Regional Communications Manager – Southern Africa

Job Description

Duration: Two-year fixed-term position, with possibility of extension dependent upon funding
Location: There is flexibility on the location of this role, including within HALO’s UK offices for those with the right to work in the UK. If not based in Zimbabwe or Angola, then extensive travel to the southern Africa region will be required with multiple visits to the region annually accounting for 60% of time.
Salary: Competitive – Contract Terms and Conditions dependent on residency.

About HALO:

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest and oldest international humanitarian mine action charity and global expert in recovery after war. Our demining operations in Angola are recognised worldwide thanks to Princess Diana, who famously visited our programme there to highlight the deadly plight of landmines on the population over 25 years ago.

Today we have over 2000 men and women working to clear mines, bombs and rockets in Angola and Zimbabwe. We know what success looks like – Mozambique was declared mine impact free after 22 years of clearance in 2015. Now we want the world to get behind us as we clear the remaining minefields in Angola and Zimbabwe for good too.

Are you passionate about sustainable economic growth, environmental conservation and empowering women in southern Africa? Do you want to save lives and help bring peace and security to the region?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Communications and Media professional to join the management team within HALO’s southern Africa regional team. You will work and learn alongside experienced staff, many of whom have worked for HALO for decades, and use your considerable public speaking and media engagement skills to raise awareness of HALO’s work in African and international press.

About the Role

The Regional Communications Manager (RCM) will play a central role in telling the story of HALO’s work and impact in the region, including past achievements, ongoing projects, and future goals. Experience with media is essential – you will be a key spokesperson for our southern African programmes, ready to step up for media interviews when needed.

As a member of the management team within HALO’s southern Africa regional team, you will be expected to deliver exceptional service to colleagues, partners and donors while promoting HALO’s work and the impact of our donors’ funding in the region.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with colleagues, helping to embed comms across the region
• Get to know our partners, donors, and their communications representatives; expand HALO’s network in the region.
• Develop and implement a communications strategy for the southern Africa programmes in partnership with programme colleagues and HQ colleagues in Comms, Strategy, Philanthropy and HALO USA
• Manage media outreach in country and build strong relationships with key journalists.
• Appear as a HALO spokesperson on national/international radio and TV when required.
• Plan and manage events and press visits as needed.
• Monitor media engagement and efficacy of campaigns, delivery of strategies and track media calendars
• Work closely with the Regional Donor Relations Manager and colleagues to ensure that communications activities are carried out in compliance with HALO’s policies, donor contracts and national regulations.
• Ensure that case studies, images and other relevant content from the region are uploaded to shared folders following the correct processes.
• Work with HQ Content and Partnership Comms team to identify and meet requirements specified in government contracts and partnership grant agreements.
• Seek ways to enhance internal comms within programmes to ensure that news, changes and success are shared in a timely fashion with all staff.
• Build capacity within the Angola and Zimbabwe programme teams; make the case for new roles, work with recruitment colleagues to recruit and onboard new colleagues provide training, mentorship and coaching in alignment with HQ comms.

Requirements

Person Specification/Essential

• Extensive experience in a similar role within an international organisation, ideally an NGO
• Demonstrable experience of public speaking and appearing as a media spokesperson
• Experience in coordinating and working effectively across multiple locations, teams and cultures while overcoming language barriers.
• A natural communicator with excellent writing skills for multiple formats – media, web, social
• A creative eye – able to spot a compelling story and/or photo opportunity.
• Ability and motivation to work in challenging environments and adaptable to austere environments.
• A contact-book full of journalists working for international media and a talent for building and managing other stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to manage workload with competing priorities and frequent interruptions that require urgent attention.

Desirable

• Keen photographer
• Content creation skills with design, video and content editing, including use of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Premier Pro, Photoshop)
• Fluent English and Portuguese
• Results based management experience

All HALO staff are expected to undertake the following general duties:

• Work within the framework of HALO’s core values, promoting its ethos and mission statement.
• Work towards achieving programme and/or group business plan objectives.
• Ensure familiarity with and adhere to all HALO policies and procedures and keep informed of HALO activities.
• Travel overseas as and when required.
• To discharge duties and responsibilities under HALO’s Health and Safety Procedures which may include Risk and COSHH Assessments and participation in evacuation procedures as necessary.

Benefits

Benefits of working at HALO:

• Competitive – Contract Terms and Conditions dependent on residency.
• HALO have a variety of attractive benefits including life assurance, emergency medical insurance and an attractive annual leave allowance, all of which will be discussed at interview.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and supporting statement (no more than 2 pages) in English, detailing why you are suitable for this role before the closing date for applications which is 1st January 2024. If there is a sufficient calibre of applicants, we reserve the right to close the role earlier than the date noted.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people form a diverse candidate pool.