Head of Communications

Do you care about the rights of those who are hidden and forgotten? Do you desire to be a voice for those who are unheard? Do you long to work on a team that is focused on addressing the issues faced by remote communities across the globe?

MAF International has a critical need for a Head of Communications to lead a team that communicates the needs of isolated communities and how MAF helps overcome the challenges they face.

We are looking for someone with a heart for our ministry, experienced in leading a team of communication professionals in an international context, with the ability to build strong relationships with team members and stakeholders in a federation of organisations.

For more than 75 years MAF has used light aircraft to deliver help, hope, and healing in over 30 developing countries, transporting patients, relief and church workers, produce and medical supplies to the world’s most isolated places in Jesus’ name, where flying is not a luxury but a lifeline.

We are in an exciting period of transition and change for MAF International, with an increased focus on strengthening and developing our communications function in support of prayer, fund-raising recruitment, and internal communications. The successful applicant will take the lead in shaping the department to serve MAF’s long-term communication needs.

In this role, you will develop a collaborative approach with team members and stakeholders, reflecting our core values of Impact, Witness, Excellence, Partnership, Stewardship, and Care. Working in close partnership with MAF resourcing groups to understand their fund-raising requirements for communications materials, you will identify needs and opportunities to grow communications activity, developing and implementing change to improve business processes.

Responsibilities

• To be successful in this role, you will be a strategic thinker with strong interpersonal and communication skills and an appreciation of the challenges and opportunities of working in multicultural teams.
• As someone with excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills, you will develop strong, effective, and coordinated working relationships internally and externally, with all key stakeholders.
• Analytical thinking will be critical in balancing the realities faced by your team of story-gathering in the isolated places MAF serves with the challenges of fund-raising faced by our resourcing groups in a primarily western context, where competition for donors is high.
• You will provide leadership to our team of Communication Officers positioned across programs in Africa and Asia-Pacific, working remotely from each other and located in highly technically focused aviation teams.
• You will engage with the wider external conversation concerning ethical storytelling and ensure best practice and integrity in our communications activity, both in MAF’s story gathering and in MAF International’s public-facing communications.
• As a member of MAF International’s Operations Leadership Team, you will provide communications guidance and support to leadership across the organisation, and hold responsibility for ensuring strong, sensitive PR communications in crisis events and/or disaster response.
• You will be responsible for organising Day of Prayer events and ensuring a flow of material to support prayer activities is routinely gathered and disseminated for use across the federation of MAF organisations.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Educated to degree level
• Qualification in Journalism, Communications, Public Relations or equivalent
• Experience in writing, editing and proofreading for print and online
• Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook and experience using a SharePoint intranet
• Ability to communicate at all levels within an organisation and to build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders
• Experience of leading a team ideally with working with remote based staff
• Experience of developing, implementing and delivering a global communications strategy

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a cross-cultural and/or mission environment is preferable
• Experience in producing fund-raising communications and/or communications designed to generate external income

For more information, contact the MAF Australia Recruitment Team by email to personnel@maf.org.au or call our Recruitment Hotline 1800 987 221.