occupied Palestinian territory: Humanitarian Liaison, Palestinian Territories

BBC Media Action:

BBC Media Action is the independent international charity of the BBC. We use media to advance development worldwide. Our mission is to improve the quality of people’s lives in developing and transitional countries through innovative use of media. We do this through our focus on health, governance, livelihoods, climate change and humanitarian response. We work in partnerships that include governments, broadcasters, civil society institutions, donor agencies and international Non-Governmental Organisations.

For over two decades, the BBC has helped audiences affected by crises through special ‘Lifeline’ broadcasts, which provide life-saving information and a means for people to voice their needs, share solutions and hold providers of relief to account. These programmes, which are either carried on BBC airwaves or developed and broadcast in partnership with local media, have been aired in some 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Gaza, India, Kosovo, Myanmar, Pakistan, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Somalia and Sudan. BBC Media Action is currently working to strengthen the ability of humanitarian actors and media to communicate effectively with crisis-affected people, to ultimately save more lives and promote recovery in disasters and emergencies.

Job Purpose:

The Humanitarian Liaison will serve as the key link between BBC Media Action, partner media and humanitarian actors. S/he will provide training and advice to aid agencies and media on effective two-way communication with communities in crisis. The position will establish excellent working relationships with a wide range of figures within the humanitarian relief community. The Humanitarian Liaison will lead on developing BBC Media Action’s strategy to strengthen two-way communication with crisis-affected people in the Palestinian Territories.

Main Duties:

Serve as a point of contact for BBC Media Action’s work on humanitarian preparedness and response, developing strong working relationships with the humanitarian community.

Actively participate in the relevant humanitarian coordination meetings in order to contribute to efforts to enhance two-way communication with populations in crisis.

Undertake mapping of existing humanitarian communications efforts and key players in order to identify gaps and opportunities to improve the quality and effectiveness of communication with communities.

Play a lead role in the development of BBC Media Action’s strategy to improve humanitarian communication in the Palestinian Territories.

Play a lead role in BBC Media Action’s business development around humanitarian programming: Initiate new project development based on relationships with humanitarian partners and donors including the writing (and/or editing)/ budgeting of innovative and deliverable project proposals that address humanitarian needs and meet donor criteria.

Provide training and consultation to humanitarian and media actors to support the development of coordinated and effective communication strategies for populations.

Maintain a database of key contacts.

Play an advisory role during future broadcast output to help ensure humanitarian content of Lifeline Programmes is accurate, appropriate, coordinated and useful for audiences.

Support on developing message briefs in local languages for future programming during the acute phase of an (e.g. health, protection issues, etc).

Contribute to project reporting for donors.

Any other duties as required.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience required

Mandatory requirement: right to work in the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza).

· At least four years’ experience in the humanitarian sector

· Excellent understanding of how media and communication interventions support humanitarian response

· Experience in designing and delivering training with an emphasis on interactive learning

· Experience of fundraising, project design and donor reporting

· Strong project management, time management and leadership skills

· Relevant higher education preferably in international development, project management, mass-communication or other relevant educational background

· Strong interpersonal skills, a capacity to engage with diverse internal and external stakeholders and an aptitude for creating connections across teams

· Strong communication skills and ability to present to large audiences

· Strong writing skills with a proven capacity to provide clear written analysis on issues relevant to this work

· Ability to work independently, to prioritise tasks and to take initiative

· Excellent Arabic

· Excellent written and spoken English

· Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint

· Commitment to the aims and objectives of BBC Media Action

Competencies

The following competencies (behaviours and characteristics) have been identified as key to success in the job. Successful candidates are expected to demonstrate these competencies.

· Influencing and Persuading– Ability to present sound and well-reasoned arguments to convince others. Can draw from a range of strategies to persuade people in a way that results in agreement or behaviour change.

· Planning and Organisation– Is able to think ahead in order to establish an efficient and appropriate course of action for self and others. Prioritises and plans activities taking into account all the relevant issues and factors such as deadlines, staffing and resources requirements.

· Communication– The ability to get one’s message understood clearly by adopting a range of styles, tools and techniques appropriate to the audience and the nature of the information.

· Strategic thinking - able to identify a vision along with the plans which need to be implemented to meet the end goal, evaluating situations, decisions and issues in the short, medium and long term.

· Managing relationships and team working - able to build and maintain effective working relationships with a range of people. Works co-operatively with others to be part of a team, as opposed to working separately or competitively.

· Resilience– Can maintain personal effectiveness by managing own emotions in the face of pressure, set backs or when dealing with provocative situations. Can demonstrate an approach to work that is characterised by commitment, motivation and energy.

· Flexibility - adapts and works effectively with a variety of situations, individuals or groups. Able to understand and appreciate different and opposing perspectives on an issue, to adapt an approach as the requirements of a situation change, and to change or easily accept changes in one's own organisation or job requirements.

To apply please send a covering letter in English demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the post along with your CV (which should include three references out of which two must be from the direct supervisors of your current and/or most recent employment) to: ptjobs@bbcmediaaction.org

Please note you must hold a right to work in the Palestinian Territories prior to applying.