Communications Support Officer

Position Identification

Position Title: Communications Department Support Officer

Organisation: Islamic Relief South Africa

Location: Western Cape

Contract: One-year fixed term

Reports to: Head of Department - Communications

Purpose of Position

· Handling all administrative paperwork with finance and procurement.

· Managing relationships with external service providers, including radio stations and TV.

· Daily management of communications projects, campaigns, and new requests.

· Reporting on project status, workloads, and accounts.

· Providing timely communication between relevant departments including digital, accounts, and creative teams.

· Managing daily schedules and departmental workflows.

· Providing operational ASANA support throughout the organization

· Overseeing project resources and assisting with the management of freelance requirements and bookings.

· Holding regular production meetings and status updates.

· Supporting design, content, and digital functions to strengthen the Communications Department.

· Daily management of projects and new requests.

Key Responsibilities

1. Procurement, Finance & Budgets

● Prepare, process, and track all procurement paperwork (purchase requisitions, quotations, purchase orders) for the Communications Department.

● Liaise with Finance to ensure timely processing of supplier invoices, reimbursements, and payments.

● Maintain accurate budget trackers for campaigns, projects, and departmental spend, flagging variances to the HOD.

● Ensure compliance with IRSA procurement and finance policies at all times, keeping a clear and accessible record of all supporting documentation.

● Support the HOD in preparing budget submissions, forecasts, and expenditure reports for monthly and annual reviews.

● Act as the administrative focal point between Communications, Procurement, and Finance, ensuring smooth flow of documentation and approvals.

2. Campaign & Project Coordination

● Lead and coordinate admin for campaigns from initial stages through to delivery.

● Ensure projects meet client/creative briefs, budgets, resources, and deadlines.

● Manage multiple projects simultaneously, keeping all parties informed of progress, issues, and updates.

● Prepare daily priority lists, weekly project status reports, and project planning documents for the team.

● Develop work schedules for the Communications Department to ensure timely delivery.

● Communicate potential problems to project teams and recommend solutions.

● Support the annual planning process and departmental strategy development.

● Support HOD, Content Creation Coordinator, and Marketing Coordinator with admin support for campaign execution.

3. Team & Workflow Support

● Manage departmental calendars, arrange meetings, and prepare minutes with action items.

● Facilitate effective workflow for marketing/communications,

● Identify opportunities to improve efficiency of work processes.

● Support cross-department collaboration and communication, ensuring stakeholders are aligned.

● Support internal communications, keeping staff informed of departmental campaigns and initiatives.

● Provide ad hoc administrative support to the HOD, Content Creation Coordinator, and Marketing Coordinator.

4. Content & Creative Support

● Ensure all design work aligns with IRSA brand guidelines, quality standards, and messaging consistency.

● Conduct quality control and provide final approval for all printed and digital design materials, liaising with service providers as required.

● Provide guidance to service providers who handle printing of artwork, banners, and other visibility materials to ensure high production standards.

● Maintain digital asset libraries (photos, videos, graphics) for accessibility.

5. Relationship & Stakeholder Management

● Build strong, effective relationships with internal departments, service providers, and external suppliers (printers, media houses, agencies).

● Update stakeholders on campaign requirements, progress, and supply management.

● Arrange and coordinate internal and external meetings, taking minutes and recording action items.

6. Operations & Training (ASANA & Workflow Management)

● Act as the departmental ASANA Super-User, ensuring consistent use across the Communications team.

● Provide ongoing training and refresher sessions for existing team members to ensure optimal usage.

● Monitor task progress and usage compliance on ASANA, providing reminders, support, and feedback.

● Develop and update team workflows and templates to improve project management efficiency.

● Support the Head of Department in using ASANA for reporting, timelines, and accountability tracking.

GENERAL DUTIES

● Be flexible within the broad remit of the post.

● Comply with organizational policies and practices.

● Keep professional knowledge and expertise up to date.

● Attend internal and external meetings as required and contribute positively.

● Undertake any other duties commensurate with this post as reasonably requested by the Head of Department.

Educational Qualification:

· Matric

· Diploma in administration/related qualification OR equivalent experience

Skills & Knowledge Required

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Calendar)

· Experience with project management and collaboration tools (Asana, Trello, Monday.com, ClickUp, Slack, Microsoft Teams)

· Strong data entry, record-keeping, and document management skills (digital and physical filing systems)

· Basic database and CRM knowledge (Microsoft Access, Airtable, Salesforce)

· Ability to generate reports, analyze data, and create dashboards (Excel/Sheets, basic analytics)

· Experience with cloud storage platforms and file-sharing tools (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)

· Proficiency in PDF and document management tools (Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf)

· Knowledge of scheduling and calendar management tools (Calendly, Doodle, Google/Outlook Calendar)

· Basic finance and procurement support skills, including expense tracking, budgeting, and invoice processing

· Basic IT troubleshooting skills, including office hardware (printers, scanners) and software installation

· Cybersecurity awareness and safe handling of sensitive information

· Basic photography and content creation abilities

· Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to interact effectively with colleagues, management, and external stakeholders

· Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills for team collaboration and stakeholder engagement

· Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills in day-to-day administrative challenges

· Professionalism, adaptability, and emotional intelligence to handle sensitive information and workplace dynamics

· Time management, multitasking, and organizational skills to prioritize tasks efficiently

• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple project deliverables.

Key Islamic Relief Qualities Required

· It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to IR’s vision and mission as per below:

¨ **Excellence (Ihsan):**Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and conduct which are deserving of the people we serve.

¨ **Sincerity (Ikhlas):**In responding to poverty and suffering our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfil our obligations to humanity

¨ **Social Justice (Adl):**Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfil the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realising their God-given human potential and developing their capabilities and resources.

¨ **Compassion (Rahma):**We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we sha