Communication Manager (f/m/x)

For its research group Globalization, Work and Production, the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) is looking for a

(ID 245)

from 01 March 2024 to 31 May 2025, for 39 hours per week.

The WZB Berlin Social Science Center is a publicly financed research institution that conducts leading edge theory-based and problem-oriented social science research (http://www.wzb.eu/en ). WZB researchers come from across the globe and work across social science disciplines including sociology, political science, economics, law, and psychology. A member of the Leibniz Association, WZB’s research is directed at the science community, policy makers, the media and the general public.

The post holder will act as a Communication Manager for the Fairwork project. Fairwork is an action research project that assesses conditions in digitally mediated work against the principles of Fairwork and uses that research to push for positive change in the digital economy. The project currently operates in 39 countries in five continents, and continues to expand. The project is jointly coordinated by the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford (OII) (PI and Director Professor Mark Graham) and the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) (Professor Martin Krzywdzinski). This post holder will be based in Berlin, at the Fairwork Secretariat at the WZB, however will closely work with both the OII and WZB teams and across the project.

Your tasks and duties

The post holder will be an experienced Communications Manager with outstanding all-round skills to lead the communications strategy of the project, including Fairwork reports, Pledge, Secretariat activities, social media engagement. They will be able to manage a busy work schedule, while devising media strategies for the project as a whole, delivering high profile positive coverage across research publications, broadcast and disseminate project’s outputs across different media outlets.

• Developing, gaining Agreement, and delivering a communications strategy for Fairwork countries and projects, taking into account priorities, audience requirements and sensitivities, dynamic timelines and limited resources.
• Working closely with the central team and the wider Fairwork network to ensure timely delivery of regular communications, including but not limited to maintaining social media channels; the Fairwork website, drafting blog posts, providing copy editing and content editing to Fairwork publications, drafting regular newsletters for the Fairwork network and subscribers.
• Overseeing the development of Fairwork’s multimedia outputs (podcasts, videos, infographics, interactive games, applications, etc.) and putting together engaging social media campaigns to share research findings and communicate key messages from the project team.
• Continuing to engage with the project's various stakeholders, and setting up relevant communications infrastructures and campaigns to keep them engaged.
• Working with the project team and external designers/copy editors/translators in the delivery of the projects’ publications and promotional materials.
• Writing and disseminating press releases targeting media in our countries of operation.
• Keeping an active roster of media contacts for the wider dissemination of project outputs, and being proactive in pitching publications and engagements to the media outlets.
• Designing (including page-setting) regular high-quality reports and other project outputs published by the Fairwork team, including those in partner countries.
• Expert ability to integrate Fairwork-branding to project outputs, using software such as InDesign, MS Word, PowerPoint, and developing templates for the wider use the project team.
• Providing communication assistance at Fairwork events including conferences, workshops and seminars, such as photography, filming, writing press releases about events, and as required by the project team.
• Being responsible for the evaluation of the Fairwork communication strategy, including analysing results and implementing solutions and giving regular update reports.
• Managing the multiple and complex grant budget lines for communications, with oversight from the Project Manager, PI, Co-I and Research Administrator.

Your qualifications profile

Essential

• Hold a relevant post-graduate degree in communications, media, journalism, public relations, or related fields.
• Professional experience in communications, journalism, public relations, preferably in research outreach of a large organisation, large international project or similar with multiple stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated ability to conceive, implement and evaluate creative communication strategies in a large and complex organisation, network or project.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills, and present concepts verbally in precise and concise language.
• Experience in developing and maintaining website content on WordPress, using the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Premiere Pro, Photoshop) or similar software for design; Mailchimp for newsletters and email marketing; X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram as well as other social media platforms for running social media campaigns; arranging events and meetings on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangout and similar.
• Must be a self-directed strategic thinker with the capacity to work independently and according to tight schedules, set priorities and exercise good judgement in an organised and professional manner.
• Demonstrable ability to assimilate complex information quickly and make it accessible to a wider audience through various communication channels.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrate clear leadership skills, communicate effectively with a team, and be a constructive force in a team environment.
• Enthusiasm to work in a diverse and international team.

Desirable

• Knowledge of issues impacting on precarious and insecure workers, and a demonstrable commitment to working towards the empowerment of workers and to their equality and inclusion.
• Experience of managing multiple and complex budgets, and preparing spending reports in line with funding guidelines.
• Preferably experience in creating or overseeing the creation of multimedia outputs like videos, podcasts, infographics, video games, etc.
• Preferably experience managing CRM systems.
• Preferably language competencies in some of the languages spoken in Fairwork partner countries (e.g., Spanish, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Mandarin).
• At least a minimum/basic proficiency in German.

Our offer

• Remuneration in accordance with EG 13 TVöD Bund
• Additional benefits for public service employees (VBL U)
• A well-equipped workplace in the center of Berlin
• International, cooperative, and diversified working environment
• Thorough instruction and guidance
• Flexible working hours and the possibility of mobile working (at least 20% of the weekly working hours agreed in the contract)
• We promote a good work-life balance
• Comprehensive program for continuous professional development and further qualification, in the own discipline and beyond
• Cafeteria with modern recreation rooms
• Reduced monthly ticket for local public transport (Jobticket or Deutschlandticket Job)

Candidates are requested to submit the following documents in English in a single PDF-file, no later than 04 February 2024.

• Cover letter outlining motivation, previous experiences, career plans
• Curriculum Vitae
• Copies of relevant certificates and/or references

If you have any questions regarding the job opening, please contact Eileen Jahnke, telephone +49 30 25491 538 / eileen.jahnke(at)wzb.eu

For more information about the Fairwork Project, see fair.work .

For more information about WZB, see www.wzb.eu .

Have we sparked your interest? In that case, we are looking forward to receiving your online application by https://wzb.hr4you.org/job/apply/284/communication-manager-f-m-x-id-245?page_lang=en .