ABOUT THE DEFEAT-NCD PARTNERSHIP

Launched as a 'public-private-people' partnership at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York on 24th September 2018 with the strong support of the World Health Organization, The Defeat-NCD Partnership was set up as the practical response to the widespread call for action on non-communicable diseases (NCD). The Partnership envisions universal health coverage for NCD.  To achieve that, the Partnership's core mission focuses on assisting low resource countries to scale-up action on NCD through: (i) national capacity building; (ii) community scale-up of NCD services; (iii) affordability and accessibility of essential NCD supplies; and (iv) financing for country-level NCD programming.

The Defeat-NCD Partnership has been hosted by the United Nations since its original set up, with an international mandate to include governments, multilateral agencies, civil society, academia, philanthropies, and the private sector. In 2023 it has been established as an independent organization headquartered in Geneva, in accordance with Articles 60 et sequent of the Swiss Civil Code.

The Partnership's current strategy's timeframe is up to 2030 as that is the universally agreed period for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Partnership's efforts are aimed specifically at SDG 3.4 i.e. the reduction by one-third of premature mortality from NCD through prevention and treatment.

NCD and poverty are strongly inter-connected and the SDGs also drive the Partnership's principal values, especially that of equity through aiming to "leave no one behind" and proactively reaching out to the most needy and vulnerable.

ROLE:

The Communications Officer will coordinate and execute a range of high-profile communications campaigns, helping to ensure they target the right audiences, maximize their reach and serve broader organizational objectives. 

The incumbent will also help manage the day-to-day execution of social media campaigns, oversee conference related editorial calendars, support media outreach and engage with key influencers.

The incumbent will propose creative ways of engaging relevant global stakeholders and develop compelling data driven and human interest narratives in relation to DNCD’s work at the country and global levels.

The Communications Officer may also work closely with short-term consultants/vendors on communications materials, website redesign and maintenance.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Within delegated authority, the Communications Officer will be responsible for the following duties: 

• Develops and implements a multi-faceted strategic communications plan that targets a range of audiences, including donors, partners, and affiliated organisations, broader humanitarian/health community, public and private sector partners with common goal to scale-up action on non-communicable diseases.
• Uses all aspects of story-telling, visual, written, audio and other suitable means 
• Establish a data-driven engagement approach
• As communications focal point for several teams across the organization, support their operational objectives by creating tailored communications approaches
• Support media outreach and DNCD podcast efforts
• Develop an engagement plan for relevant influencers and industry media outlets
• Maintain editorial calendar for DNCD conferences
• Oversees development and roll-out of the DNCD website/portal, including designing a theme/colour scheme, drafting content, and ensuring ease of functionality for end-user.
• Maintains external facing website, utilizing a content management system to upload content and drafting updated, accurate content as appropriate in coordination with the broader team.  
• Provides support for large-scale global events with international participation.  
• Scopes webinar requests to determine audience, facilitation needs, and overview of presentation. Prepares webinar outlines.
• Offers recommendations for interaction with the audience (PowerPoint, live video, pre-recorded video, etc.) to determine preparation needs for the event.
• Conceptualizes multi-media content to garner interest/buy-in and communicate the impact of DNCD across various social media platforms.  
• Drafts and oversees design/layout and production of various marketing materials, including infographics and DNCD brochures and pamphlets.
• Actively seeks opportunities for DNCD to be featured in various publications and media outlets targeting the humanitarian/development/health sectors and other interested parties.
• Effectively coordinates leadership interactions with media and other complementary networks to build awareness at global, regional, and country levels of DNCD’s work, as appropriate.  
• Drafts DNCD pitch statements, key messages, speeches, and talking points for external engagements by the leadership or other senior stakeholders.
• Drafts regular communications to support outreach to key stakeholders of the Partnership.
• Provides daily summaries/regular briefs on significant communications activities of current and potential partners, environment scanning for opportunities for engagement.
• Identifies and implements platforms for continual engagement by DNCD partners
• Provides quality control—to include style, formatting, and grammar—for written outreach materials that includes background papers, policy briefs, correspondence, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, and presentations, etc.
• Provides substantial input into an effective stakeholder engagement strategy, including survey initiatives to identify opportunities and barriers with major counterparts and stakeholders on DNCD priorities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES:

• Professionalism: Knowledge of financial and budgetary principles and practices, budget development and financial administration of resources. Ability to develop budgetary policies, procedures, and new programmes. Ability to formulate new strategies and technical approaches to budgetary matters. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Communication:  Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• Teamwork:  Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts by final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Planning& Organizing:  Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within the prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to the client.
• Commitment to Continuous Learning: Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows a willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows a willingness to learn new technology.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The candidate should be eligible to work in Switzerland.

APPLICATIONS

Send your CV and a motivation letter explaining how you think your skills and experience make you a strong candidate for this position to secretariat@defeat-ncd.org.

Deadline for applications: 31 March 2023. Applications received will be evaluated on a rolling basis and application submission for this position may close early if we have enough suitable applicants.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.