Communications Officer

About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

ADPC is an autonomous international organization established for scientific, educational, developmental, and humanitarian purposes with a vision of safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and expanded its role to be for scientific, educational, developmental and humanitarian purposes. ADPC employs a wide range of professional expertise typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner.

ADPC develops and implements cross-sectoral projects/programs on the strategic themes of risk governance, urban resilience, climate resilience, health risk management, preparedness for response and resilient recovery. Our strategic themes are complemented and underpinned by the cross-cutting themes of gender and diversity, regional and transboundary cooperation as well as poverty and livelihoods.

Through its work, ADPC supports the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the agenda defined at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, and other relevant international frameworks.

For details, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/

Department introduction

The Geospatial Information (GEO) Department supports stakeholders to increase their uses of geospatial technology, data, and information for supporting decision making related to disaster risk management and climate resilience. The department supports all thematic areas of focus of ADPC to achieve their goals, mainly through:

• Increased accessibility and technical capacity to develop, maintain, and use geospatial information including disaster and climate risk maps, forecasted and real-time disaster data for early warning, and damage data for post-disaster assessment and recovery planning,
• Increased awareness by decision makers on applications of geospatial information in disaster risk management and climate resilience decision making, and
• Geospatial solutions, such as maps, tools, models, and data, customized to the demands of stakeholders

Statement of intent

The Communications Officer reports directly to the Senior Communications and Outreach Advisor. The successful candidate will be expected to work closely with the Senior Communications and Outreach Advisor, scientific and thematic teams of the department, and other national and regional stakeholders in communicating successes of the department and ADPC in utilizing geospatial tools, promoting improved information sharing, engaging in capacity building activities, maintaining data portals, and other tasks related assigned by the supervisor.

Note: 

It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities. 

Duties and responsibilities

Program responsibilities

• Take lead in developing social media post and web stories capturing key events and promoting milestones/achievements/impact in geospatial information applications;
• Provide inputs for annual work plans, progress reports, and annual reports of GEO projects;
• Review and edit reports drafted by other staff and partners as needed/assigned;
• Work with the team members and partners to ensure GEO products, news, and updates are properly presented in the global site and microsites;
• Maintain project web site(s) and social media accounts with updated information, events, resources and report regularly on web analytics; and work closely with a geospatial web designer to enhance and maintain the geospatial database and its user interface;
• Regularly liaise with the communication teams of partners such as USAID and other implementing partners or sub-recipients;
• Design event communications products  (e.g. announcements, banners, booths, posters, etc.);
• Other responsibilities for SERVIR-Mekong and ADPC as assigned.

Corporate responsibilities

• Support the ADPC communications as requested, such as the ADPC Annual Reports and key events;
• Provide technical inputs in developing training courses, workshops, and other capacity-building activities related to risk communications for other ADPC projects and activities
• Represent ADPC in meetings/workshops/events, as requested by the Director Geospatial Information
• Support the Senior Communications officer in developing and delivering training material to  enhance internal geospatial capacity of ADPC staff
• Proactively support other departments to increase uses of geospatial science in ADPC projects and activities

This job description covers the general responsibilities and representative tasks of this position. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to program priorities and needs

Qualifications

Required qualifications and specification

• Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Communications, or International Development; Each higher level education degree could count in lieu of one year of work experience
• Knowledge of scientific subjects such as Geography, Environmental Science considered favorably;
• Minimum 4 years of experience in journalism, communications, writing and editing –preferably in translating science into impactful writing for non- scientific readers; previous work in a related function with an international organization preferred;
• Demonstrated understanding of scientific subjects such as geospatial information, environmental and/or disaster science, and climate resilience;
• Demonstrated technical skills in the production of communication products for print and online;
• Experience developing and implementing effective communications strategies for development audiences at a range of scales;
• Exemplary English writing and editing skills (writing samples/writing test will be requested)
• Experience in managing the content of a website;
• Excellent research skills;
• Demonstrated skills in documentation and knowledge management interventions;
• Advanced computer literacy - including presentation software, publishing, and MS Office;
• Experience delivering presentations to large audiences, and important stakeholders, including academia, Government and non-government;
• Experience working with USAID programs beneficial, including reporting, writing success stories, work planning, etc.
• Knowledge of the development context of the Lower Mekong region considered a plus;
• Web development experience considered beneficial;
• Knowledge of Southeast Asia languages would be an asset

Reporting relationships

The Communications Officer will report to the Senior Communications and Outreach Advisor.

How to apply

Interested Candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form, (downloadable from https://www.adpc.net/igo/contents/HRA/ADPC-JoinUS.asp#sthash.7nHwjYd8.dpbs), resume, copy of degrees/certificate(s) together with a cover letter, to adpcjobs@adpc.net  within 31 December 2023 by midnight Bangkok time

Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply. 

ADPC encourage diversity in its workplace and support an inclusive work environment. 

**Note: Applicant who submits incomplete documents required as listed above will not be considered.**