Media and Communications Officer

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies is seeking a full-time Media and Communications Officer. (The position is remote but preference will be given to candidates residing in the MENA region.)

As an independent Yemeni research center we occupy the unique position of being headquartered in Yemen, operating in all areas of Yemen and across 15 time zones worldwide, and maintaining access with almost all local, regional and international stakeholders in the ongoing conflict. From this position the Sana’a Center has, since its launch in 2014, regularly produced some of the most incisive and impactful research available on Yemen.

We seek a Media and Communications Officer who will ensure that the knowledge we produce reaches both policy makers at the levers of change and the widest possible global audience. We seek to shape policy regarding Yemen and elevate the wider conversations surrounding the country and the conflict – the successful candidate for the Media and Communications Officer position will lead this effort.

Duties and Responsibilities:

These duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Building on the current media and communications strategy for the Sana’a Center. This will involve leveraging Sana’a Center research and knowledge production to foster a more nuanced, informed conversation about Yemen in both policy circles and the international media.
• Coordinating Sana’a Center relations and partnerships with international organizations and media outlets. This will involve managing and building upon the Sana’a Center’s existing network of contacts to ensure the Center’s experts are interviewed, quoted and referenced as often as possible in conversations on Yemen.
• Working internally across departments (including management, grants and finance, research, translation and editorial, and design and IT) so as to ensure all media needs are met in a timely fashion.
• Working externally with donors and partners to design and implement communications and visibility plans for prospective programs as well as ensuring the timely delivery of media products as agreed upon.
• Running media briefings by the Sana’a Center and its partners, and creating coverage for Sana’a Center events. This will include drafting and disseminating bilingual posts and tweets, press releases and newsletters, as well as performing basic sound and video edits to event recordings to ensure proper branding prior to publishing.
• Working closely with the Yemen Exchange program manager to assist in the biannual event as needed.
• Growing our Yemeni photographers roster and our Photo bank to ensure the Center has high quality, exclusive photos for all its publications.
• Maximizing the potential of the Sana’a Center’s current social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, as well as launching accounts on social media platforms the Center is not on yet.
• Tracking the Center’s presence in Western and Arabic media on a regular basis to provide necessary analytics for the annual report.
• Managing the Yemeni Media Call program and providing support to the Center’s team as well as the journalists during the Yemen Media trips.

Qualification and Skills:

• A minimum bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, media or a related field. A master’s degree is preferable.
• At least 3-5 years of relevant work experience is required.
• The ability to manage large networks of contacts with complex inter-dynamics.
• The ability to multitask and deliver results under changing circumstances.
• A commanding voice in spoken and written English and Arabic. Any other language fluencies will be looked upon favorably (the more the merrier).
• An extensive media background, knowledge of the current media landscape and a strong ‘news sense’.
• An ability to successfully manage public online events. Familiarity with Zoom, Google Meets, and Microsoft Teams are necessary.
• An understanding of the Yemeni context, an ability to discern fact from bias within such and to maintain an objective voice in a highly polarized landscape.
• The flexibility to work non-traditional work hours with a team across 15 time zones.
• A deep understanding of and ability to leverage social media platforms.

Position Details:

• Reports to: Chairman
• Contract type: Fixed Term
• Length of contract: 12 months (renewable)
• Location: Remote (Preference is given to applicants residing in the MENA region)
• Joining date: anticipated to start in the last week of July 2021

How to apply:

Interested candidates can apply by sending the following:

• CV and a cover letter
• Three professional writing samples and/or proven examples of achievements.

To the email: [email protected], please mention the job title in the subject line of the email.

Application Deadline: July 12^th, 2021

Only complete applications written in English will be considered, and short-listed candidates will be contacted.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, national origin, political affiliation, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or age.

The Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies

Founded in 2014, the Sana’a Center is one of the few independent research centers that has continued to operate in Yemen throughout the ongoing conflict. While the Center maintains cordial relations with all key stakeholders, it has remained fiercely unaligned with any of the belligerent parties. The Sana’a Center has thus maintained a unique position and the ability to work throughout Yemen and beyond.

The Center maintains a strong network across Yemen with access to key political, military and security figures, tribal leaders, the financial sector, economists, journalists, humanitarian actors, civil society, and other important stakeholders. The Center has also established a broad network and presence within the international community, connecting it to international organizations, diplomatic circles, regional and international policymakers, research centers and global forums.

The Sana’a Center’s reports and researchers are widely quoted in local, regional, and international media outlets, while the analysis of the Center’s experts is regularly sought out by local and international stakeholders.