Communications Team Leader

Vacancy Announcement

Vacancy Announcement (Vietnamese) [1]

Position: Communications Team Leader
Reports to: Program Manager
Supervisor to: Communication team members
Location: Ha Noi
Country Program: Viet Nam
Team/Division: Communications
Position Type: Full-time
Internal liaison: WCS Viet Nam’s Managers, Team Leaders
Expected travel: Approximately 20%

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in nearly 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

WCS Viet Nam Program Overview:

WCS has been working in Viet Nam since 2006, focusing on strengthening the commitment, capacity and actions of the government of Vietnam to combat wildlife trafficking. Through support and cooperation to executive and judiciary sectors, including Ministry of Public Security, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuracy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the National Assembly, it has provided and shared intelligence on criminal wildlife networks which help generate well-informed decisions in enforcement operations. WCS Viet Nam have generated a wide range of reliable data on a number of related issues on illegal wildlife trade, trained and briefed about 3,300 law enforcement officers, policy makers, journalist, researcher and managers at nation-wide in investigation and enforcement techniques, legal barriers and distributed a number of technical handbooks and guides. It has assisted central agencies to review and propose necessary changes to national legislation, criminal intelligence analysis systems, inter-agency cooperation. WCS has also facilitated Government to Government dialogue through multilateral and bi-lateral collaboration efforts, between Viet Nam and Asian, African and Latin American countries, to detect and response to illegal wildlife trade networks. Its wildlife health expertise has been leveraged to address unregulated wildlife trade and mitigation of pandemic threats, through collaborative research, training, and policy development. 

Job Summary: 

Under the supervision of the Program Manager, the Communications Team Leader, together with his/her team member(s), will lead the development and execution of the strategic communications building relationships with stakeholders and ensuring coherence of communications in facilitation of our law enforcement actions and conservation objectives.  At the same time, the Communications Team Leader will establish and maintain internal communications systems and guidelines to be consistent with WCS Global Conservation Program in New York.

Responsibilities: 

A. External communications

• Monitors relationships with local, national and international media and journalists to ensure quality coverage of key WCS’s stakeholder activities and program outcomes;
• Ensures technical quality for production and dissemination of creative campaigns and communication materials;
• Oversees the development of advocacy communication products including briefing papers, press release, statements and articles, arranging interviews, and compiling press kits, and ensure that they are in line with WCS’s positions on counter wildlife trafficking CWT and contribute to WCS’s influencing strategy;
• Manages the development of communication materials such as news releases, op-eds, infographics, videos, posters, stories and other products.

B. Internal communications 

• Oversees online media mining, ensures the updates of wildlife trafficking news-scan data, WCS Viet Nam Facebook page, WCS Viet Nam website and Youtube channel;
• Develops guidelines and monitors the adherence to grants’ branding, WCS branding, including style guides, key messages, approach;
• Develops guidelines and monitors the implementation of policy, procedure and methodology of working with mass media and public;
• Oversees the organization of WCS’s events including donor visits, study tours, regional meetings, and internal staff events.

C. Grant development and implementation

• Leads the team to execute all grant activities related to communication as assigned;
• Manages the team budget and M&E indicators for all communication activities;
• Provides communications insights to the fund-raising activities and proposals;
• Provide inputs for grant reports and programmatic updates.

D. Human Resource Management

• Supervise other members of communications team, liaise with consultants as appropriate.

E. Others

• Acts as WCS’s representative at meetings and workshops as required;
• Performs other tasks as assigned by the direct supervisor.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor or Master degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or a closely related field;
• Minimum 5 years of communications experience and/or equivalent position in an NGO/INGO/international organization;
• Proficient at working with others including media;
• Experience in developing IEC materials, brochure, leaflet…;
• Proficient in written and verbal communication skills in English and Vietnamese languages;
• Ability to handle multitask, prioritize, attention to details and management efficiently;
• Ability to lead, supervise and coach the team
• Computer skills mandatory, proficient in Microsoft Office Applications, Desktop Publisher and other graphics software.
• Concern for wildlife conservation & environmental issues is an asset.

Application Process: Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply online via this link: https://forms.gle/qz2ZAa7dVuqisrBB6 [2] latest by 23:59 of 30 August 2020.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.