Senior Communications Officer

Follow us@ngobox

About the Organization

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 270 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in more than 100 countries.

Job Description

The senior communications officer will lead communications for IISD’s Energy Program in India and South Africa. They will also closely collaborate with the international team working on UNFCCC and G20 processes to ensure voices from the Global South are represented in the Energy Program’s key messages and communications.

As a member of the wider Energy Program communications team, they will work closely with the communications manager and the digital communications officer, as well as the program’s India- and South Africa-focused policy experts.

The senior communications officer will be responsible for implementing and updating the India and South Africa communications strategies, advising the teams on communications best practices, as well as coordinating work with internal and external partners and agencies. They will write and edit editorial content related to the work of the program and strategically use traditional and digital channels and tools to reach and engage target audiences. They are also expected to collaborate with colleagues and other key stakeholders in the CSO ecosystem in India and South Africa.

Their key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to:

Creative Content

• In consultation with the communications manager, update, steer, and implement communications strategies for the India and South Africa work programs.
• Inform, manage, and implement communications plans for a broad range of projects, reports, campaigns, and events. This includes crafting compelling narratives and talking points to articulate key messages, cooperating with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timelines are adhered to, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on impact.
• Write, edit, and review written outputs (e.g., blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, social media posts) for framing, tone, and narrative, ensuring strategic and editorial consistency.
• Regularly share program work and collaborate with IISD’s core communications team to ensure alignment on key messaging and amplification of programmatic expertise in broader, organization-wide communications activities. Contribute to a shared editorial calendar.
• In consultation with policy staff, communicate with IISD’s donors to demonstrate how their support has made an impact.
• Track current events in India, South Africa, and globally related to specific workstreams and identify opportunities for further work and/or public engagement.

Public Engagement and Social Media

• Help inform and execute an email outreach strategy.
• Oversee event-related outreach and post-event follow-up.
• Inform the social media strategy and contribute to all active social media accounts, ensuring posts are relevant, timely, engaging, and targeted to the needs and interests of key audiences.

Media Relations

• Engage with journalists and influencers, with a focus on relationship-building, to secure targeted coverage for IISD research and initiatives in key outlets in India and South Africa.
• Draft, edit, and disseminate press releases, media briefings, and email pitches for reporters and editors. Draft or support other staff in writing and placing op-eds, media quotes, letters to the editor, etc.
• Facilitate media training of IISD experts and support preparation ahead of speaking to the press, including developing and updating talking points and key messages.
• Conduct media monitoring of relevant topics in Indian and South African media on a regular basis.

Digital Strategy

• Working within content management systems such as Drupal or WordPress, upload and edit content for websites, adhering to IISD guidelines.
• Ensure monitoring, assessment, and reporting on website traffic and engagement with its digital content, advising where appropriate on opportunities to improve.
• In collaboration with IISD’s design team, draft and manage the production of digital content, including X cards, posters, invitations, simple infographics, presentations, and other conference or workshop materials.

Internal Processes

• Ensure brand coherence and compliance with existing IISD communications practices.
• Manage internal processes related to the development and dissemination of communications products, including coordinating feedback from internal and external stakeholders, approvals, and copy editing.
• Maintain strong relationships with program staff to gain a deeper understanding of their research and policy objectives and provide editorial guidance to IISD’s experts.

Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience

The successful applicant will be a highly skilled storyteller and communicator with experience in climate or energy-related communications and a solid understanding of India’s climate and energy policies. Knowledge of South Africa’s energy context will be considered a plus. They will have an extensive experience in media relations with a proven track record of generating media impact. They will be confident in shaping communication strategies to reach and engage niche and highly targeted audiences. A good knowledge of international processes (UNFCCC, G20) will be considered a strong asset.

The successful applicant will also have the following qualifications:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., communications, journalism, political science, economics, environmental or development studies, etc.).
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in journalism or communications.
• Excellent oral and writing skills in English with the ability to turn complex topics into engaging narratives for various audiences and a track record of written products in English.
• Extensive experience in media relations in India. Additional experience with media in South Africa would be a strong asset.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and project management skills.
• Ability to prioritize and work quickly and accurately while being results-focused, with the flexibility to take on both highly complex and basic tasks.
• A strong ability to work comfortably across different cultures and be inclusive and positive with different colleagues.
• Strong computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications and experience in handling web-based communications and management systems, including WordPress, Mailchimp, and Google Analytics.

For more information please check the Link

Tags Jobs in Delhi Jobs in New Delhi Jobs in Communication Jobs in Media