Our mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which we all live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
Our work is challenging and exciting, and we love what we do. To join our team you need to be brilliant at what you do, passionate, results-orientated and have a positive and helpful attitude.
Background
The communication specialist for WWF’s Policy and Futures Unit (PFU) is responsible for identifying and implementing the PFU’s communication opportunities and ensuring that the impact and effectiveness of the efforts of the PFU are suitably packaged and disseminated in order to contribute to the unit’s, and the broader organisation’s goals.
The PFU promotes practices and policies that allow for sustainable utilisation of food, energy and water resources for a resilient future. It informs this agenda through research into emerging trends and solutions as well as demonstrating solutions through pilot projects. The areas it currently focuses on include climate, energy, cities/ urban futures, sustainable aviation fuels, plastic, food waste, and sustainable diets to name a few.
This communication specialist will need to have a sophisticated understanding of sustainability and the social challenges in South Africa, as well as climate-related issues and impacts.
The position reports to the current Communications Manager of the Environmental Programmes in order to bring the work and communication opportunities of PFU and WWF’s Environmental Programmes Unit more closely together.
Respsonsibilities
- The development and implementation of a workplan for the policy and future’s component as part of the overall communications plan for WWF
- Develop a strategic communication plan in line with WWF’s overall communications strategy
- Provide strategic communication guidance and hands-on comms support to the unit
- Proactively provide support to improve the PFU’s strategic direction and ensure responsiveness to opportunities to strengthen pathways for impact within key sectors and audiences (business, government and civil society)
- Assess the annual and ad hoc communication needs across the unit through regular consultation with individuals in the PFU and collaboration across the organisation
- Identify communication opportunities and prioritise those which should be targeted based on impact, engagement and advocacy potential
- Proactive management of the unit’s work in the public space by packaging it for key audiences
- Understand key audiences (general public, government and business) and know how they consume information and content, and identify tactics and approaches to most effectively reach these target audiences
- Craft key messages for target audiences tailored for various outlets and platforms to ensure consistent, compelling content
- Coordinate and write material required for PFU’s traditional media needs: press releases, blogs, articles, opinion pieces and other relevant media vehicles as identified
- Develop fresh, up to date content for digital platforms including the WWF website and social media accounts
- Assist in formulating and shaping technical report content, including editing, proposing infographics and proofreading, and manage external suppliers from selection and briefing to the design and production of on-brand reports
- Repackage report content for various non-technical audiences. This may include rewriting/recycling content to respond to current issues where appropriate (fact sheets and infographics for government or public outreach, messaging documents for creative agencies and campaigns, images for media etc)
- Propose forthcoming policy moments and lead on proactive interventions to positively influence policy engagements as well as develop content for advocacy pieces and campaigns
- Coordinate and support the development of position statements related to PFU work streams and priority focus areas (e.g., renewable energy, mining, plastics, sustainable diets) within the framework of the organisation’s international positions if appropriate
- Support internal communications efforts, including presentations to staff and assisting with internal campaigns etc.
- Support comms event team with managing organisation events
- Identify and drive opportunities for public debates and events with a PFU theme
- Ensure PFU material is included in organisation events as required
- Provide a strong bridge between PFU and comms
- Participate in both units’ regular meetings as well as strategy and planning sessions
- Pursue and develop new projects, partnerships and funding opportunities as well as contributing content for fundraising proposals
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Conduct analysis of the reach and impact of PFU communication activities in line with the unit strategy and objectives as well as the objectives of the WWF communication strategy
Requirements
- A minimum of a humanities or science undergraduate degree
- At least 5-10 years of communications experience with solid policy or advocacy experience
- Experience in communicating effectively across a wide range of technical subjects and an appetite for reading and decoding technical information
- A proven track record in writing well and clearly across a variety of platforms, as well as editing and shaping of content for different audiences.
Apply Now
To apply please click here fill out the application form, and provide a detailed CV and covering letter (attach under “Documents”) fully motivating why you should be appointed, together with the names, current e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of three relevant references.
Applications close on 29 February 2020.
Applications sent via email will not be considered.
WWF seeks to promote diversity among its staff. Candidates who have not received a response within three weeks of the closing date are kindly requested to assume that their application has not been successful in this instance. WWF-SA reserves the right not to fill this position.
