Media Officer (Temporary)

About MSF USA | Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international organization that provides medical care to the people who need it most. The organization cares for people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, disasters, and social exclusion in more than 70 countries. MSF offers medical humanitarian assistance solely based on need, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or politics. Our international project teams include medical, logistical, and administrative staff, most of them hired locally and working with their own communities. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of independence, impartiality, and neutrality. We also bear witness and speak out about the experiences of our colleagues and patients.

MSF USA is one of 24 sections supporting the global movement, primarily through staff recruitment, fundraising, advocacy, and communications. We welcome candidates who bring a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to join us in working toward MSF’s social mission.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Media Relations Director, the Media Officer implements communications plans to secure high-impact US media and social media attention to MSF’s medical humanitarian activities, expertise, and concerns; conducts proactive and reactive media work and collaborates with colleagues across the organization and the international communications networks to support media strategy and objectives. This role will focus on visibility and engagement opportunities for MSF thought leaders, partners, and high-profile supporters. The role will lead the celebrity and influencer strategy for the communications team, working cross functionally with the community fundraising team and major gifts team to pilot innovative projects involving talent and high-profile donors to expand the organization’s reach. This could include digital campaigns, influencer marketing partnerships, and speaking engagements and events.

Department Accountabilities

• External Communications
• Develop and distribute external communications products across multiple channels to raise awareness of humanitarian needs, advocate for patients and communities, engage with audiences, and achieve strategic objectives.

• Public Engagement & Advocacy
• Identify significant medical humanitarian issues and execute integrated communications plans to increase public awareness, audience engagement, and support for advocacy priorities.

• Brand Positioning
• Develop and contribute to brand strategy, positioning, and tactics to increase brand visibility.

• Content Creation
• Produce and support external communications content across audiences and channels, including for the website, social media, and live events.

• Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Promote DEI principles across all communications products and channels.

Role Specific Outcomes

• Media Relations Planning
• Develop tactical media relations plans, build media lists, identify and develop story ideas to pitch to journalists working with US-based media to increase visibility of MSF’s programs, advocacy initiatives, and expertise.

Media Relations Outreach

Execute media plans for specific issues, contexts, or events to keep a US audience informed about MSF’s work. This could include events run by MSF or participation in larger events run by other brands and organizations.

External Communications

Write, edit, and distribute press releases, campaign briefs, talking points, and other communications materials to support media relations and digital campaign plans within established systems and procedures.

Artist and Creator Engagement

Identify and engage with social creators to build new relationships in support of MSF’s work; encourage engagement on social channels to reach new audiences and broaden awareness.

Build and maintain relationships with artist agencies and representation for high profile MSF supporters

Manage and execute partner relations on campaign projects, leading communications with talent, their representation, and other MSF teams involved.

Cross Functional Work

Work with MSF major gift officers to support partner communications and donor announcements

Work with external vendors on broader talent engagement program (celebrity and influencer strategy) in partnership with Community Fundraising and Major Donors teams that sit within MSF Development.

• Brand Positioning
• Execute media plans and tactics to increase brand visibility.

• Media Monitoring & Analysis
• Support monitoring and evaluation of media coverage and make recommendations based on data.

Media Training

Conduct or support spokesperson briefing and training for specific media interviews and general capacity building to strengthen communications impact.

These core accountabilities should not be construed to contain every function/responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job. Incumbents are required to perform other functions as assigned.

Complexity And Problem-Solving Skills

Use expertise to act as an organizational authority on planning, organizing, prioritizing, and overseeing activities to meet objectives efficiently.

Operates as a recognized expert to assess circumstances and adjust appropriately to thrive. Typically known as a subject matter authority.

Acts as an organizational authority and established expert on maintaining high performance while applying a change mindset to the planning, execution, and monitoring of organizational activities during times of transition.

• Behavioral Competencies
• THOUGHT: How MSF USA staff understand the organization, manage complexity and contribute by creating new and different.

• People Focus
• Build strong relationships and deliver solutions geared to aiding others. Solicits feedback and data; conveys a clear understanding of the team's level of service; acts when the team does not meet standards; aligns processes with organizational needs.

Manages Complexity

Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. Consistently looks at complex issues from many angles; obtains a rich and deep understanding; swiftly cuts to the core issue; skillfully separates root causes from symptoms.

• Global Perspective
• Takes a broad view when approaching issues using a global lens. Shows global thinking at work; adjusts organizational practices to meet different regions or countries' unique needs. Use a broad perspective when addressing issues and challenges.

• Cultivate Innovation
• Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful. Approaches professional work in unique or innovative ways. Offers original ideas. Appreciates others' creative ideas and solutions and provides helpful input to enhance them.

• Strategic Mindset
• Sees ahead to future possibilities and translates them into breakthrough strategies.

RESULTS: MSF USA staff achieve results by cultivating a forward-thinking environment that produces solutions for changing stakeholder needs.

• Drives Results
• Consistently achieves results, even under challenging circumstances. Regularly pushes self to attain outstanding outcomes; consistently establishes bold goals for own performance; is passionate about excellent results and significant contributions. Shows great tenacity to complete goals/initiatives in a timely way.

• Ensures Accountability
• Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments.

PEOPLE: MSF USA staff understand their impact on others through collaboration and inclusion of different perspectives to achieve common goals.

• Collaborates
• Build partnerships and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Readily involves others to accomplish goals; stays in touch and shares information; discourages "us versus them" thinking; shows appreciation for others' ideas and input.

• Communicates Effectively
• Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of