Media Relations Manager, Pakistan

About Malala Fund

Registered in the U.K., U.S. Nigeria, and Pakistan, Malala Fund is working toward a world where all girls can learn and lead. Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy changes needed to give all girls a secondary education. The girls we serve have high goals for themselves and we have high expectations for leaders who can help them. We invest in local education leaders and front-line organizations, the people who best understand girls in their communities in regions where most girls are missing out on secondary school. We give girls the tools they need to advocate for education and equality in their communities and a platform for the world to hear their voices. We believe girls should speak for themselves and tell leaders what they need to learn and achieve their potential.

About the position

The Media Relations Manager, Pakistan, will be a dynamic leader with a proven track record in developing and implementing communication strategies. This critical role will shape and execute our national strategic communications work, aligning with global policy priorities and messaging guidelines. Collaborating with the global external affairs department, advocacy, and grant teams, the Media Relations Manager will lead grantee communications, engage key stakeholders, and promote the organisation's brand. Our ideal candidate is a savvy communications expert with a deep understanding of the political and media landscape. They will strategically position Malala Fund priorities across media platforms, deepen partnerships, mobilise communications stakeholders, and provide expertise to advance partner/grantee objectives.

Location: Islamabad, Pakistan/Hybrid

Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications Management

1. Develop and implement a communications strategy, messaging and briefs to grow Malala Fund Pakistan's visibility and advance our advocacy priorities, defining our target audiences across the country and building a roadmap to reach them.
2. Set communications goals and leverage media monitoring and social analytics tools to track progress.
3. Align national communication efforts with Malala Fund's global brand, messaging, and advocacy priorities.
4. Provide guidance to the Pakistan team on national campaigns, including traditional media, social media, digital initiatives, partnerships, and risk mitigation.
5. Collaborate with global teams regularly to apply global brand guidelines, ensure alignment across Malala Fund's communications channels, and adapt technical reports, personal stories, and data for various audiences including grassroots supporters, high-net-worth donors, and corporate partners.

External Communications/Public Relations

1. Lead media engagement efforts, including press releases, media briefings, and op-eds, to promote Malala Fund's work.
2. Manage crisis communications and reputation management strategies.
3. Monitor media coverage and provide reports on Malala Fund's presence in the national and international press.
4. Develop storytelling, digital campaigns, media relations, government relations, and event planning with the external affairs team to support advocacy, brand, and donor strategies.
5. Prepare and review op-eds, press releases, talking points and media statements; secure coverage for national advocacy campaigns, including public moments for the Chief Executive and team members, when relevant.
6. Pitch and secure media coverage of grantees to strengthen their recognition and support national advocacy objectives.
7. Manage media inquiries and collaborate with the Chief Executive to promote grantees' work.
8. Manage social media platforms for Pakistan by developing and running media campaigns and advancing grantees work and impact.
9. Work in collaboration with Co-Founder Global Communications Director to advise, shape and execute any use of the Co-Founders' brand, voice, and communications activities related to travel to advance Pakistan advocacy goals.
10. Plan, manage and help execute communications for the Co-Founders and senior team leadership during their travel to Pakistan.
11. Manage robust network of press relationships in Pakistan (and the region, as relevant).

Internal Grantee/Partner Communications Support and Engagement

1. Co-create talking points, speeches, op-eds, and other communication materials for staff engaging with the public and in the media.
2. Solicit and curate external content—photos, videos, stories, quotes—from grantees to showcase the impact of our work to donors, partners, and the public.
3. Write and edit press releases, interviews, and features about advocacy, programs, and updates for the Malala Fund Newsroom.
4. In some instances, provide support to grantees' public engagements when they relate to Malala Fund activities or shared events.
5. In some instances, provide media training and support to grantees for interviews and speaking engagements when they relate to Malala Fund activities or shared events, in collaboration with the Grants team.

Organisational Culture

1. Uphold the values of Malala Fund.
2. Actively contribute to making Malala Fund a diverse and equitable workplace through inclusive practice and openness to different perspectives, cultures and ideas.
3. Maintain behaviour and conduct that uphold the highest standards for safeguarding, professionally and personally.
4. Act as a role model for a 'learning organisation' culture by seeking insight and using problems as opportunities to learn.

Qualifications

Essential

1. Seven to ten years of experience building and executing communications strategies.
2. Robust network of active media relationships.
3. Success in pitching stories to journalists and media outlets in Pakistan and globally.
4. Exceptional editorial and creative copywriting skills, with experience in writing speeches, press releases, and talking points.
5. Ability to develop compelling multimedia content (videos, blogs, reports, and social media posts) to showcase impact stories and advocacy campaigns.
6. Attitude and capacity to collaborate with the global communications team to ensure consistency in brand messaging and storytelling.
7. Excellent judgement and problem-solving abilities, with high attention to detail, accuracy, and quality.
8. Deep familiarity with Pakistan politics and culture, especially as they relate to Malala Fund's priority development issues.
9. Experience in communications and public relations within globally dispersed organisations and stakeholder groups; comfort working with colleagues in different geographical and cultural contexts.
10. Skilled in developing communications strategies and crafting effective storylines.
11. Strong dedication to Malala Fund's mission, purpose, and values.
12. Excellent team player with the ability to work independently and collaboratively with colleagues at all levels, both internally and externally.
13. Travel Flexibility: Willingness to travel locally approximately 10% of the time.

Desirable

1. Ability to operate in multiple languages relevant to our focus states in Pakistan.
2. Sector Knowledge: Familiarity with the education and/or girls' rights sectors in Pakistan, with relevant relationships across private sector, CSOs, and government stakeholders.
3. Understanding of media and wider operating environments of additional Malala Fund focus countries, including Pakistan.

Why work at Malala Fund?

1. Make an impact: Malala Fund works for a world where all girls can learn and lead.
2. Great company culture: We are a collaborative, global team with offices in Washington, D.C., New York, London, Islamabad and Abuja. Our values inform our fun, welcoming work culture and the work we do for girls:

• We set ambitious goals
• We dare to be brave
• We seek and amplify diverse perspectives
• We think creatively
• We act with integrity

Flexible hybrid work models: Hybrid work options with one or two days in the office and a monthly stipend by country to support work from home expenses.Fully paid health, income protection and life benefits: Based on country and legal requirements.Retirement plan options: Based on country and legal requirements.Rest and relaxation: Generous paid time off and country-specific paid public holidays including sick leave and birthday leave.Paid parental leave: Generous paid parental leave.Employee assistance and mental health benefitsGive back: Get paid to volunteer in your community.Professional development and educational benefits: Annual company contribution towards professional development or higher education and free LinkedIn Learning access to 20,000+ online courses.

If fighting for girls' education excites and inspires you, we might be the perfect fit

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Malala Fund is an equal opportunity employer and inclusive organisation that welcomes applications from under-represented and intersectional groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities. We are seeking people with different backgrounds, cultures, ages, experiences and identities to provide a wide range of experience, ideas, views and insights into the strategy, policies, culture and ambitions of Malala Fund.

Malala Fund is also committed to ensuring the safety of those involved in our work. Our first priority is protecting everyone who comes in direct or indirect contact with our organisation.

Malala Fund has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and exploitation by any of our staff, representatives or partners. We commit to ensuring that those who work with Malala Fund or on our behalf are able to work in an environment that is free from harm. To this end, Malala Fund reserves the right to conduct background checks on prospective and current employees.

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