Job Vacancy: Head of Communications - FILLED

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS, PEACE DIRECT, LONDON EC2 4 OR 5/DAYS/WEEK

Main responsibilities:

· To develop, coordinate and implement a strategy for all of Peace Direct’s communications

· To promote stories of local peacebuilders, as well as Peace Direct itself, across all media

· To use the stories of local peacebuilders, from Peace Direct projects and Insight on Conflict, to reposition local peacebuilding as active and fundamental to achieving a more peaceful world.

Background to the role:

Peace Direct is an early UK charity which won Best New Charity in 2005. We fund and promote the work of local peacebuilders in conflict areas, and seek to bring learning from their work back into the UK. We work with incredibly inspiring and committed people, some of whom are risking their lives to carry out work that they believe in passionately.

As Head of Communications it is your job to tell the stories of those peacebuilders in creative and compelling ways, in order, first, to fulfil Peace Direct’s long term aim of placing local peacebuilding at the centre of strategies for managing conflict, and, secondly, to attract individual and organizations to give financial support to Peace Direct. You will devise a comprehensive strategy for Peace Direct’s overall communications with the media, with the public, supporters and donors, and oversee its implementation working closely with a small team of colleagues.

On media handling, you’ll be expected to draw on your own expertise (as well as a growing circle of experts offering pro bono advice) on the best methods of telling those stories; from The Daily Mail to Facebook, Youtube to Newsnight and the To-day programme.

You will help develop our presence on the internet to fulifil the twin aims set out above. Peace Direct’s online database of peacebuilders (Insight on Conflict) has just got a new look, and you’ll work closely with Lucy the Project Manager to work out how best to get the word out to influential decision makers in Government and to the media. Google has just given us Adwords sponsoring; a key part of the job will be to co-ordinate this and make sure peacedirect.org is in the right shape to maximise this opportunity.

Our supporters are central to Peace Direct; you’ll provide creative input into the appeals that Susanna runs, and generate media coverage for them for extend our reach beyond existing supporters. In September 2008 we are running our first Make Your Peace campaign, positioning 21st September, the UN International Day of Peace, as a day when people address conflict in their own lives. We hope this will become an annual event, bringing a fresh audience to Peace Direct.

Peace isn’t always an easy word to promote; a key part of the job will be changing people’s perceptions. You’ll run the Photographing Peace project; photographer Ted Giffords’ mission to capture bold new images of peace. Overseas trips are central to this project. You’ll also be the link to our Ambassador Gill Hicks, 7/7 survivor and author of the inspiring ‘One Unknown.’

No day is the same. It’s busy but exciting and incredibly rewarding when things go well. Peace isn’t always easy to sell, so you’ll need ideas that go way beyond sending out a press release and hoping for the best. And you’ll need to be able to thrive in a small frugal organization with huge potential, where everyone covers a number of bases.

Specific tasks:

· Create and co-ordinate implementation of an overall communications strategy, in consultation with colleagues and the Board

· Maintain and increase Peace Direct’s contacts across the media and secure coverage for both Peace Direct projects and the content of Insight on Conflict

· Manage the content and structure of the Peace Direct website, working closely with the site designers, including input into the Google ads campaign

· Work with photographer Ted Giffords on the Photographing Peace project, as well as encouraging a wide range of people in the media to find creative ways to reposition peace

· Give input to communication with supporters including Newsletters, Practical Peace e-bulletin, and campaigns such as Make Your Peace

· Coordinate the relationship with the Peace Direct Ambassador and take a lead on establishing new relationships with high-profile individuals

Person Specification - Essential

· Proven ability to sell stories into media (print, broadcast, online)

· Experience of developing and delivering a holistic communications strategy

· High levels of creativity, ability to pitch a different angle on the world

· Established media contacts including in current affairs, and the ability to develop new ones

· Strong interest in international affairs

· Proven ability to work productively in a team

Person Specification - Desirable

· Strong IT skills

· Ability to speak a relevant foreign language eg French, Arabic, Spanish

· Experience of working overseas

· Experience in a small entrepreneurial organisation

Reports to: Chief Executive (Carolyn Hayman)

Salary: scale from £32, 148 to £36,251 (full time, pro rata 4 days/week). Annual cost of living increases, contributory pension, 5 weeks holiday, season ticket loan scheme.

To apply, please email lucy@peacedirect.org with your CV and a covering letter stating why you believe you are the ideal candidate for this position. Deadline for applications midnight September 21st, interviews September 29th (tbc). Please feel free to call Carolyn Hayman for an informal conversation on 020 7549 0285.