Communications Consultant wanted (worldwide) | $450 to $650 per day

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE FUTURE OF FOOD 

Deadline: 19 March 2023

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is looking for a Communications Consultant to help us strategically advance our mission to leverage our resources and networks to help transform food systems towards greater sustainability, security, and equity. This is a remote, freelance consultancy position until the end of 2023, with opportunity for renewal.

Please send your CV with a cover letter in one singular pdf via email to comms@futureoffood.org with the subject line: “Communications Consultant”.

We’re accepting applications immediately and until the position has been filled. We’ll start reviewing them on 20th March 2023. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT - SCOPE OF WORK

• Organization Name: Meridian Institute
• Project: The Global Alliance for the Future of Food
• Time requirements: 0.8 FTE (negotiable)
• Location: Remote-based with a preference for GMT, Central European/West African, Central
• African or East African time zones
• Contract position
• Approximately $450-650 USD per day depending on experience
• Reporting to: Executive Director

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is a strategic alliance of philanthropic foundations working together and with others to transform global food systems now and for future generations. We believe our unique contribution is to 1) forge new insights and strengthen evidence for global systems change, 2) convene key food-systems actors, facilitate meaningful dialogue, and strengthen interconnections, and 3) stimulate local and global action and interaction for transformational change in collaboration with other committed stakeholders. The Global Alliance is a project of the Meridian Institute, our fiscal sponsor. Our work is guided by a set of seven shared principles: renewability, resilience, equity, diversity, healthfulness, inclusion, and interconnectedness. These principles shape our vision of the future of food, express our values, and encompass the change we want to make. Our medium-term overarching Integrated Strategy is guided by a set of seven calls to action.

We’re looking for a talented freelance consultant who will bring complementary skills and a collaborative work ethic to our small, entrepreneurial, and versatile team.

OBJECTIVES

• Implement communications plans developed to support the GA’s priority focus areas for 2023, including report launches and engagement in international fora.
• Advance profile of the GA as an expert and trusted thought-leader in food systems transformation.
• Maintain core communications functions: processes, protocols, reporting and supplier management.

CORE FUNCTIONS

Strategy delivery:

• Hone content, key messages and dissemination strategies to reach target audiences
• Maintain calendar of activity, advising on key moments and opportunities to advance the GA’s mission, vision and strategic priorities;
• Collaborate with project teams to deliver content on time and to track impact of work.
• Media relations and thought-leadership:
• Produce the necessary talking points, media releases, and content to support GA’s news and brand profile building efforts.
• Manage ongoing media relationships and brand partnerships; pitch story ideas to journalists to raise visibility and profile of the GA and support news moments; monitor the news agenda for reactive/proactive thought-leadership opinion and commentary piece placements; prepare briefing notes for spokespeople ahead of interviews.
• Support the wider communications and program team in the delivery of the content calendar; help write, edit and review reports, articles, newsletters, blogs, social media toolkits, web copy, PPT presentations and other communications materials.

Stakeholder/Network management:

• Support the Operations team in management of membership network; oversee distribution of monthly Status Update; join ad-hoc coalition/partner calls to align messaging and campaign outputs around key issues and moments.

Operations:

• Be the point of contact for external suppliers (such as PR agencies, copyeditors, designers) in the rollout of planned communications activities; hire external suppliers to plug resource gaps.
• Maintain/adhere to processes and protocols; maintain good and effective processes; maintain and adhere to communications protocols and processes; track media coverage and performance across digital and social media channels; keep tracking documents up-to-date.
• Directly supervise communications consultants.
• Participate in regular GA secretariat team meets to provide communications support and input.

Crisis and issues management:

• Monitor and track potential issues, brand threats and public debate relevant to the GA’s strategic priorities and of concern to its members and partners;
• Work with the senior leadership team, senior communications advisor, and Communications Committee to address, resolve and manage issues.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Person Specification

• You have 5+ years of relevant experience in working in strategic communications and public relations environments or related fields such as journalism
• An undergraduate degree or comparable professional experience is required.
• Subject expertise in issues related to climate or environment issues, health and wellbeing, and/or social change
• Alignment with Global Alliance’s principles of renewability, resilience, equity, diversity, healthfulness, inclusion, and interconnectedness
• Practise of, and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice
• Excellent interpersonal communications and project management skills
• Fluent (written and spoken) English is required; second language an asset

Demonstrated ability to:

• Work independently, and flexibly (GA team members located across time zones)
• Communicate effectively, conveying complex ideas and theories accessibly
• Multi-task and prioritize, and an ability to get things done
• Work effectively in a remote team environment and diverse group, with a high tolerance for complexity and grace under pressure
• Display sound and consistent good judgment
• Work with humour and persistence in the pursuit of ambitious goals
• Manage relationships with senior-level stakeholders in the public, private, and/or nonprofit sectors
• Engage individuals, form alliances/collaborations, and develop connections across interests and diverse opinions and points of view in keeping with the Alliance’s core values, and to promote collaboration, conflict resolution, and decision-making.

The Global Alliance membership and secretariat are located in different geographic regions. We are  committed to the principles of equity and diversity in employment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food is a project of the Meridian Institute.

ABOUT THE MERIDIAN INSTITUTE

A 501(c)(3) organization, Meridian Institute builds understanding, guides collaboration, and drives action to address the world’s complex challenges. Over the past two decades Meridian has worked with partners to develop and implement solutions to complicated, often controversial problems – big and small, global and local. Meridian accomplished this with an innovative approach that brings together a deep understanding of the issues at hand as well as the people, politics and power dynamics that surround them; a dedicated expert team; and the ability to foster constructive discussions, manage decisions, and support actions that shape the world for the better. Meridian provides services in collaboration, implementation, strategy, research, and philanthropic services. Across issues, boundaries, and systems, Meridian’s work is a catalyst to powerful impact.

CONTACT INFORMATION (please do not share the email address publicly):

Questions/applications: comms@futureoffood.org

Website: https://futureoffood.org

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