Communications Associate - Social Media

Role: Communications Associate - Social Media

Status: Full Time, Exempt 

Salary: $55,000 - $65,000 commensurate on years of relevant experience

Location: Washington DC Office

Position Available: Immediately

The Communications Associate supports the work of The HALO Trust USA team in the implementation of the overall strategies and plans of HALO USA's communication unit. This role reports to the Marketing Manager at HALO Trust USA and implements the communications annual content plans for US social channels, with a clear focus on US audiences and through regular coordination with the Global Communications Team (UK).

This role requires a resourceful, efficient and creative team player with strong written and verbal communication, copywriting and content creation skills, as well as strong technical experience in Social Media channels. This is a hands-on role for someone who has the experience to define Social Media plans and the creative/technical skills to produce and measure campaigns.

The HALO Trust (USA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in the removal of landmines and other explosive remnants of war, with projects in 30 countries and territories employing over 12,000 people.

HALO's Washington, DC office works with foundations, government partners, international agencies and private donors to increase awareness of the impact of landmines on post-conflict communities, and to raise funds to support HALO's teams all around the world.

Today we are working in a growing number of countries in conflict, including Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, and Libya. Our work is incredibly purposeful - it saves lives and restores livelihoods in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.

• Develop and implement an annual Social Media plan that makes effective use of all our social channels to communicate news and share engaging stories from our programmes around the world, relevant for US audiences and US market.
• Execute an annual communications strategy tailored to support the annual business goals of HALO USA.
• Ensure HALO USA grows its reach and following in Social Media accounts.
• Develop and manage content on HALO USA Social Media channels and website.
• Write, develop, proof, draft, and prepare marketing, campaign, and other collateral materials and documents.
• Plan and manage small paid social campaigns, ensuring robust measurement and timely reporting for donors.
• Collect impact stories and Social Media blurbs, gather and organize photos of program activities and collect recordings and edit them into engaging videos.
• Ensure we are following and engaging with the right partners and influencers in order to amplify reach.
• Collaborate with HALO UK colleagues on social channel strategy and content in global channels versus US channels during organizational-wide marketing and communications initiatives, projects, and evolving priorities.
• Flex content plans in response to breaking news; use initiative to follow/build lists of influencers, partners and journalists.
• Use Google Analytics and Sprout Social to monitor and measure engagement metrics.
• Analyze digital insights (website analytics and social listening metrics), ensuring that insights are used to showcase success and inform our approach to future campaigns.
• Track and ensure compliance with donors' contractual communications outputs, in coordination with different departments and HALO Programmes.
• Create high-quality and interesting content (such as an annual impact reports, slide-decks, briefs and talking points for key donors and policy audiences) to increase US public awareness of HALO and for humanitarian demining efforts.
• Monitor and collect communications metrics (quarterly and annually). Keep us current by monitoring trends and technology and making recommendations for new approaches as required.
• Coordinate with all departments to ensure proper flow of information and communication.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications or related field.
• 1-2 years of experience dedicated to Social Media engagement.
• A natural communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in running paid social campaigns.
• Strong understanding of audience segmentation/ how to target key audiences.
• Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate across teams to coordinate content creation.
• Excellent storytelling skills, including experience in developing visual and written assets.
• Proactive and self-motivated with good planning skills.
• Familiar with work in a national or international humanitarian organization(s) and the non-profit sector is a plus.

Technical Skills:

• Experience with effectively managing social networking platforms, content creation, and advertisement.
• Graphic design and/or video editing skills, ideally with experience across the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of programmes and platforms such as Canva.
• Working knowledge of monitoring and measurement tools
• Sound editorial skills/judgement
• Track record of SEO and experience optimizing content for web and social channels
• Proficiency in HTML and CSS.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 applications.
• Superior writing, editing and proofreading skills in a broad range of styles, including news writing, feature writing, speechwriting, copywriting, and writing for Social Media and digital platforms.

This list of essential responsibilities and requirements is not intended to be exhaustive. The HALO Trust USA reserves the right to revise this job description as needed to comply with actual job requirements.

Benefits

The HALO Trust USA employee benefits for full-time employees include:

• Vacation Time: 25 days (5 weeks) paid vacation (PTO) accrued at 16.667 hours per month.
• Sick Leave: 5 days (1 week) paid Sick-Leave. Sick Leave cannot be 'carried-over' to the next year.
• Holidays: HALO USA observes all USA Federal holidays.
• Savings Plan: A 401(k) retirement savings plan is offered to our employees, but managed entirely through our Payroll provider, Insperity. HALO USA will 'match' up to 5% of an employee's contributed monthly savings to their 401(k) account.
• Health Insurance: Health Insurance benefits are offered to employees through HALO's payroll provider, Insperity. HALO pays a portion of the employee's monthly health insurance premium. (Applies only to employees that choose to partake in the health insurance plan.)
• Dental Insurance: Dental Insurance benefits are offered to employees through HALO's payroll provider, Insperity. HALO pays a portion of the employee's monthly dental insurance premium. (Applies only to employees that choose to partake in the dental insurance plan.)

To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter and writing samples/multimedia production portfolio by January 20th 2024.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.