Senior External Affairs Officer at World Bank Group

Responsibilities

• With advanced ability to understand political economy trends, leads in risk identification and mitigation activities in the context of World Bank Group operations and initiatives in the South Africa CMU countries; advises on engagement with specific internal and external stakeholders.
• As part of the ECRAE regional leadership team, advises management unit and project/program leaders on trends, news developments, or changing/unexpected circumstances that may impact the WBG and its work, and determines appropriate strategic responses.
• Works closely with the Governance team to develop and share political economy analysis including regular monitoring of the media.
• Leads development and implementation of communication strategies.
• Responsible for planning, design and implementation of strategies to promote effective communications with external and internal audiences on World Bank-financed operations, research products, and campaigns.
• Help determine the most effective content and communications interventions to address challenges.Identifies opportunities for and forges strategic partnerships both inside and outside the WBG to improve dialogue and outreach and to strengthen the WBG's overall effectiveness and image in the South Africa CMU countries.
• This includes identifying stakeholders, opinion leaders and influential organizations and guide a strategy of engagement with these stakeholders, Responsible for convening stakeholder groups for consultations and structured dialogues around projects and WBG knowledge outputs.
• Serves as principal liaison for key stakeholders and media engagement.
• Oversees planning, coordination, and logistics, often across multiple teams, for press briefings and executive missions, and speeches or broadcast appearances, and other communications-related activities involving external and/or internal audiences.Leads in issue management, risk identification and mitigation activities in the context of WBG operations and initiatives in the five CMU countries. This includes risk and issues management on high-risk operations, monitoring perceptions, tracking shifts in opinion, and responding to inquiries, publishing, and packaging facts about project goals and milestones.
• Supports the Head of the ECRAE unit in maintaining alignment between the global, regional, and country narratives and messaging.Provides communication guidance to CMU operational teams and government implementing agencies.
• Supports the preparation of major communications products, including (but not limited to): briefings and speeches for senior management, news releases, background documents, web stories, talking points, Powerpoint presentations, Op-Eds, blogs and audio-video products.
• Designs campaign-style media and stakeholder engagement plans, coalition building strategies and key messages to position the World Bank on major issues/projects/initiatives and maintains effective relationships with key national and international media audiences.
• Also manages and provides support to major outreach efforts and launches in the region.
• Coordinates a team of 3 external affairs staff members and consultants in the CMU, and provides coaching, oversight and review of work of communications outputs. 

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree and 8 years of experience in a relevant discipline (communication, journalism, international affairs or other related fields).
• Excellent written and spoken command of English, and the ability to convey complex ideas in a creative, clear and direct (non-academic) style.
• Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills, with the ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
• Thorough knowledge of and practical experience in full range of communications approaches, tools and methodologies essential to planning, executing, and monitoring communications strategies – e.g., campaign management, media operations, social marketing, opinion research, audience outreach, message targeting, and so on.
• Ability to plan and successfully implement a comprehensive communications program in support of defined objectives.In-depth knowledge of South Africa’s social, political and development issues with strong current knowledge of key constituencies, their operations, policies, practices and priorities, particularly as they relate to and work with the Bank;Well established network of contacts in both media (global and regional) and among other key constituencies in the region;
• Good understanding of the Bank, its policies and operations; up-to-date knowledge of current development topics and issues in the region, and ability to identify communications-related risks and opportunities in an international environment.
• Proven planning and organizational skills.  
• Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills, with the ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
• Effective interpersonal skills; proven experience in working as both a leader and a member of team.
• Demonstrated political awareness and ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and to otherwise cultivate effective, productive client relationships/partnerships and ability to work effectively with internal/external partners in a multicultural environment.
• Strong understanding and experience with digital content and social media analytics.Strong diplomatic, interpersonal, and teamwork skills; sensitivity to working in a multicultural environment.