Communications Officer

Location: Lebanon (candidate must be a Lebanese national or already hold residency in Lebanon). Other locations might be considered on an exceptional basis.

Duration: 1-year contract (subject to renewal upon funding & successful performance)

Starting date: December 2022 / January 2023

Deadline: 1 November 2022

About MENA Rights Group

MENA Rights Group is a Geneva-based legal advocacy NGO, focusing on the protection and promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms in the Middle East and North Africa. Adopting a holistic approach, we work at both the individual and structural level. We provide legal counselling to victims of human rights violations through recourse to international law mechanisms. In addition, we assess the human rights situation on the ground and bring key issues to the attention of relevant stakeholders to call for legal and policy reform. We are a small and dynamic group of human rights practitioners sharing a passion for the MENA region.

Core responsibilities

We are looking for a proactive and passionate Communications Officer to develop and implement our communication strategy and help us achieve our objectives.

• Oversee and implement our communications strategy, plan processes, create a communications calendar and identify moments of opportunity.
• Manage and update our website, including by preparing, reviewing and posting content.
• Manage and develop our presence on social media; promote and disseminate MRG’s outputs on social media platforms by preparing and posting engaging content; establish targets for growth and analyse and monitor progress.
• Carry out media outreach by identifying and developing relationships with journalists and news outlets relevant to MRG’s work; pitching stories and managing media enquiries.
• Develop appropriate communication and campaigning tools, including newsletter, press releases, visuals etc.
• Support the organisation of events and their promotion (send invitations, prepare flyers, and disseminate them on social media etc.).
• Coordinate and manage preparation of key reports (annual report; public report), handing out responsibility where needed (e.g., drafting by legal team, translation, outsourcing design etc.).

Required skills and qualities

• Demonstrated interest in advancing human rights in the MENA region.
• University degree or diploma in communications, public relations, journalism or a related field.
• Relevant professional experience; experience in working in an NGO and/or on human rights issues a plus.
• Excellent English drafting and editing skills, and full oral and written Arabic proficiency; working knowledge of French being an asset.
• Graphic design and basic video editing skills.
• Ability to take ownership, self-organise and lead work on communications.
• Being proactive and a self-starter: seek initiative and propose ideas.
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment, i.e., be organised and able to work effectively and independently.
• Share our values and vision;
• Enjoy working in a small and multicultural team.