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International Institute for Sustainable Development is recruiting for a Communications Officer (Remote, Germany, Portugal or UK)

Ednah Carrick November 4, 2024

0 326 4 minutes read

Closing Date: 8 November 2024

International Institute for Sustainable Development is recruiting for a Communications Officer (Remote, Germany, Portugal or UK)

Are you an organized multitasker with strong writing and editing skills, expertise in digital and social media, and a keen interest in sustainable development issues, including multilateral processes on economic governance that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals?

IISD is searching for a Communications Officer who can make complex ideas accessible and demonstrate impact through digital communications to join its Economic Law and Policy Program.

About IISD

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. IISD work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. IISD shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 300 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, IISD work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

IISD is currently looking for a candidate to join its Economic Law and Policy (ELP) Program. ELP is devoted to supporting the elaboration and improvement of economic governance frameworks and tools that support the achievement of sustainable development objectives. Economic Law and Policy Program does so through developing research outputs, providing training and capacity support to the relevant stakeholder groups, organizing conferences and dialogues, and various other approaches.

IISD staff and associates include lawyers, economists, policy analysts, and journalists, among others, who are located across various countries and world regions. The program encompasses several workstreams, including investment law and policy, international trade, food and agriculture, sustainability standards, mining, taxation, and sustainable finance, procurement, and infrastructure.

About the Position

IISD is seeking a dynamic and experienced Communications Officer with a talent for making complex ideas accessible to wider audiences. You are a strong organizer and multi-tasker with excellent writing and editing skills, proficiency in digital media, and a keen interest and knowledge of sustainable development issues. You will report to Economic Law and Policy Program’s Communications Manager and be supported by a team of communications specialists. You will work regularly with the programmatic teams devoted to sustainable infrastructure, finance, and procurement.

Responsibilities

Creative Content

Coordinate production of a wide array of written communications materials, including press releases, articles, social media posts, newsletters, and other supporting content that make IISD’s work accessible to both expert and non-expert audiences. This will include drafting and editing content.
Inform, project manage, and implement communications plans for a broad range of projects, reports, campaigns, and events. This includes cooperating with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timelines are adhered to, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on impact.

In consultation with a communications manager, help to shape new communications strategies.
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.
Communicate with IISD’s donors to show how their support has made an impact.

Track current events related to specific workstreams, and communicate these to colleagues, identifying opportunities for further work and/or public engagement.

Public Engagement and Social Media

Maintain and update lists of newsletter subscribers within platforms such as MailChimp. Draft, edit, and distribute newsletters. Help to inform and execute an email outreach strategy.

Conduct event-related outreach and oversee post-event follow-up (i.e.. uploading webinar recordings to YouTube, sending thank-you emails, etc.).
Inform social media strategy and manage all active social media accounts, ensuring posts are relevant, timely, engaging, and targeted to the needs and interests of key audiences. This may include drafting and/or editing posts, organizing promotions, tracking trending topics and hashtags, and regularly monitoring the feeds of partner organizations to identify opportunities for cross-promotion.

Media Outreach

Engage with journalists and influencers, with a focus on relationship-building, to secure targeted coverage for IISD research and initiatives in key outlets. Build media lists; maintain and update databases of media contacts.
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, letters to the editor, etc.
Conduct media monitoring on a regular basis for assigned areas of work. Provide reports on media coverage and digital performance using Agility PR, Google Analytics, and other available platforms.

media training for IISD experts in advance of speaking to the press.

Digital Strategy

Working within content management systems such as Drupal or WordPress, upload, and edit content for websites, adhering to IISD guidelines. Review program-relevant pages on IISD websites and micro-sites for timeliness and updates as needed.

Working closely with IISD’s digital project manager, use analytics software to monitor, assess, and report on website traffic and engagement with our digital content, advising where appropriate on opportunities to improve.
In collaboration with IISD’s design team, manage the production of digital content, including Twitter cards, posters, videos, invitations, simple infographics, presentations, and other conference or workshop materials. Retouch and resize images as needed.

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 deeper understanding of their research and policy objectives in order to translate their work into key messages that resonate with priority audiences. Provide editorial guidance to IISD’s experts so they have the necessary skills to communicate their work through different channels and act as public ambassadors for IISD.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, public policy, or related social science discipline.
3-5 years’ relevant professional experience in journalism, public relations, or corporate communications, preferably related to public policy.
Excellent English verbal and written communication skills, French, Spanish, or other languages an asset.

Demonstrated understanding of issues related to sustainable development. Background related to sustainable infrastructure or finance is an asset.
A high level of computer literacy; must be able to work in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (InDesign, Photoshop an asset).
Experience and comfort working with online content management systems and website monitoring tools (especially WordPress, Drupal, Google Analytics).