Job Description

About Global Witness

Our vision is simple: we want a better world - where corruption is challenged and accountability prevails, all can thrive within the planet’s boundaries, and governments act in the public interest.

At Global Witness we investigate and campaign to stop human rights and environmental abuses caused by corruption and the exploitation of natural resources. 

Powerful communications are central to our campaigns and we’re looking for a brilliant Deputy Director of Communications to help us drive change in the world and increase Global Witness’ profile. 

About the Role

You’ll play a critical role in developing Global Witness’ campaign communication strategies, developing robust approaches to engage, understand and influence our targets and key audiences. You’ll develop and manage key media partnerships and relationships, maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of influential outlets, alongside representing the organisation publicly and in the media as required.

You’ll lead Global Witness’ news and media strategy, understanding and defining all core media audiences and helping to build our ability to capitalise on campaign opportunities, responding to the external environment effectively. Alongside working with teams to drive a proactive news approach, you’ll stimulate media commentary and debate as well as protecting Global Witness’ reputation, managing and mitigating risk as required. 

Whilst ensuring Global Witness communications are of a consistently high and professional standard, you will ensure that Global Witness’s external voice and identity is consistent, powerful, innovative, impactful and properly reflects Global Witness’ values. You’ll develop and implement the right systems and processes to maintain this. 

Leading and developing your team to excel, you’ll drive innovation and best practice that creates greater understanding of our work. As a manager of talent, you’ll manage performance and foster a culture of learning through appraisals, one to one meetings and team sessions.

The Deputy Director of Communications is a key position within the organisation that assists the Director of Communications in ensuring strategic and effective communications to drive campaign impact, fundraising and organisational profile. As such, you’ll be responsible for signing off communications outputs and budgetary management, working closely with key stakeholders. You’ll also play a leadership role in the broader communications team and organisation, helping to instil healthy, productive ways of working, shared vision and to help ensure smooth and integrated working with other teams.

This role is based in London with occasional travel overseas

About you

You’ll have significant experience delivering communications strategies which get both campaign results and raises organisational profile. You will bring demonstrable writing and broadcast skills and a proven ability to think creatively. You’re also likely to have experience in managing a news or communication team in a similar organisation, working towards cross-organisational initiatives.  You’ve proved you can drive outstanding results and now you’re looking for a more challenging and exciting opportunity.

Your strong planning and prioritisation skills, your proven track record in meeting deadlines under pressure as well as your ability to ensure manageable work-plans and budgets will be crucial to this role. You’ll also have experience of crisis management, including identifying issues which involve operational and reputational risk.

Bringing your excellent news sense, knowledge of the global media environment, your communications expertise, as well as proven networking skills, you’ll help us capitalise on breaking stories and campaign opportunities to drive real world change on our issues.

Naturally, you’ll have the ability to pitch news stories and provide a knowledge of a variety of audiences and formats.

You combine a proven ability to lead, use your experience of motivating and managing others to inspire teams. You’ll be a tenacious and persuasive team-player with strong diplomacy and negotiation skills, moving things forward while balancing risk and diverse interests.  You’ll excel at managing complex projects and problem solving, bringing a creative and ambitious approach to the work.

Finally, you will have a passion for and understanding of the issues Global Witness campaigns on.

Working for us

We aim to be a diverse and inclusive place to work.  We value new perspectives, original ideas and different ways of working. We believe that diverse views and experiences improve the way we do our work. We do our best to make our jobs accessible to all regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation or identity.  You’ll also demonstrate this strong commitment to creating an inclusive, equal and diverse workplace

We offer an excellent benefits package including a competitive salary and 25 days holiday (exc. Bank holidays) private medical insurance and flexible working arrangements.

We particularly welcome applications from black and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within Global Witness at this level.

How to apply

Please send in your CV and a covering letter telling us how you meet the role requirements (no more than two pages please). Please write your name and the job title in the subject line. We are accepting applications from 28 July 2017.  We do not accept applications from agencies.