Communications officer Ref 8313

• Functional Area : Strategic Communication, Event Management, Strategic Development
• Organization : Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) - UK
• Job Location : London - UK
• Contract Type : Long-term
• Contract Duration : Long term
• Salary : starting at £25000 to £30000 per annum
• Education : BA/MA
• Experiences : 2-6 years of relevant experience
• Closing Date : 2023-09-30

Communication Officer (CO) will work closely with Senior Research Coordinator (SRC) under the supervision of the AISS director. The overall role of CO will aim at disseminating AISS work, building contacts, expanding its network and working with colleagues in the Institute and the University's communications teams to cross-promote work across external and internal channels. The Communications officer will work closely with the communication department and IT team to help take its social media platforms to new heights of excellence, to promote and cultivate audience engagement with the AISS’s events and activities across the organization’s main accounts on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Website and YouTube.
The Communications officer will also help to develop and implement a social media strategy and social media guidelines for the AISS to maximize the reach and impact of its work, enhance its presence and experimentation on existing platforms, expand into new ones, and launch and sustain new products and efforts native to social media such as X (Twitter) Spaces, innovative threads, and short videos.
The post holder should strictly follow AISS information ethics and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and in under no circumstances, the information will be shared without prior communication. 

• Monitor and evaluate communication strategy and impact of communication materials and advocacy events/campaigns.
• Supporting the Institute team to deliver internal and external communications for the Institute and its constituent partners, including the University of Sussex, and to raise the Institute’s research profile with staff, students, alumni, other stakeholders and public audiences.
• Playing an important part in creating a coherent identity for the Institute externally and a sense of community internally.
• Distribute content, including publications, press releases, website content, annual reports, speeches, and other material that communicates the AISS’ activities.
• Disseminating monthly newsletter enclosing latest AISS publications and events as well as updates on Afghanistan. Supporting with the creation of external and alumni newsletters
• Establish relationship with journalists, academic, civil society, government agencies, diplomatic missions, Afghan diaspora in the UK and key countries and organisations related to Afghanistan.
• Respond to media enquiries, arrange interviews, and direct enquiries to relevant AISS staff members.
• Maintain records of media coverage on Afghanistan including UN reports, journal articles and books (particularly on security and international relations), INGO’s reports, and governments’ (G7) reports.
• Assist in organising workshops, seminars, campaigns, events and project review meetings including agendas and meeting minutes
• Supporting and managing events, including developing listings, promoting events via our channels and helping run events both online and in person.
• Organising major events and conferences, including the Herat Security Dialogue
• Work closely with the communication department and IT team to manage AISS’s media outlets, social media, YouTube and Website including writing and editing social media posts to a high standard, removing errors, improving quality, exercising sound editorial judgment
• Serve as a main point of leadership for editorial standards and quality for AISS’s media outlets, social media, YouTube and Website.
• Help create and define the voice of the AISS on media outlets, social media, YouTube and Website.
• Create dynamic written, graphic, and video content that increases and deepens our audience’s engagement with our work, in coordination with the communication department, designers, and video editor. ) Note: This responsibility will be limited to the ability and technical facilities ( .
• Develop and oversee the implementation of a strategy for the AISS’s media outlets, social media, YouTube and Website, working with colleagues in Communication and events management teams.
• Lead the “Opinion” section of AISS’s media outlets, social media, YouTube and Website coordinate with AISS’s research fellows and edit materials of the Opinion page, and update it on a regular basis
• Manage engagement with AISS’s audiences during live events, including live-tweeting and live-clipping AISS’s events to illustrate and amplify key messages
• Other tasks as assigned by the AISS director
• Create podcast and in order to have regular guests, twice or three wise a month. Conduct podcast meetings via Zoom. Asking audience in social media to vote for their favorite topic.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in journalism, international affairs, communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field
• Approximately 2-6 years of relevant experience in social media management, digital media, marketing, communications, or related roles
• Experience with graphic design and short-form video editing is strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with content management systems (WordPress) and design software (e.g. Adobe in Design and Photoshop)
• Knowledge of media workflow, organization, tools, and tactics, including hands-on experience in content creation and management
• Excellent writing and editing skills, strong editorial instincts and judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to deliver creative multimedia content (text, image, and video)
• Experience in creating new editorial products and managing multiple product lines.
• Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines, juggle simultaneous assignments, and handle multiple priorities.
• Proven ability to work independently and proactively, and to take initiative.
• Demonstrated capacity to be a team player in a dynamic environment and work with all levels of staff and external partners.
• An understanding of think-tank work and the UK policy environment

Language skills: 
English language mandatory 
Persian language Desirable

• To work closely with his immediate AISS supervisor, assigned by AISS director
• Preparing monthly report of his activities and to submit it alongside other AISS staff
• Raising any issue/complaint/suggestion during the weekly staff meeting, monthly report as well as discussing with the supervisor, Director of AISS
• Job roles may also naturally develop over time and ongoing substantial changes to a role will be discussed between line managers and the post holder, with job descriptions updated as and when appropriate

Submission Guidelines:

Each application must contain (1) an updated Resume, (2) a cover letter (not longer than one page) which should include why you think you are suitable for this position, 
Kindly ensure that you meet all requirements before applying. Please indicate job title in the subject line (Communications officer Ref 8313). Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.