Role Description – Communications Volunteer
Overview and Terms
Role title
Date reviewed
Purpose
Responsible to
Working with
Location
Period
Hours
Expenses
Incentives
Communications Volunteer
Nov 2011
To support the Communications Manager and Communications Officer with a
range of tasks, including writing and editing stories, updating media databases,
media monitoring and analysis, uploading content to RedR’s website, helping
to produce our monthly e-bulletin and internal bulletin and helping to manage
and improve our photo library.
Communications Manager
Fundraising & Communications team, RedR colleagues and external contacts
as necessary.
RedR UK 250a Kennington Lane, London SE11 5RD
6 months – starting beginning June
2 days per week, flexible
This is an unpaid position however, RedR will reimburse lunch expenses up to
£5 per day and also reasonable travel expenses up to a maximum of £13 per
day.
Valuable experience in the humanitarian sector, professional and personal
development and the possibility of attending relevant chance RedR courses
and talks.
RedR and the work we do
Each year millions of people around the world feel the effects of natural disaster and conflict. RedR is
an international charity that improves the effectiveness of disaster relief, helping save and rebuild the
lives of people affected by disaster worldwide. We do this by delivering essential training and support
to relief organisations and their staff, and by supplying skilled professionals to humanitarian
programmes. Our work helps to ensure that the right people with the right skills are responding to
global emergencies, and enables both local and international relief workers to react to the needs of
those affected by disaster, efficiently and safely.
In response to recent humanitarian catastrophes, we currently have training and local capacity
building programmes in North Sudan in response to the increasing destabilisation of the region and in
Pakistan, addressing the ongoing challenges of efficient response to the current humanitarian
situation relating to flooding and insecurity. In addition, RedR have recently received funding to
establish a country programme in South Sudan (Juba based) managed from Nairobi. In line with our
strategic vision, further international programme offices are expected to be opened in the coming
years.
Role Description











Assist with research, writing and collation of quality case studies and news stories for
publication on our website /written materials.
Help support RedR’s presence on social media sites (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube),
including carrying out analysis of current successes and identifying areas for improvement.
Enter and amend media and communications databases.
Monitor RedR media coverage and collate press clippings as required.
Assist with maintaining content on RedR’s website, including uploading photos and updating
web pages.
Assist with the production of our monthly e-bulletin, and collate and distribute our internal
newsletter sent to UK and overseas staff.
Assist with an overhaul of RedR’s photo library.
Respond to telephone and email enquires from external parties, providing relevant
information about RedR as requested.
Provide RedR materials and other information to colleagues and other relevant parties on
request.
Support the Communications Manager /Officer with basic administrative tasks.
Carry out general tasks that may arise in the Fundraising & Communications team and any
other reasonable tasks or duties as required by the Communications Manager or RedR.
Person Specification















Excellent writing and interviewing skills, including good grammar, spelling and accuracy.
Some experience of communications work, ideally in a charity setting.
Good knowledge of social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Youtube).
Excellent interpersonal skills including a confident, polite and friendly phone manner.
Ability to work calmly to deadlines and under pressure.
Organised with good attention to detail.
A commitment to our humanitarian mission and values and a strong interest in the charity
sector.
Good MS Office and general computer skills.
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues in order to undertake tasks.
Cheerful, hands-on and methodical attitude.
Able to undertake basic administrative tasks such as document and information collation,
filing, creating word documents, simple spreadsheets etc.
Knowledge of the workings of the media and/or media relations – and experience of writing
for the media desirable.
Knowledge of photo editing software such as Photoshop desirable.
Previous experience of design software such as Quark Xpress desirable.
Database experience desirable.
Expectations, Authority and Accountability

We expect all volunteers to undertake the agreed responsibilities in a professional manner
and to work in a spirit of mutual respect for colleagues in RedR.





We would expect you to demonstrate behaviour that is consistent with RedR’s values.
You will be provided with a briefing to the role and responsibilities and support where
identified either pre assignment or during assignment.
We would encourage you to engage in the nature of RedR’s work such as attending country
briefings/talks, reading e-bulletins, newsletters and other materials, where available.
You are accountable to the Communications Manager in terms of your activities and tasks.
The Communications Manager is accountable to you for ensuring a clear role brief, support
and for ensuring your health and safety in the workplace.