Job: Senior Communications Officer

Location: Washington, DC 
Deadline: Monday, 21 October 2013 

Description

Background / General description

The World Bank Group's Investment Climate Department (CIC) assists governments of developing countries and transition economies in reforming their business environments at economy-wide as well as industry/sector level. The department collaborates extensively with other teams across the World Bank Group in the design and delivery of advisory services and other operational work related to investment climate reform, and develops CIC knowledge products for staff and clients. Serving as the global backbone of the Bank Group's Investment Climate (IC) activities; CIC:

(i) anchors the Investment Climate Business Line (one of IFC's four Advisory Services Business Lines), and handles the global dimension of its work;

(ii) anchors the Investment Climate Global Practice of the Bank's Financial and Private Sector Development Network;

(iii) implements MIGA's technical assistance mandate, and

(iv) manages the multi-donor Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services, a global funding and partnership platform for IC reform. In addition, CIC also manages the following programs for IFC:

(v) the Health in Africa initiative (in collaboration with AFTHD),

(vi) the Water Resources Group (in collaboration with SDN and other WBG units),

(vii) a program on private participation in infrastructure (in collaboration with C3P and other WBG units),

(viii) and the coordination function for IFC's work on fragile and conflict-affected countries (jointly with CTGDR, and in collaboration with OPSFN and MIGEP). CIC is organized into four main units, reflecting four global service or product lines: Business Regulation, International Trade and Investment, Investment Climate for Industry and Private Participation in Infrastructure and Social Sectors, as well as a unit dedicated to Africa (CIC is co-managing IFC's IC work program in Sub-Saharan Africa), an Operational Support unit and a knowledge management and communications unit. CIC is seeking an experienced Senior Communications Officer to lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive CIC communications strategy, working closely with the FPD and IFC AS Communications managers and teams, as well as a communications champions within each CIC unit. The Communications Officer will report to the Manager, CICKM with a dotted line to the FPD and IFC AS Communications managers.

CIC needs an individual with sharp judgment and the ability to move effectively from the big picture to detailed implementation. The selected candidate will be a strategic thinker, who can define business strategy and goals, coach and supervise staff or consultants, and encourage professional development. The position requires a candidate with a proven track record in measuring communication-related results to inform strategy, and the ability to communicate clearly throughout an organization.

CIC has a robust communications function in place, with outreach to stakeholders through an array of targeted channels and products including its external website www.wbginvestmentclimate.org, newsletters, multimedia and slideshows, and contributions to IFC, Bank and MIGA communications products (annual reports, newsletters, brochures, intranet and external web stories), as well as social media platforms. These activities are carried out by a small team of experienced communications professionals who support the communications needs of the department, the IFC Investment Climate Business Line and the FPD Investment Climate Global Practice.

Duties and Accountabilities

The Senior Communications Officer will report to the Investment Climate Global Practice Manager to work closely with CIC management and product teams and liaise with World Bank Group communications professionals. Specific duties include:

• Develop and implement a cohesive external and internal communications strategy for CIC (incorporating needs of the IC Business Line, Investment Climate Global Practice and FIAS stakeholders) aligned with the Bank Group's strategy and goals.
• Build and maintain effective strategic relationships and dialogue with key constituencies (including the media, NGOs, academia, businesses, government agencies, etc.) to strengthen the communications program's overall effectiveness.
• Position CIC externally in traditional media and social media.
• Provide advice and recommendations to CIC management on reputational risk issues related to CIC's work. Scan for risk and prepare messages and plans to manage accordingly.
• Develop a strong donor outreach mechanism within the CIC communications plan – this includes managing the FIAS Annual Review process (drafting the report, coordinating reviews and overseeing production and dissemination), the monthly donor newsletter, and marketing communications-produced materials (directly or through CPA and other donor relations teams) to donor communication teams so we can support donors in telling their stories better.
• Ensure the communications team provides visibility to a range of events, publications, projects, etc., on an as-needed basis at the request of product and regional teams
• Support regional teams substantively on govt. client-facing reform communications through strategic guidance to teams, clients and partners on stakeholder engagement on reforms.
• Lead the conception, design and production of CIC marketing materials, and contribute to FPD and AS VPU-led promotional materials that showcase CIC work.
• Ensure the communications team delivers just-in-time communications products based on Management Team and inputs to high-level briefs, talking points and stories on priority areas (e.g. fragile states, WBG collaboration)
• Oversee the development of stories, one-pagers, fact sheets and other materials featuring results for print and online dissemination.
• Develop a strong network with regional and network communications teams within the Bank Group so that CIC stories are showcased through a range of Bank, IFC and MIGA external and internal channels.
• Conceive and supervise production of multimedia products (videos, slide shows, podcasts, and visuals) around projects and results for internal and external audiences.
• Direct communications support to CIC teams including hiring and supervising communications consultants.
• Align and coordinate activities with the IFC AS and FPD Communications Team to ensure CIC` approaches align with broader FPD and Bank Group positioning.
• Contribute to World Bank Group communications activities on fragile and conflict affected situations, working closely with the IFC Global Coordination Unit for FCS and the World Bank Group FCS communications working group.

Selection Criteria

Masters degree (Communications, International Relations/Public Affairs, Economics or other related field) plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience or a Bachelors with at least 13 years of relevant work experience.

• Demonstrates excellent English language skills and proficiency to write and edit complex communications products for purposeful structure, clarity of ideas, and logical, persuasive presentation.
• Demonstrates ability to nurture and maintain relationships and communications with critical internal and external constituencies and stakeholders.
• Strong experience in branding and political awareness is key given CIC's unique position within the Bank Group and donor-funded dimension.
• Solid experience in stakeholder engagement and advocacy communications approaches.
• Demonstrates ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze diverse information from varied sources.
• Experience managing and creating content for websites.
• Solid understanding of development topics and ability to identify communications-related opportunities and risks in an international environment.
• Demonstrates ability and the necessary personal organization skills to take initiative, personal ownership, and accountability to meet deadlines, work under pressure, and achieve agreed-upon results.
• Experience using new media to stimulate conversations with stakeholders and create behavioral change, and comfort with and continuous curiosity for communications technologies.
• Demonstrates ability for teamwork in a multicultural environment.
• Experience working with senior executives and a diverse range of donors preferred
• Capacity in other languages, particularly French, is desirable. In addition to the above, successful candidate must demonstrate the following competencies:
• Communication in International Development - High-level ability to communicate with internal and external partners, based on understanding their communication needs and possessing significant experience with international development topics and issues.
• Social Media, Information Channels, and Communication Tools Awareness - Able to assist, consult, or lead others in assuring existing or new, upcoming communication tools and media channels are fully leveraged to assure proper communication.
• Access to Information Policy - Recognized as an authority in information access, and in the distribution, design, and delivery of communications products and in other information dissemination activities.
• Content Development - Has significant experience in and/or demonstrates broad, in-depth proficiency in this competency and is therefore able to clear for internal or external use material that is developed.
• Content and Style Editing - Has significant experience in, leads others and demonstrates in-depth proficiency in rewriting or editing complex communications products for purposeful structure, clarity of ideas, and the logical persuasive presentation of content.
• Communication Strategy, Planning, and Execution - Has significant experience in and/or demonstrates in-depth proficiency at a level sufficient to assist, consult, or lead others in the planning, development, and execution of communication strategies for complex projects.
• Relationship Management and Political Awareness - Has significant experience and/or demonstrates ability to lead and manage relationships with critical internal and/or external high-risk constituencies to foster strategic partnerships and to strengthen the Bank's image or mitigate reputational risk.
• Client Orientation - Maintains client relationships in the face of conflicting demands or directions and provides evidence-based advice and solutions based on sound diagnosis and knowledge.
• Drive for Results - Identifies the needed resources to accomplish results involving multiple stakeholders and finds solutions to obstacles affecting key deliverables.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Shows leadership in ensuring the team stays organized and focused, and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches.
• Knowledge, Learning and Communication - Leads in the sharing of best practice, trends, knowledge and lessons learned across units and with clients and partners, articulating ideas verbally and in writing in a clear and compelling way across audiences of varied levels.
• Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Gathers inputs, assesses risk, considers impact and articulates benefits of decisions for internal and external stakeholders over the long term. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Only on line applications will be accepted. *LI-AF1

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