This position plays a critical role in implementing IUCN’s corporate communications strategy through its non-media corporate communications channels, brand oversight and coordination of various communications efforts across the Union and with external partners. Channels under the responsibility of this position include the IUCN website, IUCN corporate social media platforms and communications around major IUCN events such as the IUCN World Conservation Congress. It is also the point for maintaining IUCN’s brand cohesion and providing strategic advice on updates to IUCN’s various sub-brands.

The position requires liaising with IUCN and unit leadership to develop cohesive communications strategies and coordinated implementation, advising on and responding to internal enquiries not related to media and leading or overseeing communications task forces as needed. It also plays a lead role in supporting the Director of Communications in developing, adjusting and adhering to the unit budget and designated communications budgets for major events and partnerships.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Operations

Digital communications
• Senior advisor to Director of Communications, include filling in for Director when necessary
• Oversee all IUCN digital (non-press) corporate communications channels to ensure corporate strategy is applied and effective across channels
• Identify actionable communications opportunities to enhance IUCN’s ability to reach organisational, unit-level and communications objectives
• Project management lead for video, digital and print communications products including preparing requests for proposals, managing and negotiating contracts for providers and overseeing the development process from inception to final delivery
• Oversee photo and video management
• Work together with colleagues responsible for content production within the unit to ensure cohesive content promotion through IUCN’s channels
• Lead development of communications KPIs, performance monitoring tools and reporting methods and provide strategic insights to Director based on performance trends and metrics
• Identify reputational or other communications or unit-related risks and help develop measures to prevent, mitigate or respond to them
• Provide strategic guidance on non-media communications to unit management and communicators to maximise opportunities, increase efficiency and maintain consistency with IUCN corporate strategic objectives
• Support Communications Director in preparing, updating and overseeing relevant policies

Brand oversight
• Oversee IUCN corporate branding, logo use, brand consistency and “look and feel” across all communications outputs
• Advise units on sub-brand strategy to ensure coherence with corporate brand

Event communications
• Support Director of Communications on preparations for major events.
• Oversee permanent and temporary communications staff and budgets, maintain key partnerships
• With Event Communications Manager, provide branding and promotion advice to IUCN units participating in external events such as UNFCCC COPs or other high-profile events where IUCN has a presence

Staff Management

• Manage direct reports (Communications Officer for digital and social media, IUCN Webmaster, Event Communications Manager) to ensure professional development, healthy working environment and work-life balance and delivery of individual and unit objectives
• Plan, adapt and manage work plans for direct reports to ensure consistency with overall unit objectives, leverage complementary roles within the team and play to the strengths of individual team members in order to deliver optimal results within the constraints of limited budget, time and capacity
• Act as liaison with IUCN programme, regional and commission communicators for non-media related projects and issues, including strategic coordination

Budget and Administrative
• Advise and support Director on unit operational budget management
• Together with Senior Communications Manager – content and editorial, track unit operational budget day-to-day income and expenses, including oversight of all relevant contracts and time management system transactions with IUCN units and any project income, including guiding unit staff through procedures and ensuring all income and expenses align with priorities set by the Director
• Provide guidance to ensure unit processes adhere to IUCN operational and audit procedures
• Perform other tasks and assignments as required by the Director

The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small organisation such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them but which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of a staff member’s responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the manager, the staff member and the Human Resources Management Group. Anyone of the three may initiate the consultation.