Media Policy Consultant
Organization
The White Helmets (Syria Civil Defence) is a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping communities prepare for, respond to, and rebuild after attacks in Syria. The White Helmets provides services across all areas, including emergency response, medical aid, infrastructure rehabilitation, and UXO disposal.
The role of the Media and Communications Department is to provide adequate coverage of all White Helmets operations, projects, and programs, while building and maintaining the network between The White Helmets and its partners, supporters, and stakeholders, as well as building a communication strategy with all segments of Syrian society.
Background
The Syrian Civil Defence (White Helmets), through its various programs, provides services to all segments of society, according to the diversity within the various segments of society. Here, the institution needs to build a clearer policy on the relationship with the beneficiaries of our services according to the diversity, as well as how to represent the diverse beneficiaries to the stakeholders. We also want to focus on women and children and prepare, within the framework of the institution’s endeavor to restore and build a culture of respect for the role of women in society at various levels inside and outside the institution, as well as observing professional standards that preserve the dignity of the adult and children beneficiaries among them.
Furthermore, we wish to build a strategy in representing the situation in Syria as well as the work of The White Helmets to our international audience.
The Media and Communications Department of the White Helmets aims to build a written policy that sets professional standards for the institution’s discourse, including societal messages and media products such as text (e.g. statements, website updates, etc), photos, and videos. Accordingly, the department believes that a consultant is needed to work with the team to build a strategic policy for media coverage and communications.
The Media and Communications Department is currently undergoing restructuring that provides an important backdrop to the establishment of a media strategy and standard operating procedures. The Media and Communications Department will require advice on drafting a structure for the Department in a manner consistent with the objectives of the institution and the department. This structure should ensure that the department becomes more efficient and effective, defining team roles and raising the quality of products.
Objectives
The Media Policy Consultant will work with the Media and Communications Department of the White Helmets to present a strategic policy for media coverage and standards for community outreach. They will also focus in particular on standards for developing media coverage of Syrian women as well as female volunteers in the Syria Civil Defence, and develop visual and media products for social media platforms to continue to build strong relations between the White Helmets and the beneficiaries, stakeholders and various social segments in Syria in the areas in which we operate.
The consultant will also work with the team to present standard operating procedures that improve the quality of the team's work, develops the work pattern, improves or rebuilds the structure, as well as contributes to providing procedural proposals to improve the work environment and relationships within the team.
Scope of Work
The Media Policy Consultant will review and assess the current structure and provide a standard operating procedures as well as the communication strategy and visibility plan of the Media and Communications Department. Ultimately, they will develop an intimate understanding of our social media environment, work with our media staff to develop a social media strategy, and develop implementation plans based on agreed strategies.
Deliverables:
First Objective: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Deliverables
No. of Days
Learning the context, reviewing the Communication & Media Department structure and the staff task lines
10
Reviewing the tasks, responsibilities and the objectives of the Communication & Media Department
5
Meetings with a team to share reports and recommendations
5
Prepare an SOP draft (Standard Operating Procedure)
8 preparation days, not necessary to be in office
Reviewing the SOP draft with the Media Department director.
2
Total
30
Second Objective: Communication Strategy and Visibility Plan
Deliverables
No. of Days
Learning the context, reviewing the vision, the strategy, and the business lines of The White Helmets
5
Studying the gender context inside the organization and planning meetings with the Gender Equality Coordinator and Report and Data Department and Advocacy Department
3
Learning the needs, resources assessment, and studying the relations with stakeholders
3
Reviewing our social media accounts statics and our analysis reports
2
Analyzing reports and recommendations and sharing them with staff
3
Studying the annual activities plan and our calendar
2
Giving recommendations for developing the Media department strategy (including M&E indicators)
2
Prepare a visibility plan draft
8 preparation days
Reviewing the draft with the Media Department, Programs Developing departments and Advocacy department
2
Total
30
Logistical Notes
The Media Policy Consultant will be working in the White Helmets’ Istanbul office.
The consultant will have their own private office within the media department’s office for the duration of the contract.
Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum of 7 years' experience in relevant work e.g., media and media consultancy work
Master's Degree in Media, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Sociology, or a related field
Knowledge of gender equality, women’s empowerment, and experience with integration of gender issues in visibility plans
Experience and knowledge of working on communications in conflict and post-conflict settings, preferably with experience working on the Syria context
Experience in developing messaging and content for diverse audiences
In depth background knowledge on the Syrian context.
Fluency in Arabic and English
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit their motivation letter CV, via https://bit.ly/3ISW672 expected daily rate, and references before 09 August 2022 via Search’s online application.