JOB PURPOSE: The Communications and Advocacy Specialist supports the development and implementation of communications, advocacy, and engagement strategies that enhance organizational visibility, reputation, and influence of the organization across the Middle East and Eastern Europe Region (MEER). The role co-leads risk communications, media engagement, and reputation management efforts, while supporting external relations, advocacy initiatives, and meaningful child participation. It develops and delivers compelling communication products and social media content, coordinates media outreach activities, and provides technical support and guidance to field offices on communications, risk communications, and advocacy. The position also strengthens internal communications and cross-functional coordination to ensure consistent messaging across the organization and contributes to emergency communications and advocacy responses as required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. RISK COMMUNICATIONS, AND REPUTATION

• Co-lead on risk communications, media and reputation with Advocacy, Communications & External Engagement Senior Advisor and in close coordination with FO, RO and GC risk leads.
• Ensure all communications, media and reputation risk issues are addressed in a timely and effective way.
• Ensure FOs address communications, media and reputation risks and draft reactive statements in timely way.
• Onboard new comms risk focal points and ensure they complete online training.
• Organise regular refresher trainings with all comms risk focal points in the region.
• Update senior advisor and SDO on a regular basis regarding any major communications risks.
• Liaise closely with FO, RO and GC risk leads to mitigate any negative outcomes.
• Update and assign media, risk and reputation cases accordingly in ethics point.

B. EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT, ADVOCACY & CHILD PARTICIPATION

• Support with advocacy initiatives, including external engagement events, reports and policy briefs, talking points and key messages.
• Support with child participation initiatives in close coordination with field offices child participation focal points and children s councils.
• Support with the establishment of sustainable child and youth participation mechanisms at field and regional level.
• Support with the conceptualisation and implementation of external engagement events at regional level.

C. COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL MEDIA

• Support with communications and social media content production and design.
• Support with updating RO website pages in WVI.
• Support with reviewing and publishing FO content in WVI.
• Supporting with uploading regional content in storyhub and answering any content requests.
• Support with social media posting and monitoring.
• Support with communications dashboard and hootsuite roll out at regional level and in close collaboration with GC and RO.
• Lead on Cision media monitoring tool roll out at regional level.
• Produce quarterly media monitoring reports through Cision.
• Support with media engagement, particularly through Cision s media pitching tools.
• Lead on liaising with external designers for the design of external products such as reports and capacity statements.
• Ensure all regional products are up to standard, branded correctly and in line with safeguarding policies.
• Support the team with exploring how the usage of AI tools could facilitate and enhance communications and social media content development

D. TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR FIELD OFFICES

• Provide technical communications and social media support to field offices when needs arise.
• Provide technical advocacy and child participation support to field offices when needs arise.
• Provide technical support to field offices in risk communications, media and reputation.
• Support field offices with Cision onboarding and use.
• Support RO and FOs with emergency advocacy and communications during emergencies.
• Support with the development of regional internal and external pools of comms and advocacy experts who can be deployed in during P&C gaps and emergencies.

E. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS & COORDINATION

• Attend regional and global advocacy and communications coordination calls and provide regular updates.
• Support with the dissemination of MEERO s communications and advocacy products through key TEAMS channels.
• Support with internal communications (ie Ignite newsletter, WV Central etc.)

F. GENERAL

• Participate in devotions and other activities that enrich and develop mutual growth in Christ.
• Ensure World Vision s Christian identity is well represented through our external and internal communications and advocacy.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND EXPERIENCE

Required Education, training, license, registration, and/or Certification

• University degree in Communications, Journalism, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Relevant professional training in communications, advocacy, media relations, digital communications, or humanitarian programming is desirable.

Required Professional Experience

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in communications, advocacy, media relations, public affairs, or external engagement within the humanitarian, development, or non-profit sector.
• Experience developing and implementing communications and advocacy initiatives at national, regional, or international level.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including media representatives, civil society organizations, government actors, donors, and community representatives.
• Experience providing communications and/or advocacy support to field teams and/or local partners.
• Experience working in complex humanitarian and emergency contexts is desirable.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of any other language relevant to the Middle East and Eastern Europe Region (MEER) is an asset.

Position s physical requirements

Must be in good physical health

Desired Candidate Profile

• University degree in Communications, Journalism, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Relevant professional training in communications, advocacy, media relations, digital communications, or humanitarian programming is desirable.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in communications, advocacy, media relations, public affairs, or external engagement within the humanitarian, development, or non-profit sector.
• Experience developing and implementing communications and advocacy initiatives at national, regional, or international level.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including media representatives, civil society organizations, government actors, donors, and community representatives.
• Experience providing communications and/or advocacy support to field teams and/or local partners.
• Experience working in complex humanitarian and emergency contexts is desirable.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of any other language relevant to the Middle East and Eastern Europe Region (MEER) is an asset.
• Must be in good physical health
• Strong communications content development skills, including photography, videography, graphic design, storytelling, and multimedia content production.
• Experience in social media management, monitoring, audience engagement, and digital communications.
• Excellent report writing, editing, proofreading, and report design skills.
• Experience drafting advocacy messages, key messages, talking points, policy briefs, and other advocacy materials.
• Good knowledge and practical experience in child and youth participation approaches and initiatives.