The application period for this position is now closed.

Human Rights House Foundation seeks an International Media Officer to contribute to its external communication efforts to increase the profile of HRHF and partners, support HRHF programmatic units and document human rights trends, and support the media advocacy efforts of its partner Human Rights Houses.

Candidates should have experience in strategic communication and media advocacy, with demonstrated ability to contribute to the design, coordination and implementation of an organisational external communications strategy.  This position is based in Oslo and is part of a two-person communications team which provides support across the organisation.

Responsibilities

  • Implement, as part of a two-person team, proactive and reactive communications strategies in support of key organisational priorities, initiatives, and issues.
  • Facilitate and coordinate the organisation’s media engagement in Norway and HRHF priority countries.
  • Support the HRHF advocacy and partner capacity building programs, and support and promote the work of the Human Rights House Foundation as well as Human Rights Houses.
  • Work closely with the other communication unit team member to ensure delivery of unit objectives, strategies and activities.
  • Develop strategies to pitch and place stories in support of HRHF priorities and maintain effective relationships with journalists in Norway and international and domestic journalists covering HRHF priority countries and maintain press lists.
  • Contribute to the planning, implementation and maintenance of organisational communication strategy, including digital and earned media components.
  • Support media relations requests, including drafting or editing press releases, op-eds, and other media-related materials, in consultation with relevant HRHF staff and programs.
  • Provide best-practice strategic communication and media advocacy support to in-country partners working to advance human rights policy objectives.
  • Design and lead, in partnership with other organisational functional units, communication workshops and training programs as requested by in-country partners, including facilitating strategic planning sessions and capacity building programming to improve skills and abilities in media advocacy.
  • Other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications / skills / knowledge

  • Commitment to advancing human rights with a locally-led mindset.
  • Excellent written and verbal skills, particularly drafting and editing external communication materials (press releases, stories, op-eds, etc.)
  • Proven experience in maintaining positive press contacts and experience working with journalists.
  • Strategic thinking with up-to-date knowledge and understanding of communication trends.
  • Ability to work under deadline pressure, while managing competing organisational priorities.
  • Experience supporting, or coordinating, the design and implementation of integrated communication strategies to advance advocacy priorities, including elements of paid, owned and earned media and a range of platforms including traditional and digital media.
  • Familiarity with Photoshop is an advantage.
  • Knowledge of the regions in which HRHF works is a distinct advantage.
  • Fluency in Norwegian and English is mandatory; fluency Russian and/or language relevant to HRHF priority countries is a distinct advantage.
  • Ability to travel internationally up to 30%, including to HRHF priority countries.
  • Candidates must be eligible to live and work in Norway.

Education / experience requirements

  • 7 – 10 years of relevant experience, with a preference for journalism, media relations, communication or digital media experience in the human rights and international relations sectors.
  • Experience working at the international level and in cross-cultural settings with dispersed teams.
  • Experience in advocating for and communicating complex policy issues, preferably within the field of human rights, to news media and other stakeholders.
  • Undergraduate degree in public policy, communication, human rights, or other relevant field.

About Human Rights House Foundation

Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) is an international organisation which protects, empowers and supports human rights defenders and their organisations. To accomplish this, HRHF brings organisations together in Human Rights Houses and unites the Houses in an international network.

HRHF advocates with partner organisations to promote the freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, and the right to be a human rights defender at home and abroad, utilising its consultative status at the United Nations and participatory status at the Council of Europe.

Today, independent human rights organisations work together in 17 Human Rights Houses in 11 countries. The Houses are located in Eastern & Western Europe, the Caucasus, and the Balkans.

HRHF has 15 staff and is based in Oslo, with an office in Geneva and representation in Brussels and Tbilisi.