AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT JOB TITLE: Press Officer, East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes

JOB DESCRIPTION 
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
SECRETARIAT 
 
 
JOB TITLE: Press Officer, East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes
DIRECTORATE: Campaigns and Communications
PROGRAMME: Media
REPORTING TO: Regional Director
SPECIALIST MANAGER: Director of Media, International Secretariat, London
 
JOB PURPOSE: To lead, facilitate and support Amnesty International’s National, regional
and international media work. Africa in order to advance the organization’s human rights
agenda and raise awareness of Amnesty International’s National, regional and global
campaigns to promote and protect human rights, to support Amnesty International’s global
campaigns and to attract a growing number of supporters to the movement.

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: Amnesty International’s Media Programme is responsible for
promoting and supporting a culture of effective and coordinated media work across the IS
and the movement. The Programme drives and maintains consistent presentation of
Amnesty International’s name and message in the media and oversees media strategy,
content, delivery and targeting of Amnesty International’s message in print, broadcast and
electronic media.
 
INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT PURPOSE: The International Secretariat, which operates
from a number of sites around the world, gathers and communicates accurate and
actionoriented human rights information globally. We campaign for meaningful human rights
change; enable effective human rights activism and work to persuade governments and other
actors to uphold universal human rights standards. We provide strategic leadership, support
and advice to the Amnesty International movement globally, fostering Amnesty
International’s contribution, presence and public accountability throughout the world.
 
 


WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: 
 
Reporting to: Nairobi Hub Director 
People that this job manage: Interns, volunteers and freelancers 
Other key relationships: International, Regional and National Media  and Amnesty 
International staff in the Media Programme, Director of AI Kenya national office and other
AI Kenya staff, Regional Content Manager, Campaigns staff, International Mobilisation
Programme, Legal, Policy, Office of the Secretary General, Section Media Workers,
Research and campaign staff in the Regional Office.
 
USEFUL INFORMATION: Amnesty International is setting up new regional offices in
different locations around the world where there is a strong international and regional
media presence. Press Officers are to be appointed in each of these regional offices as
they open, charged with building the media profile of Amnesty International from the
outset.  
 
Media impact is vital to the success of Amnesty International’s international
communications work, which relies on credible and visible profiling of Amnesty 
International to a range of target audiences across a range of diverse cultures and
communities.  
 
The regional press officers will contribute to the development and implementation of a
comprehensive Media Programme for Amnesty International in the region, working as part
of a fully-integrated team that supports Amnesty International’s activities in the region.   
 
This is a full-time position which requires the ability and willingness to regularly work out
of office hours including being on call for media enquiries. The position also requires the
ability to undertake international travel as required, including travelling to other regional
offices to provide additional media support, when needed.   
 
Location: Nairobi 
 
 


MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES: 
• Generate press coverage in regional and national media for Amnesty International in 
 
East Africa in order to build Amnesty International’s profile in the region 
• Work with international media based in the region to generate coverage about Amnesty
International’s human rights concerns in East Africa 
• Implement a regional media relations programme which includes: pro-active media
liaison; pitching Amnesty International stories and spokespeople; organizing interviews;
providing media briefings; writing op eds; and responding to media requests 
• Work alongside the Regional Content Manager for East Africa to set the strategic
communications direction for the region, working as part of an integrated,
multifunctional team; all campaigns and communications initiatives must be
communicated in a manner suitable and relevant to the appropriate audiences 
• Identify opportunities for media work and provide advice on what products or activities
would work best to meet media objectives and achieve impact, ensuring all work is
timely, with a strong news value targeted at defined audiences 
• Undertake crisis media work, ensuring Amnesty International responds in an effective
and timely manner to key external and internal developments 
• Integrate social media into overall media plans and activity 
• Monitor and report on Amnesty International’s media impact and metrics in East Africa
- including social media. Use results to make recommendations for future work to
ensure continued media impact 
• Organize media events including news conferences and press briefings; provide media
support to Amnesty International research missions and visits to the region by senior
Amnesty International delegates 
• Identify the need for and assist in implementing media training for spokespeople and
act as spokesperson for the organization, as agreed 
• Support the global network of media workers, providing timely, well-messaged media
materials and advice on Amnesty International’s response to human rights
developments in the region 
• Provide media support and advice to Amnesty International offices in the region and
share their work with a wider internal and external audience 
• Oversee the use of Amnesty International’s social media channels from the regional hub
managing the dissemination of content on relevant platforms, maintaining a record of
all owned and operated digital properties in use by Amnesty International across the
region and ensuring their proper use 
• Carry out own administrative tasks related to the post in accordance with the guidelines
on self-servicing and to provide coverage for team members as required 
• Monitor progress and adherence to agreed standards, including establishing systems to
ensure accountability and reporting 
 

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN THIS JOB?  
• Amnesty International is positioned as the leading human rights organization with
regional and national media outlets in East Africa, as well as with international media 
• An over-arching media strategy is developed and implemented for East Africa 
• Amnesty International’s profile in East Africa increases through reactive and proactive
media coverage on specific human rights issues and campaigns 
• Amnesty International is established as a credible source of human rights information
for the media 
• The Amnesty International movement is kept up-to-date and informed about news and
media opportunities on thematic work from East Africa 
• Planning and implementation of media work is undertaken to agreed deadlines and
positive coverage is secured in target media 
• Strong media contacts are developed in East Africa 
 
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 
• Substantial, relevant experience in similar role in journalism or public relations, in an
international environment 
• Understanding of international political and human rights issues and specifically how
these issues apply in East Africa 
• Extensive experience in producing a wide range of quality materials for print and/or
broadcast media, as well as for social media platforms 
• Strong knowledge of international, regional and national media - across traditional and
digital platforms - with established contacts at key publications and broadcast outlets 
• Sound understanding of media relations management including updating and
maintaining relationships with media contacts 
• Detailed knowledge of current and emerging media trends and developments 
• Experience of developing and implementing successful media strategies and campaigns
• Ability to judge issues and impact as well as experience in issues and crisis
management
• Experience of political and human rights issues in East Africa, the Horn and the Great
Lakes
• Experience in the use of social media networks, within a business context 
• Proven experience in utilising digital channels for media work, with an understanding of
how digital tools can assist the gathering and dissemination of relevant information to
specific audiences 
• Strong communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills 
• Ability to work in high pressured environment while managing competing priorities and
deadlines 
• Experience in providing spokespeople support and in developing and conducting media
training, including in effective interview techniques 
• Experience in organizing successful media events including press conferences, briefings
and seminars in range of contexts 
• Experience in media monitoring, analysis and reporting 
 

• Knowledge of Amnesty International and interest in, and personal commitment to, the 
 
full range of human rights 
• Fluency in written and spoken English 
• Fluency in local language is ideal 
 

HOW YOU WORK - COMPETENCIES: 
Competency: Level: (A, B or C) 
 
 Delivering Results: Delivering our strategic objectives by managing workload and
developing plans and priorities. Level B 
 Working with Others: Builds and maintains positive trust based relationships internally
and externally to increase effectiveness of self, team, programme and IS to achieve goals.
Involves understanding and respecting diversity, being sensitive to the needs of others,
managing conflict, team- building. Level B 
 Developing Oneself and Others: Development of self and others to further the IS’ goals
and personal effectiveness. Involves providing coaching/guidance, giving feedback to
build understanding and sharing knowledge with others. Level B 
 Contributing to a dynamic and effective IS: Ability to see change as an integral part of
life and to work in ways which facilitate the implementation of change. Level A 
 Making decisions: Ability to gather information, involve others and use judgement to
make decisions that are creative, practical and timely. Support others in their decision
making. Level A 
 Taking the Initiative: Exercising initiative to change approaches and take responsibility
for solving problems and being innovative. Level A 
 Communicating and influencing: Taking responsibility for conveying information, ideas
and arguments in a manner that is accurate and timely, taking account of the needs of
the recipient and tailoring the approach accordingly. It involves effective listening as
much as speaking or writing. Level B 
 
EQUALITY STATEMENT 
Equality and diversity is at the core of our values and staff are expected to  work
collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others
from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected. 
 
CONFLICT OF INTEREST 
Public or other activity, affiliation to or support for any group or organization, personal
association or other factor which may generate a real or perceived conflict of interest with
Amnesty International’s principles (specifically independence and impartiality), or raise a
security concern, or otherwise prevent the candidate from carrying out key functions of the
specific post and would therefore disqualify the candidate from being appointed. 
 
Written by: Susanna Flood, Director of Media