interface. Any employment with Girls Not Brides may be subject to the satisfactory completion of a background check and criminal records check which can include but is not limited to; an overseas police record check, a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (for those based in the UK) or an International Criminal Record Check (if applicable).