ACT Alliance Secretariat

Humanitarian Communications Officer

Amman Jordan Or Nairobi Kenya

Job description

The Communication Officer is responsible for developing and implementing communication and visibility activities for ACT Appeals and the Rapid Response Fund, with the objective of:

·         increasing the visibility and understanding of ACT Alliance's humanitarian response;

·         communicating the impact and added value of ACT members' and forums’ work;

·         supporting fundraising and donor engagement;

·         strengthening the visibility of local and national ACT members;

·         producing high-quality, timely and compelling digital content;

·         ensuring accountability through transparent communication about humanitarian funding and results; and

·         positioning ACT Alliance's humanitarian financing mechanisms as credible, effective and locally led.

 

The Officer will work closely with the HOHA and RRF Managers, head of communications, humanitarian colleagues, ACT members, communications colleagues and fundraising/donor engagement functions.

Key responsibilities

A. Communication Strategy and Planning

·         Develop and implement communication plans for the RRF and ACT Appeals in coordination with ACT Alliance Communication team.

·         Ensure communication activities are aligned with ACT Alliance's broader communications and fundraising strategies.

·         Identify communication opportunities throughout the humanitarian funding cycle, from crisis alert and funding mobilisation through implementation, results and close-out.

·         Develop clear communication objectives, target audiences, key messages and content plans for each funding mechanism.

·         Ensure that communication is timely and appropriate to the humanitarian context and does not compromise the safety, dignity or privacy of affected people and partners.

 

B. RRF Communication and Visibility – 50%

·         Lead day-to-day communication activities related to the Rapid Response Fund.

·         Develop communication packages around RRF-funded responses, including:

o    human-interest stories;

o    impact stories;

o    case studies;

o    photos and visual content;

o    short videos and reels;

o    social media content;

o    web stories;

o    donor-facing updates;

o    infographics and other digital materials.

·         Proactively identify RRF-funded responses with strong communication and fundraising potential.

·         Work directly with ACT members, forums and Regional Representatives to gather high-quality information, stories, photographs, quotes and other content.

·         Develop clear procedures and tools to facilitate systematic collection of communication materials from RRF-funded members.

·         Ensure that RRF results and impact are regularly documented and communicated.

·         Develop an annual RRF communication and visibility calendar.

·         Support communication around RRF milestones, including funding decisions, portfolio achievements, learning, localisation and innovation.

·         Highlight the added value of the RRF as a rapid, flexible and locally led humanitarian financing mechanism.

·         Communicate the role of the RRF within ACT Alliance's wider humanitarian architecture.

·         Develop content that demonstrates how RRF funding translates into concrete results for crisis-affected communities

 

ACT Appeals Communication – 50%

  • Support communication and visibility for ACT Alliance humanitarian Appeals.
  • Develop and coordinate communication materials throughout the Appeal cycle.
  • Support the production of:
    • Appeal launches;
    • situation updates;
    • human-interest stories;
    • impact stories;
    • donor updates;
    • social media campaigns;
    • website content;
    • newsletters;
    • videos and multimedia products.
  • Coordinate with ACT members to collect timely information, photographs, testimonies and programme results and avoid duplication of efforts, particularly in major responses
  • Lead the humanitarian communications group and coordinate calls as appropriate
  • Translate technical humanitarian information into accessible and compelling communication products.
  • Support fundraising campaigns linked to ACT Appeals.
  • Ensure that Appeal communication demonstrates the collective added value of ACT Alliance members.
  • Contribute to donor visibility and reporting requirements.
  • Support communication around Appeal results, achievements, lessons learned and funding gaps.
  • Identify stories and content that can help sustain donor engagement throughout the Appeal cycle.
  • Support communication around the humanitarian system and mechanism as a whole.

 

 

Fundraising and Donor Engagement

 

A specific responsibility for both appeals and RRFs will be to ensure that communication contributes directly to fundraising and resource mobilisation.

  • Develop compelling fundraising-oriented stories demonstrating the impact and added value of funding.
  • Translate programme results into content suitable for donor engagement.
  • Develop communication materials for prospective and existing donors.
  • Support the preparation of donor presentations, fundraising campaigns, briefs and digital materials.
  • Identify opportunities to use impact stories to demonstrate the value of investing in locally led humanitarian response.
  • Work with colleagues to develop a pipeline of communication materials supporting future resource mobilisation.
  • Support donor visibility requirements while ensuring that communication remains consistent with ACT Alliance policies, principles and partner ownership.
  • Contribute communication inputs to donor proposals and fundraising materials where relevant.

 

Digital Media and Content Production

The position will have a strong focus on digital communication and multimedia content.

  • Produce engaging content for ACT Alliance digital platforms.
  • Develop social media content adapted to different platforms and audiences.
  • Create short-form video content, including reels and other mobile-first formats.
  • Develop simple visual assets, infographics and data-driven communication products.
  • Support story, photography and video content collection from ACT members.
  • Edit and package multimedia content for digital dissemination.
  • Maintain content libraries in the ACT Mediabank and ensure appropriate informed consent, storage and accessibility of communication assets.
  • Monitor digital engagement and use analytics to improve communication performance.
  • Identify emerging digital communication trends and recommend approaches relevant to ACT Alliance humanitarian work.

 

Storytelling and Content Development

·         Develop compelling stories that place affected people and local responders at the centre of humanitarian communication.

·         Identify human-interest stories demonstrating the concrete impact of ACT funding.

·         Ensure that stories are accurate, evidence-based and representative of programme results.

·         Develop stories that demonstrate the contribution of local and national organisations and their leadership in humanitarian response.

·         Ensure appropriate informed consent and compliance with safeguarding, data protection and ethical communication policies and requirements.

·         Avoid communication approaches that portray affected people solely as victims or beneficiaries.

·         Promote dignified, empowering and locally owned storytelling.


Key working relationships

Head of Humanitarian Affairs; RRF Manager; Head of Communications; Secretariat communications team; humanitarian team; Regional Representatives; ACT members and forums; donor-reporting colleagues and communications focal-point network.

Profile required

Education, experience and skills

·         University degree in communications, journalism, humanitarian affairs, international development, public relations or a related field.

·         At least 5 years of relevant communications experience, preferably in humanitarian, NGO, faith-based or international network settings.

·         Demonstrated experience developing and implementing communication strategies or campaigns.

·         Strong experience in digital communications and social media.

·         Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written and visual content.

·         Experience developing human-interest stories, case studies and impact stories.

·         Experience working with photographs, video and short-form digital content.

·         Demonstrated experience communicating complex information to different audiences.

·         Experience of working with NGOs, humanitarian organisations, international organisations or similar institutions.

·         Experience working with faith-based organisations is an asset.

·         Strong understanding of ethical and responsible humanitarian communication.

·         Demonstrated ability to work with multiple stakeholders and manage competing priorities.

·         Excellent written and spoken English; additional languages relevant to ACT regions are an asset.

General obligations

·         Uphold and model ACT Alliance values, policies and ways of working, including safeguarding, PSEAH, accountability, inclusion, environmental responsibility and ethical conduct.

·         Participate in ACT Secretariat planning, reporting, performance management and learning processes as required.

·         Undertake other duties consistent with the purpose and level of the position, as reasonably assigned by the line managers.

·         Undertake international travel as required in connection with the responsibilities and objectives of the position.

Company description

ACT Alliance is the world’s largest coalition of Protestant and Orthodox churches, and church-related organisations engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work. It consists of 164 members working together in over 120 countries, with headquarters in 73 countries, whose aim is to create a positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards. 70% of our members are headquartered in the Global South, 25% in the Global North, and 5% are Global members. For more details about the general work of ACT, please refer to http://www.actalliance.org/.  

ACT provides equitable compensation and pension packages and flexible working conditions. ACT also applies a non-discriminatory approach to recruitment and celebrates a diverse workforce.

ACT adheres to the SCHR misconduct scheme https://www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme. As part of reference checking, ACT will contact the current and former employer(s) of the preferred candidate, asking them to complete a Statement of Conduct form.

On 10/4/2026

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