Communication Specialist: Media Liaison, Special Projects

About MSF

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation committed to two objectives: providing medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, and natural and man-made disasters, and speaking out about the plight of the populations assisted. MSF assists people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation. Today, MSF is present in more than 70 countries, where thousands of MSF doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, and other medical and non-medical professionals work together to bring essential health services to people caught in humanitarian crises.

Position’s Role Purpose

MSF Southern Africa’s Communication Department is mandated to raise awareness and understanding about medical humanitarian issues and the organisation’s values and work among the South African society in support of mobilising influence and resources (advocacy, fundraising and recruitment). The Department pursues this objective through awareness-raising actions, traditional news media liaison, online social media network engagement and communication projects.

The position is located in the Communication Department. Outreach Team and is responsible for developing and executing a range of news and niche media related actions focused on raising awareness and understanding of MSF and its work through high quality, regular media coverage, predominantly in South Africa. This specialist position develops and strengthens relationships and engagements with journalists/producers and media personalities/practitioners to proactively support MSF Southern Africa’s communication and advocacy objectives. In addition, the position supports the objectives of recruiting medical and other professionals for MSF Southern Africa’s HR pool through communications and marketing strategies and actions.

Scope

The Communication Specialist (Media Liaison & Special Projects) collaborates with the Communication Specialist (Media Liaison & human-interest), develops, and executes a range of news media related actions that support MSF’s social mission and MSF SA positioning to achieve high quality, regular coverage in South African and international news media. The media liaison positions develop and implement an annual strategy, and they are supervised by the Head of Media and Digital Relations, whom along with the Director of Communication, validates the strategy.

The specific domain of individual practice will cover:

• Delivers on KPIs within this frame and autonomously engages media and press officers/coordinators in West Africa, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Geneva, New York among other.
• Thematic issues related to MSF’s work on ensuring access to products for health (APH), including intellectual property law reform, drug research and development and the advocacy work associated with this.
• Innovating creative & integrated approaches to meet the needs of Field HR team’s recruitment activities through media pitches, digital marketing approaches and public engagements.
• Operational Comms support – dissemination of communication packages through support in developing outreach strategy or tactics, as well as monitoring.
• Provides advice and support to the Association department on outreach, upon request once validated by the Head of Media and Digital Relations.
• Defines the short-term, proactive media schedule as part of the news media team on a bi-weekly basis.

Responsibilities:

Media Liaison

• Actively maintains and builds new relationships/networks with leading journalists, producers, and editors (focusing on health, Africa, international affairs) to generate quality coverage opportunities.
• Implementing a content selection and adaptation tactics aligned to MSF Southern Africa’s Positioning Framework and Ops Communication objectives/needs.
• Relays agreed MSF press releases and other material, including briefings, multimedia content to international and national media located in South This includes pitching and arranging interviews with MSF spokespeople based on these materials and messages.
• Source high level insights from journalists, producers, and editors to identify interests, inform angles and develop pitches for MSF’s work to remain relevant.
• Supervises the intern to ensures the shared Prezly media database is kept updated with latest relevant contacts and notes.
• Develops proposes and coordinates of visits of journalists to MSF field projects in Southern Africa and internationally projects linked to domain of practice.
• Arrange regular background briefings with journalists on priority topics identified in the international operational and advocacy agendas relevant to domain of practice.

Regular Responsibilities - Media Relations

• Develops and implements 14-day media pitch schedule in collaboration with the Outreach team to relay MSF press releases and other materials.
• Undertakes bi-weekly media on-call duty, autonomously coordinating responses to active general media enquiries, arrange media interviews, briefs spokespeople and manages follow-ups.
• Produces regular reports on media coverage achieved on themes within domain of practice.

HR Recruitment Support (Targeted Digital Recruitment & Medical Journals)

• Develops the annual Targeted Digital Recruitment strategy as well as the paid media strategy on Medical Journal visibility, for validation by the Field HR Recruitment Manager, after consultation with the Head of Media and Digital Relations and Director of Communication.
• Defines the KPIs linked to the strategies (digital recruitment) with support from the Head of Media and Digital Relations and delivers regular reports on progress/developments to the Field HR Recruitment Manager, Head of Media and Digital Relations, & Director of Communication.
• Collaborates with colleagues from the Outreach and Input team to select, adapt, and create relevant content for paid media, supporting visibility and engagement with medical audiences.

Coordination, Collaborations, Synergies & Support

• Plays a leading role in developing, implementing, and coordinating efforts elevating MSF Southern Africa’s media profile for topline awareness and recruitment initiatives/engagements - this includes, developing and disseminating promotional material, pitching to media, responding to related requests by HR and association departments.
• Proactively look for opportunities to pitch MSF Southern Africa international mobile staff to South African niche/lifestyle media outlets to elevate African humanitarian voices/perspectives.
• Coordinate media outreach actions and collaborations with press officers and regional coordinators in West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, New York, Geneva among others within the domain of practice.
• When required, accept delegated tasks or assignments from the Head of Media and Digital Relations within the scope and on behalf of the Outreach team as needs arise and situations.
• When required, provide ad hoc field communication and media liaison support to MSF operations in and outside of South Africa based on approved requests.

Messaging, Briefing, Training &Public Engagement

• Collaborates with fellow Communications Specialist (media liaison and human-interest), Head of Media and Digital Relations, Regional Operational Comms Adviser, DirCom and OSU Department, advocacy colleagues to develop cohesive messages for media interactions and spokespeople briefing.
• Develops training materials and content to undertake media trainings to key staff in the MSF Southern Africa Office, including the General Director, Department. Directors, MSF Southern Africa Board President, and a cohort of spokespeople when required
• Supports MSF Southern Africa staff in preparation for lectures/public engagements (Operations