European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
Position Title: Information Communication Assistant (ICA)
The European Commission’s Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) funds relief operations for victims of natural disasters and conflicts outside the European Union. ECHO works with about 200 operational partners, including United Nations agencies, the Red Cross/Crescent movement, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Aid is channelled impartially, straight to victims, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality, or political affiliation.
ECHO is recruiting one National Staff to be based in Nairobi as an Information Communication Assistant.
1. Duties & Responsibilities
The ICA will be based in Nairobi, with field visits within the region, when required and he/she will ensure that the general public, beneficiaries, DG ECHO partners, local and national authorities as well as regional organisations are informed of the nature and extent of the humanitarian operations funded by the European Commission. He/ She will contribute through his/ her work to enhance the visibility and knowledge of DG ECHO operations funded in the region.
Media:
- Provides DG ECHO with an analysis of the media in the region.
- Prepares media briefings relating to DG ECHO's humanitarian actions.
- Sets-up and keeps up-dated a data base of media contacts of the region concerned.
- Contributes to the organisation of media visits to DG ECHO-funded projects, in collaboration with operational partners.
- Contributes to the organisation of media aspects in the context of EU senior officials visits to the region.
- Liaises and maintains regular and proactive contacts with the international and local press, ensuring that they are briefed on key DG ECHO messages, events, decisions, and missions.
Information and communication:
- Participates in the formulation of the Regional Office Annual Work Plan, the Regional Communication Plan and any subsequent revisions, any Information Section quarterly activity planning.
- Supports DG ECHO information and communication initiatives in the field.
- Undertakes a range of information, communication, visibility, and support actions relating to humanitarian aid financed by the Commission in the zone of operations, including the preparation of media kits, press releases, DG ECHO Web Site and publications.
- Provides EU Delegations in the region with DG ECHO-related information material for its inclusion in the Delegations' information and communication actions (websites, newsletters, press releases, speeches, press interviews, articles, etc.).
- Prepares and promotes DG ECHO and EU in visibility events, in cooperation with the RIO (Regional Information Officer).
- Manages, under the RIO (Regional Information Officer) and HoRo (Head of Regional Office) supervision, the RO visibility material stocks (inventory and orders).
- In conjunction with the RIO, provides input to the RO monthly report on the activities and achievements of the Information Section.
Working with partners:
- Sets-up and keeps up-dated a data base of partners, and more generally humanitarian actors, V&C contacts in the region.
- Informs and monitors partners visibility obligations and advise them on their visibility plan and communication strategy, under the close supervision of the RIO and HoRo).
A detailed Terms of references (including competencies and more detailed tasks) are available at https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/vacancies_en?f%5B0%5D=vacancy_site%3AKenya&f%5B1%5D=vacancy_site%3AKenya&s=352
2. Required Qualifications
Education: A relevant first level university degree or equivalent professional experience.
Knowledge and experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at national or international level in public relations, journalist, advocacy, or corporate communications.
- Experience in conceptualising and managing the production of communication material. Demonstrated experience in developing content that clearly communicates development ideas and experiences for media, web, print production, and audio-visual productions.
- Excellent drafting skills.
- Previous experience with a multilateral or international organisation is an advantage.
- Ability to travel frequently within the region.
- Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc).
Languages: An excellent command of English (written and oral). Good knowledge of French and Swahili is an advantage.
3. Required Skills
A high-level conduct in service, drive for results, excellent communication skills, capacity to work with others, adaptability and Flexibility and good organizational skills.
How to apply
Applications, including a motivation letter, a detailed CV, copy(ies) of academic and employment certificates, and copy of an article or link to an article that you have published, should be uploaded at https://www.ats.flexi-personnel.com/jobs/ by COB on 05/02/2023. The vacancy reference REF: “ECHO/ICA/NBO” must be clearly indicated in the subject line. This position is open to nationals and other residents of Kenya with a valid work and residence permits.
DG ECHO applies a policy of equal opportunities. Our recruitment policy is based on respect for diversity, maintaining the gender balance, as well as the balance between professional and private life, and support for training and developments opportunities.
For information, the employment conditions that could be proposed includes an initial contract of one year with the possibility of renewal subject to a 3 months’ probationary period and after positive annual evaluation. As an indication, the monthly basic salary range is KES 315,409 (minimum corresponding to 5 years’ experience and subject to local tax law). The salary will be adapted according to the exact duration of relevant professional experience supported by a work certificate (two years of relevant experience account for one step in DG ECHO’s salary grid). In addition to this, the employee will also receive a housing allowance, disability/retirement allowance, 13th month salary as well as a medical coverage.
ECHO employees observe the National Staff code of Conduct which is available on the link: https://ec.europa.eu/echo/system/files/2019-09/code_of_conduct_for_national_staff.pdf
Only the short-listed candidates will be contacted. Candidates who will not have been contacted by 30/03/2023should consider that they have not been selected. Any form of canvassing, soliciting, or influencing will be treated as grounds for disqualification.
Shortlisted candidates who are successful in the written test and who make it to the oral interview phase but are not to the final selection, could be included (depending on the results of the oral interview) in a reserve list and can be considered if a new procedure takes place for a similar post in the next 12 months.
“Any processing of your personal data will be done in accordance with the applicable EU legislation (Regulation (EU)2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data.” The privacy statement can be found on ECHO website.
https://ec.europa.eu/echo/system/files/2020-01/privacy_statement_recruitment_ns_final_version.pdf