Project and Communications Associate, Women's Environment and Development Organization, NYC, USA

Project and Communications Associate

11 May 2015

Deadline: 15 May 2015

Location: New York, USA

Organization: Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)

Background

The Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) is a women’s global advocacy organization based in New York. Officially founded in 1991 in the run-up to the Earth Summit (UNCED, 1992,) WEDO, a champion for women’s rights, has built a reputation as a trailblazer in promoting human rights, gender equality and the integrity of the environment, notably in sustainable development.

WEDO’s mission is to empower women as decision makers to achieve economic, social and gender justice, a healthy, peaceful planet, and human rights for all. Through our programmatic work focusing on sustainable development and, in particular, climate change, women’s leadership and global governance, WEDO emphasizes women’s critical role in social, economic and political spheres.

Working in close collaboration with WEDO’s Advocacy and Communications Director, the Project and Communications Associate will support enhanced outreach and effectiveness of WEDO’s work through a strategically orchestrated use of multiple channels of communication, from traditional and online media to multi-stakeholder outreach and capacity building, to move and influence public policy through the promotion of WEDO’s work. Embedding into the culture of the organization, the Associate will also assist in the management and delivery of WEDO’s flagship programme, the Women Delegates Fund, ensuring the leadership and participation of women delegates, particularly from the Global South, in the lead up to COP21 and the development of a new climate agreement.

Key Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

Communications (60%)

• Maintain an overall editorial calendar of communications;
• Highlight strategic opportunities for media outreach via articles, press releases, editorials, etc.;
• Write new content and regular updates for WEDO website, keeping the website content current, and keep the appearance of the site user-friendly, professional and attractive;
• Organize press conferences for WEDO events and release of publications, and arranging press interviews and media appearances for WEDO Board members, Directors and staff;
• Write articles and opinion pieces for the media, including op-ed pages and development and special interest publications, as well as pieces on WEDO’s programmatic work and action alerts;
• Develop and sustain relationships with select media persons in the mainstream and alternative TV, radio and print media to inform them of and ensure visibility to WEDO’s activities;
• Create tracking reports for digital communications and make adjustments based on key distribution outlets (i.e. e-mail marketing, social media, traditional web);
• Manage transition to new WEDO website by August 2015;
• Ensure consistent and strategic use of Twitter and Facebook for outreach via comprehensive and regularly updated strategies;
• Drafting and dissemination of WEDO quarterly newsletters;
• Monitor relevant news and information on the organization and our areas of work including: climate change, sustainable development, UN activities, women’s rights;
• Support the development of staff handbook on use of website and social media;
• Assist with creating and updating all printed materials, including the development of a new WEDO work brochure, and a 2015 Annual Report;
• Support the development of fundraising strategies and support WEDO Directors in maintaining donor database as necessary.

Project Management (40%)

• Facilitate the Women Delegates Fund;
• Track and share relevant news on gender and climate change, and related topics, keeping up to date on UNFCCC developments;
• Monitoring UNFCCC deadlines for, inter alia, delegation or side event submissions
• Liaise with National Focal Points (to UNFCCC) to select women delegates to participate in WDF;
• Design and implement a monitoring and evaluation system for both the WDF participants and their Focal Points;
• Coordinate all logistics for WDF participants (flights, visas, per diem, travel insurance);
• Liaise with Advocacy and Communications Director and GGCA Special Advisor on strategy points for the WDF, as well as capacity building needs;
• Design and implement capacity building components to strengthen the WDF (e.g. daily check-in meetings, strategy workshops, trainings on UN negotiations, in-depth thematic seminars);
• Liaise with and support the climate change advocacy team;
• Manage WDF budget, keeping track of all receipts and projections for future meetings;
• Report on WDF activities after each meeting, as well as comprehensively at year’s end;
• Support other program activities, as needed.

You are a fit for this position if:

• You are enthusiastic and committed to WEDO’s mission and goals;
• You are a dynamic and self-directed person eager to support project management, research, and advocacy on climate change, sustainable development and women’s rights;
• You have a Masters degree in a field relevant to the position or at least three years working experience;
• You have an open, dynamic, and entrepreneurial work ethic;
• You possess excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills;
• You are passionate about creating social movements with new media;
• You have an established presence/experience in several of the following social spaces: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest;
• You have experience in project management, including budget management, monitoring and reporting;
• You enjoy logistical tasks (i.e. travel support and event planning) and are a wiz at spreadsheets;
• You have some experience and/or familiarity with international climate policy and the structure of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);
• You have a sense of humor, an ability to work well in a small team setting, and a desire to work in an informal environment;
• You are willing and able to travel internationally as needed;
• You have excellent verbal & written communication skills in English (and preferably another UN language);
• You are a critically thinking/ fun/ positive individual.

To Apply: Priority deadline, Tuesday, May 12th. 

Please click here to complete an application with your cover letter and resume, by 15 May 2015. Applications are requested as soon as possible, and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

WEDO is an equal opportunity employer and encourages, promotes and supports diversity in all aspects of its work.

We appreciate all who apply but based on the expected interest and limited capacity, only candidates chosen for interviews will be contacted. Please, no telephone inquiries.

- See more at: http://www.awid.org/get-involved/project-and-communications-associate#sthash.59OhIEdu.dpuf