Communications Officer

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international organisation based on a multilateral agreement amongst countries and international organisations with the purpose of making scientific biodiversity data available via the internet. Learn more about GBIF from our web site: www.gbif.org.

The GBIF Secretariat, located in Copenhagen, is seeking a committed and proactive Communications Officer.

Scope

The Communications Officer is a full-time general service level position created primarily to increase timely and effective awareness of GBIF events, reports and publications, tools and services etc. in different media and on the GBIF web-site. The Communication Officer will help implement the overall GBIF communication strategy. The Communications Officer will be part of a communication team with a Science Writer and the ICT Support Manager being responsible for GBIF publications and news transmission.

Key responsibilities of the Communications Officer:

1. Assist with the implementation of the GBIF Communications Strategy.
2. Plan, design, maintain and update GBIF presence on digital media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube.
3. Assist with the updating of the GBIF website and collation and drafting of content for the GBIF GBits Newsletter.
4. Serve as GBIF point of contact for the press and media.  Refer contacts to other staff as appropriate. Frequently feed global media (print, radio, TV and online services) with information, updates, material and documents on GBIF-related activities.
5. Together with the Science Writer, initiate and build GBIFS relationships with relevant publications, journals, web channels etc. 
6. Assist the development and production, in collaboration with the Science Writer and senior staff, of public service announcements (PSA) and other adaptable media ,promotional and training material, (portal demonstrations, presentations, promotional materials tailor-made for particular target audiences, etc).
7. Be part of the team developing key GBIF public documents including the Annual Report, brochures, conference posters and others as required.
8. Develop relationships with GBIF partners to post announcements through their communication channels (website, newsletter, email distribution lists, etc.).
9. Coordinate translations of materials from English to other UN languages.

Desirable skills and experience:

1. An experienced and skilled communicator with a tertiary qualification in communications, journalism and/or an environment-related field.
2. Minimum 1 year of professional work experience of drafting and distributing documents for the media and the general public.
3. Excellent English writing and editing skills are required, and knowledge of additional UN languages is desirable.
4. Excellent computer literacy, with good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, desktop publishing software, web content management systems, as well as experience in hosting and managing social digital media.
5. Knowledge in the biodiversity and/or biodiversity informatics area will be a distinct advantage.

This post is an exciting career-enhancing opportunity to work in a multicultural environment for an international organisation at the cutting edge of scientific developments in biodiversity informatics. If you match the above requirements and are able to start in April or soon thereafter, we look forward to hearing from you.


Remuneration:

GBIF salaries are competitive, based on the IOS standard and are exempt from Danish income tax. Salary will be negotiated according to experience and qualifications within the general range for the position, according to the GBIF Staff Rules.

Application procedure and deadline:

Applications for the position must include:

1. A letter of application addressing your experience in respect to the listed responsibilities and required qualifications as well as your motives for applying for the job;
2. A complete curriculum vitae;
3. 3-5 examples of communications materials you have personally developed;
4. One reference letter and contact details for two further referees.

Applications must be submitted in English by e-mail to:

Comm_officer@gbif.org
 
By the 21st of March 2011.

Enquiries concerning the position can be addressed to Comm_officer@gbif.org.

Phone interviews for the position are likely to take place from the 28th of March to the 1st of April 2011, and personal interviews at the Secretariat from the 4th to 8th of April 2011, and we ask applicants to indicate their availability on those dates in their applications.