Apply by: January 31, 2015
Organization: The Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women
The Programme Officer will be responsible for ARROW’s publications and related work, including the ARROW for Change bulletin and annual report.
The Programme Officer will be responsible for ARROW’s publications and related work, including the ARROW for Change bulletin and annual report. She will also implement multi-country projects lodged within the infocom team. She will significantly contribute to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ARROW’s Information and Communications Strategy to advance ARROW’s brand identity as a key global and regional player, and increase the visibility of its issues and programmes across key stakeholder audiences. She will contribute to infocom work, including advocacy, information and knowledge sharing, research, media, capacity building and partnership building. The Programme Officer will be reporting to the Programme Manager for Information and Communications, and will be working closely with other members of the Infocom team, the Administrative and Finance Team, as well as any applicable consultants, volunteers, interns and outside vendors.
Role and responsibilities:
- Help provide strategic thinking and direction to ARROW’s publications and communications work, in order to develop global South, rights-based and gender analysis and perspectives on key, cutting-edge and/or emerging issues, help enable the organisation influence/set the SRHR and development agenda, strengthen women’s and SRHR activists and advocates, and build cross-movements linkages.
- Serve as the Managing Editor of the ARROW for Change bulletin, and ensure the high quality and timeliness of the publication. In this capacity, lead the identification of strategic and cutting-edge themes to be covered by the issue, lead the conceptualisation of the issue by either developing the concept note or identifying and supporting a Guest Editor with expertise on the issue, and oversee all aspects of the different stages of the development and production of the bulletin (getting writers and reviewers onboard, checking for accuracy, review and revision of articles, copyediting, layout, proofreading, printing).
- Coordinate/lead the writing, development and production of ARROW’s internal and external annual reports.
- Develop/update and monitor policies and procedures for editing, production, design, translation, packaging and dissemination of ARROW publications and communication products, including maintaining editorial guidelines, production policies and guides, style and branding guides.
- Coordinate the editing, production, design, translation and packaging of a wide range of publications and communication products.
- Help build ARROW’s outreach strategically, and increase access of and usage of ARROW’s products and services.
- Coordinate and manage projects lodged within the Infocom Team, which are of varying nature, and may involve multi-country projects, or be focused on specific themes. This include tasks related to managing projects, including partnership building, donor management, donor reporting, financial oversight and others.
- Develop and write media releases, letters to the editors, press kits, brochures and other promotional materials, and disseminate these through appropriate channels.
- Contribute to, support or lead ARROW’s research initiatives.
- Support the strengthening of ARROW’s online presence and advocacy.
- Organise and manage face-to-face and online events, such as satellite and parallel sessions, round table discussions, project meetings, training workshops, press conferences, publications launch, exhibit booths and other relevant events.
- Gather infocom and project monitoring data, and prepare internal and external reports.
- Maintain oversight of relevant budgets as appropriate, and closely work with the admin and finance team, to ensure effective utilisation of funds by ARROW and partners.
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with national partners, other staff members, Board members and Programme Advisory Committee members; manage interns, short-term consultants and outside vendors related to the implementation of publications work, projects assigned and of other tasks assigned by the manager.
Requirements for the positions:
- Four to eight years of relevant experience in the field
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, English Studies/literature, journalism, international affairs, or related fields
- Capacity to conceptualise, implement and manage a publications strategy, thereby strategically positioning ARROW as a key organisation working on SRHR in the Asia-Pacific region and globally
- Has excellent writing and editing skills in English
- Demonstrated experience in writing, editing, developing and production of a wide range of print and online publications, communications and advocacy products
- Strong analytical, conceptual, research and problem-solving skills; voracious reader and information seeker
- Passion for, and in-depth understanding of, women’s rights issues, particularly SRHR
- Has worked in and has knowledge of the Asia-Pacific region
- Solid understanding of design and its relationship to messaging; Knowledge of publications design software a must; Knowledge of video production, website management and photography a plus
- Ability to use new infocom technologies and social media as key channels an advantage
- Demonstrated skills in capacity building;
- Ability to build and sustain relationship with partners, networks, allies, donors and other key stakeholders
- Ability to develop, manage and monitor budgets for programmes, projects and events
- Ability to develop, or contribute to the development of, funding proposals
- Ability to recruit, manage and supervise internship, short-term contractual positions and external vendors needed to fulfil the tasks
- Good planning and organising skills; is flexible and can manage periodic high workload; ability to multi-task and prioritise; willing to perform diverse tasks as needed in a timely manner; ability to quickly understand and optimise new skills, processes and procedures
- Strong administrative and extensive computer skills, including emailing, word processing, spreadsheets and databases
- Can work effectively, efficiently, diplomatically and calmly in a multi-cultural environment; Able to manage conflict effectively
- Excellent interpersonal and verbal communications and presentation skills in English
- Enthusiastic, a self-manager while being collaborative and a team-player, proactive, and results-oriented; Known for high-quality work, and keen attention to detail
- Would be able to commit to staying and growing with us for a minimum of two years
What we offer:
- A two-year full-time contract, subject to a 6-month probation, with the prospect of extension subject to favourable appraisal and funding availability
- Competitive benefits and salary as per regional women’s NGOs’ standards
- A place of work in the multi-cultural, travel hub, city of Kuala Lumpur; if needed, ARROW is willing to apply for an Employment Pass (subject to the Malaysian Immigration processes)
- An opportunity to work in a dynamic organisation where team members are highly-passionate about our work, and to get to know highly-committed activists and partners across the Asia-Pacific region
Required writing samples:
Please send 2-3 writing samples, which can include a combination of the following: journal article, editorial, press release, letter to the editor, position statement, call to action, campaign, advocacy/policy brief, policy papers, or research report. Please also provide the URLs of relevant published written samples, and of your blog and social media accounts.
How to apply:
Please send a cover letter, stating your interest and why you are a suitable candidate for this position, along with your CV and any papers or writing samples, as well as your current and expected salary, to [email protected], copy to [email protected], by 31 January 2015. In the subject line of the email, please use this: Application for Programme Officer for Publications. We regret that we do not entertain phone or email inquiries. Only those shortlisted will be notified for an exam and interview.