Communication Officer at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity.

With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding, and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat, and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communication Officer

Location: Calabar, Cross River
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports To: Country Director
Duration: Two years (renewable)
Start date: 1st July, 2024

Job Summary

• The WCS Nigeria Program requires a Communication Officer to promote the conservation successes of WCS in the country and to raise awareness of conservation issues related to its programs and projects, as well as priority species. WCS now seeks a dynamic individual to support our efforts in communicating to national and international audiences the opportunities, successes, and challenges of our conservation work in Nigeria. The Communication Officer will report directly to the WCS Nigeria Country Director and will support internal and external communications for the WCS Nigeria Program. The Communication Officer will also work closely with the WCS Regional Communication Team in Kigali and the WCS Global Communication Team in New York.

Main Responsibilities
Communication Strategy:

• The Communication Officer will support implementation of the WCS Nigeria Communication Strategy, working closely with the WCS Nigeria Program Senior Management Team. This will include developing an annual work plan with agreed timetables, integration and alignment with the WCS-Nigeria vision, mission, conservation priorities, and target audiences.

Program Management:

• Ensure WCS communicates consistent messages to all its different audiences – including employees, government, local communities, donors, local and international public, and the media – to increase understanding and awareness of the organization and build positive attitudes to WCS and conservation.
• Protect and enhance the reputation of WCS and its national/local partners.
• Coordinate the production of regular project updates and success stories, and other materials to promote the success of the program as set out in the communication strategy.
• Act as the point of contact for all inquiries from journalists, organize press conferences, and build and maintain a vibrant network of journalist contacts.
• Visit WCS field sites regularly to promote communication, including organizing and hosting visits by media, donors, and VIPs.
• Assist production of specific Communication Plans for all major grants received by WCS.
• Participate in a range of team meetings, as well as other key meetings and workshops with government, donor, and community partners.
• Work with the WCS Global Communication team (based in New York) and the WCS Regional Communication Team (based in Kigali) to leverage the reputation of WCS Nigeria and its national/local partners onto the regional and global stages.
• Undertake training of WCS staff in effective communication, including the use of new technologies related to internal and external communication and information management and sharing.
• Take responsibility for WCS Nigeria’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok accounts.
• Provide support to the production of programmatic newsletters within WCS Nigeria.
• Please note that the above TOR constitutes only the main responsibilities and duties of this position. As WCS Nigeria is a flexible organization, staff members are expected to undertake any other tasks that are allocated to them, but which are not part of their regular TOR, but related to it.

Position Requirements
The position will be based in Calabar, with regular travel to all WCS project sites across Nigeria. The ideal candidate will be dynamic, energetic, creative, and ambitious, and will have:

• Relevant University Degree.
• Demonstrable passion for the environment and a commitment to WCS’s conservation goals.
• At least 5 years experience in communication for a medium to large company or organization.
• Pro-active, stable, robust character, and an excellent team-player.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to communicate clear and consistent messages using a variety of media – including newsletters, brochures, and guides – and experience in developing and managing such messaging.
• Analytic skills to assess the ‘take home message’ from diverse sources such as technical reports, meeting minutes, social media posts, etc.
• Aptitude in the use of a range of graphic design and visual asset management tools, including Microsoft Word, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, WordPress.
• Proven track record in, and enthusiasm for, managing social media accounts.
• Ability to develop clear goals and identify priority activities and assignments.
• High levels of motivation and professionalism.
• Proven ability to manage large and varied workloads and deal constructively with diverse people.
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines and work with limited supervision.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their application / cover letter and CV (in pdf), together with the names and contact information of three references, to: nigeriajobs@wcs.org using “Communication Officer” as the subject of the mail.

Application Deadline 13th May, 2024.

Note

• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
• WCS is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value