The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) seeks a Media Manager to lead the communications and PR on an exciting new project within its Just Transitions Programme, focused on telling the stories of “stakeholder-led” net-zero transitions across diverse sectors and contexts. The ideal candidate will have a strong journalistic background, comprehensive understanding of effective marcom approaches, and proven track record engaging global media outlets on human interest and social justice issues.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
IHRB was founded in 2009. Our vision is to achieve a more just, regenerative global economy where:
- Workers and communities are free and able to use their voices effectively to ensure their rights are respected.
- Businesses demonstrate respect for the rights of workers and communities, and the natural systems they depend on, in their purpose, operations, relationships, and value creation.
- Financial actors use their leverage to positively impact the scale and performance of their partners’ human rights and environmental responsibilities.
- Governments actively implement a smart mix of long-term incentives and disincentives that drive rights-respecting and planet-aligned business.
IHRB’s mission is to make respect for people and planet part of everyday business. We advance our mission through human rights-based research, targeted convening, and development of collaborative action with businesses, governments and civil society to shape policy, advance practice, and strengthen accountability at all levels.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
We believe action is most effectively inspired through leading-by-example and real-world stories demonstrating the art of the possible. Yet narratives illustrating the benefits of meaningful engagement between public and private enterprises and workers, communities, and indigenous groups are rare to non-existent within the net-zero agenda.
This project is specifically designed to address this gap. The aim is to invest significant effort in the search for inspiring examples of decision-makers within institutions and potentially affected groups working in meaningful partnership to achieve fast and equitable decarbonisation across sectors.
Over the last few years, we have seen a wave of high-profile commitments to just transitions by financial institutions, companies, industry associations, as well as cities and whole nations. But there is huge variance across approaches so far, with the quality of many approaches undermined by:
- Decision makers within institutions not prioritising how to shift the agency of how decisions are made, by whom, and for whom.
- Those designing transition policies and mechanisms are disconnected from those implementing them, as well as those impacted by them.
- Limited resources are allocated to engagement and accountability mechanisms at the local, project, regional, and national/international levels.
- Decision-makers are not “pricing in” the social value of transitions, creating a human and financial resource gap.
Multiple and complex transitions are underway across public and private enterprises, cities, and whole nations. There is an urgent need to highlight change-makers – from transitioning institutions and the frontline groups most affected – who are finding ways of doing things differently, working in partnership to navigate the social, environmental, and economic trade-offs involved in the race to net-zero.
Running over the course of two years (2024-2025 inclusive), this project will seek to capture the human dimensions and lessons-learned of how these partnerships were formed, what makes them work, how agency has been embedded in the process, and how accountability is maintained.
This is the reality of how “just” net-zero transitions will ultimately be judged: by the workers, communities, and indigenous groups most affected by the disruption and change.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The key phases and outputs of the project include:
- Participatory story identification: Open submissions portal to crowd-source examples of participatory transition processes from around the world while also drawing on IHRB’s global networks to identify examples that merit deeper consideration for featuring.
- Project Steering Group: Constitute a group of just transitions experts across worker, community, and indigenous groups, as well as business, finance, and government constituencies to guide the framing, selection, and promotion of each featured example.
- Development of 3-5 final stories: Based on desk research, site visits, and extensive engagement with the individuals being featured, draft the final 3-5 stories the project will feature, centering on the human dimensions and lessons-learned of how these partnerships were formed, what makes them work, how agency has been embedded in the process, and how accountability is maintained. (Exact format and publication sequence to be determined)
- Disseminate and Amplify: Package the 3-5 stories in accessible, visual, and compelling formats (interviews, photography, audio), to disseminate widely across owned- and earned-media platforms.
- Convene: 3x convenings platforming those featured to tell their stories and inspire others to learn from the key principles their examples embody. These will likely take place at:
- Dec 2024: COP29 (Azerbaijan)
- Apr/Oct 2025: World Bank Spring/Annual Meetings (Washington, D.C.)
- Dec 2025: COP30 (Brazil)
- Final Call-to-Action: Co-create with those featured in each example a final synthesis report of key learnings.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
The primary objective of this role is securing high-value media coverage of each story developed by the project, as well as the final project synthesis report. You’ll do this by:
- Developing and executing a Communications and Content Distribution Strategy for the project, including advising on story framing and structure to maximise their potential for media coverage once released.
- Leading on preparing media materials, target lists, and pitching of stories, working closely with IHRB’s communications team.
- Advising on interview and engagement protocols built on ethical journalistic principles and rigorous safeguarding policies to ensure the upmost care and respect for those being featured. Maintaining an ethical and objective standard at all times.
- Traveling (with the project Researcher/Writer) to the selected story locations and interviewing the change-makers involved (both within the transitioning institution and the group(s) potentially or actually affected) to ensure the right information, content, and visual assets are captured to maximise their narrative value and potential for widespread dissemination and media coverage.
- Liaising closely with the lead Researcher/Writer for the project and reviewing the final 3-5 final examples selected, including both a primary long-form feature and short-form supplements, to ensure alignment with the Communications Strategy and media objectives.
- Regularly presenting Media and Communications updates to and engaging with the Project Steering Group, composed of just transition experts that will guide the framing, selection, and promotion of all stories.
- Leading media engagement around key project events that bring together the featured changemakers in each transition process and a wider ecosystem of practitioners, to be inspired toward greater uptake and mainstreaming of processes centring on the agency of those most affected in co-determining transition trade-offs.
Other key activities will be agreed on an as-needed basis throughout the ongoing collaboration.
TIMEFRAME & CONTRACTING
- Timeframe: The project commences in January 2024 and concludes in January 2026. The individual or agency will be recruited for a one-year period initially, with a view to extending to the second year depending on first-year performance and quality. The level of engagement is expected to be 0.4 FTE equivalent as a part-time consultancy, and candidates must be able to commit up to 9 days per month to the project. Exact working patterns will be agreed with the successful candidate.
- Contracting: This post will have a consultancy agreement subject to UK law.
- Compensation: IHRB can offer a day rate of up to £220/day including VAT for a maximum of 112 days per year. IHRB will review and benchmark proposed fees against its established ranges for non-profit consultancies with various levels of experience.
REQUIREMENTS
Experience & Knowledge
- A degree in Journalism, Media, Communications, or related field, or comparable work experience.
- At least 3-5 years experience in journalism, media relations, or comparable field.
- Demonstrable experience in planning and executing long-term communication strategies across diverse contexts and audiences.
- A demonstrable track record of successfully engaging global media outlets on assigned topics, with a focus on human rights, socio-economic, and/or social justice issues preferred.
- Proven track record in developing social media content and analysing and optimising engagement across platforms.
- Knowledge of the socio-economic implications of industrial transitions to net-zero desirable but not required.
- Experience applying ethical communications and journalisms standards.
Skills and Abilities
- Ability to read, write, speak and understand English required. Additional language skills also desirable but not required (project budget provides for interpretation/translation).
- A fluid, natural communicator who has experience securing solutions-oriented media coverage.
- Proficiency communicating complex issues simply and compellingly to different audiences with different needs.
- Ability to effectively communicate with and to diverse populations and age groups, including worker groups, communities, and indigenous populations affected by net-zero transitions, as well as the practitioners and decision makers within large transitioning institutions (public and private).
- High capacity to organise and manage multiple priorities and work under time pressure with a fully remote team, demonstrating adaptability, enthusiasm, initiative, and a positive approach to problem solving.
- Design, editing, and videography skills desirable but not essential.
Location and Travel
- Location is home-based and therefore flexible globally, but timezones within 1-2 hours of GMT will be preferred in order to work best with the rest of the project team.
- Willingness to travel long distances up to 4 times a year is required.
- For potential site visits to remote locations, must maintain a valid driver’s license and good driving record, and proof of insurance and liability coverage may be required.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Click on the “Apply Now” button to answer some specific application questions.
Deadline for applications: 11 February 2024 EOD.
Interviews: Shortlisted applications will be invited to an initial 30-45min video interview via TeamTailor. The first round of interviews will take place on the 19th & 21st of February between the hours of 2-6pm GMT.
Expected start date: As soon as possible, ideally early March 2024. A consultancy offer will be subject to receipt of two satisfactory references.
Applications from unsuccessful applicant/s will be held on file for 6 months after the end of the recruitment process.