Senior Officer – Communications for Learning – Asia

INTRODUCTION TO GIRLS NOT BRIDES

Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage is the only global organisation uniquely focused on creating and sustaining a worldwide movement to end child marriage and ensuring that this movement leads to tangible change for the girls at risk or affected by the practice. We are a network of over 1,400 civil society organisations in over 100 countries working in partnership to end child marriage.

Our vision is a world without child marriage where girls and women enjoy equal status with boys and men and are able to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives.

Recent UNICEF estimates reveal that around one in four young women in South Asia were first married or in a union before their 18th birthday, accounting for 290 million individuals, that is, 45% of the global total. East Asia and Pacific account for another 95 million or 15% of the global total.

South Asia leads the world’s progress in reducing child marriage prevalence. To accelerate progress, our work in Asia focuses on addressing child marriages through collective efforts that are evidence-based, gender transformative and multi-sectoral, and that ensure meaningful youth participation.

We engage with wide-ranging stakeholders like government, civil society organisations, donors, research institutions and media to gather and share evidence and learning and build momentum to address child marriage in the region. There are 400+ Girls Not Brides member organisations in Asia. At present, the work of the Girls Not Brides secretariat is focused in South Asia, with priority countries being Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ROLE

Girls Not Brides is seeking a Senior Communications for Learning Officer – Asia to join its team based in New Delhi, India. The successful individual will sit in the Asia team, and work closely with the Communications and Learning Teams, as part of a global team across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the UK. They will report directly to the Head of Asia Engagement.

The role comprises varied responsibilities, including contributing to the design of and lead the implementation of a regional communications strategy. The strategy will focus on positioning child marriage as a priority issue, effectively communicating the work of the Girls Not Brides secretariat and member organisations, creatively sharing evidence and learning in a way that is adapted to context and to diverse audiences at the national and regional levels, and integrating processes to ensure ethical communications, risk assessment and mitigation are in place.

This includes working across our digital channels – social media, website and email. The Senior Officer will support the Asia Team with talking points, presentations, etc. for national and regional level engagements. The role also includes ensuring that our national and regional level work is represented across our global channels through ongoing collaboration with the Communications team.

We are looking for a passionate and talented communications professional, with experience of evidence-based storytelling, and the communication of evidence and learning to diverse audiences at the national and regional level. The successful candidate will have good knowledge of the (South) Asian context and should be fluent in English and at least one additional South Asian language in priority countries (Hindi, Bengali or Nepali).

The ideal candidate should have significant professional experience in strategic communications, including contributing to the development and implementation of context-sensitive, social-issue communications strategies. They should be good at building relationships, and have professional experience of working with marginalised communities, adolescents and youth from an intersectional perspective, and civil society organisations.

Job location

New Delhi, India. The successful candidate must already have the right to work in India at the time of applying.

Additionally, fluency in English and at least one additional South Asian language in priority countries (Hindi, Bengali or Nepali).

Working as a global team, all Girls Not Brides team members may from time to time be expected to work outside normal working hours (e.g. early morning or late evening) this is not a regular occurrence and is only to accommodate collaboration of teams across different time zones. The role may require travel within the Asia region priority countries and to other regions, as needed.

Accountable to

Head of Asia Engagement with a dotted line to the Communications Manager who is based in the UK.

Salary range

Market competitive based on a detailed survey by the Birches Group of comparable national NGO salaries in selected location. Payments will be made in Indian Rupees.

Contract

2-year fixed-term contract (self-employed). The successful candidate will predominantly work from home, with IT and communication equipment and support provided by Girls Not Brides. They must have the right to work in India.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Innovative context-specific communications

• Contribute to developing a regional communications strategy while integrating an ethical communication, risk assessment and mitigation lens.
• Lead strategic communications partnerships as needed.
• Identify and create evidence-based and member-focused stories and case studies, in order to promote regional representation across our global communications channels. This may include drafting copy, developing graphics, sourcing images and developing multimedia content with member organisations.
• Ensuring any content collected for stories, case studies or other communications work adheres to Girls Not Brides ethical communications guidelines and is respectful of local sensitivities.
• Develop messaging and content for national and international “Red Letter Days” and work with members to promote their initiatives across our channels.
• Support with proofreading and coordinate translation of communications and learning materials into/from local languages.
• Ensure proper use of the Girls Not Brides brand and logos in press releases and other promotional materials.
• Support National/State Partnerships and Coalitions in use of logos in adherence to Girls Not Brides guidelines and other national-level legal compliances.
• Provide technical communications support to Girls Not Brides member organisations, National and State Partnerships and coalitions in Asia, including amplifying their messaging on our digital channels, and documenting impact and learning. This will also involve supporting any communications training and capacity enhancement sessions with member organisations.

Promoting learning and evidence

• Co-create or adapt learning materials to the regional and national context and audiences. This may include proofreading and translation, supporting validation with member organisations, developing creative and user-friendly (multimedia) products to increase engagement from target audiences, etc.
• Contribute to learning and evidence-based initiatives in the region, and specifically in India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Support external engagement and representation – e.g. collating talking points, developing PowerPoint presentations, documenting and sharing key takeaways.
• Collaborate across relevant teams – including the Asia and Learning Teams – in the design and delivery of regional or country-level learning events (online and in-person), offering context-sensitive support to promote opportunities and creatively document and share learnings and practical solutions.

Wider Organisational Responsibilities

• Commit to the mission and vision of Girls Not Brides, putting them at the forefront of all planning, work and actions.
• Uphold the values of Girls Not Brides in all areas of work and interactions with colleagues, member organisations, partners and other stakeholders.
• Comply with Girls Not Brides policies and processes, with particular note for safeguarding, ethical communications, the code of conduct and data protection.
• Ensure that internal databases and monitoring information are kept fully up to date.
• Commit to ongoing personal development and learning.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requests for the advancement of the Girls Not Brides mission.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential experience

• Significant professional experience in a similar level role, ideally in the not-for-profit sector, an international/intergovernmental organisation, a social movement, research centre or social enterprise.
• Experience in communicating on sensitive issues in a balanced way, rooted in strong safeguarding protocols and the “do not harm” principal, with a focus on solutions-driven messaging rather than sensationalism.
• Experience in collaboratively developing and working with story ideas, including case studies, evidence-based stories, and creative and multimedia communications concepts.
• Experience in documenting and sharing evidence and learning creatively for diverse audiences, translating this into practical solutions.
• Experience in supporting non-specialists to develop relevant communications technical skills and materials.
• Proven experience of applying intersectional and feminist approaches and experience of working with young people and adults at risk through ethical communications.

Essential skills and knowledge

• A good understanding of civil society organisations and their operational contexts in Asia, especially in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
• Good understanding of gender inequality, children’s rights and women’s rights issues in the region.
• Good storytelling skills, with a proven ability to communicate creatively with different audiences, whilst prioritising key issue related messaging.
• Outstanding written communication in English, creative thinker, and the ability to write for different audiences.
• A good eye for accuracy and detail specifically in externally focused content, and ability to spot potential implementation challenges.
• Basic knowledge of photography/film making/video editing/graphic design.
• Ability to develop and manage partnerships with communications platforms, relationships with consultants and suppliers, including photographers, designers, translators. etc.
• Highly reliable, organised, proactive and capable of independent judgement.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, quickly and effectively under pressure, prioritise and juggle multiple tasks within tight deadlines, and to deliver time-sensitive high-quality work.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an inquisitive and analytical mind.
• Willingness to work in a collaborative team and with diverse stakeholders, including an ability to work in different cultural environments, and work sensitively with member organisations and young women from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Fluency in English and at least one additional South Asian language in priority countries (Hindi, Bengali or Nepali).

Essential values and attributes

• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Girls Not Brides and our vision in relation to addressing child marriage and the empowerment of girls and women.
• Proactive and able to confidently take initiative and make appropriate decisions.
• Willingness to work flexibly and regularly travel internationally, as necessary.

Desirable

• Understanding of child, early and forced marriage and unions from a feminist perspective and good links with key actors working to address CEFMU.
• A good understanding and/or experience in the Humanitarian Sector.
• Relevant higher academic qualification/s or equivalent professional experience.

Safeguarding

Girls Not Brides is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk with whom our staff and representatives work and interface. Any employment with Girls Not Brides may be subject to the satisfactory completion of a background check and criminal records check which can include but is not limited to: an overseas police record check, a Disclosure and Barring Service Check (for those based in the UK) or an International Criminal Record Check (if applicable).

Diversity at Girls Not Brides

Girls Not Brides is an equal opportunities employer. We embrace diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusion in a serious way. We are committed to building a staff body that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

How to apply

The closing date for this role is 17:00 IST on Sunday, 25 August 2024.

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply now‘ button on the job page and submit your CV and a brief cover letter (no more than two pages) demonstrating how you meet the criteria with the Person Specification.

We regret that due to the large number of applications anticipated, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.