Communication Specialist

Vacancy Notice

As a federally owned enterprise, we support the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development worldwide. We are also engaged in international education work around the globe. Working efficiently, effectively and in a spirit of partnership, we support people and societies in developing, transition and industrialized countries in shaping their own futures and improving living conditions.

Our sectoral areas of engagement in Palestine focus on technical and higher education, enhancing the employment opportunities and the economic resilience of Palestinian enterprises, promoting the sustainable use of water resources, as well as good governance and improved service delivery at the municipality level. We also acknowledging the central role of the civil society, we support initiatives that foster social cohesion, resilience, and peace. Our work is firmly aligned with the National Development Pact for the Future of Palestine and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which guide our efforts toward inclusive and sustainable development.

To support our work in the field of all aspects of communication, we are looking for a:

“Communication Specialist”

The Communication Specialist is reporting to the Head of the Portfolio Management Unit in the GIZ Country office in Ramallah and will liaise with 2 sectoral communication Specialists in projects/clusters (Governance and Sustainable Economic Development). The Incumbent will lead the development and implementation of GIZ Palestine communication strategy, ensuring that all messaging aligns with GIZs corporate goals and the unique political landscape of the Palestinian Territories. This role demands a seasoned communications professional with proven communication experience in politically volatile environments, capable of navigating sensitive issues, crafting transparent messages, and managing crises while building trust with local communities, Palestinian Authorities and international partners.

 Key Responsibilities

 Strategic Communication

• Develop and implement a context-sensitive communication strategy for external and internal communication that is responsive to the political, social, and humanitarian context of the Palestinian Territories.
• Coordinate strategic messaging across clusters and projects to ensure consistency, coherence, and visibility at the national, regional, and global levels.
• Advise the country director and senior management on reputational risk, communication challenges, and key messaging in response to local and international events.
• Align communication priorities with the organization’s mission, values, program objectives and corporate communication standards.

 Media and Public Relations

• Manage relationships with national, regional, and international media outlets, ensuring balanced and accurate reporting on GIZs portfolio implementation and broader regional developments.
• Ensure the organization’s visual identity and messaging adhere to agreed standards while being sensitive to local cultural and political nuances
• Manage media inquiries and develop public statements and prepare the Country Director for interviews and public appearances.
• Design and execute proactive media campaigns to highlight key projects, challenges, and successes while being mindful of the region's sensitivities.
• Constant monitoring of social media profiles and the local press regarding GIZ-Palestine work.

Crisis and Risk Communication

• Design and implement a crisis communication framework that includes reputational risk communication protocols for rapid response, media engagement, and internal communication during times of heightened political or humanitarian tensions. Work closely with the government, international stakeholders, and local communities to ensure the organization’s communication remains aligned with official Palestinian narratives and policies.

Internal Communication

• Foster an effective internal communication strategy that ensure alignment between GIZ company objectives, portfolio and GIZ staff team in Palestine.
• Update and maintain the GIZ homepage Palestine with state-of-the-art information and contribute to the internal GIZ homepage worldwide with media-reports from GIZ Palestine
• Support staff through communication training and workshops, enabling them to communicate the organization's work and position effectively, both internally and externally.

• Coordinate and facilitate the Communicators Network in GIZ Palestine, fostering knowledge exchange and consistency.

Stakeholder and Donor Engagement

• Develop communication strategies for donor reporting, advocacy, and visibility, ensuring transparency and accountability. Act as a liaison for high-level stakeholders, including Palestinian authorities, international partners, and UN agencies for communication enquiries, ensuring coordinated and cohesive messaging.
• Support GIZ Management Palestine to present the organization in external forums and conferences, particularly on topics related to governance, peacebuilding, private sector development and transitional development assistance.
• Liaise with the German representative office in Ramallah on all aspects of communication work and support their efforts on demand.
• Develop KPIs for communication reach, engagement, and message retention. Conduct bi-annual media impact and stakeholder satisfaction reviews/amplification audits.
• Support the conception, planning, implementation and documentation of public events organized by projects and GIZ Country Office in Palestine and ensure quality assurance.

Content Creation and Brand Management

• Oversee the creation of high-quality written and visual content, including reports, impact stories, publications, website content, and social media posts.
• Manage the GIZ Palestine Social Media profile on LinkedIn and the internal GIZ IDA-page at HQ.
• Develop core messages for GIZ Palestine, pertaining to the company’s objectives in Palestine and the project portfolio.
• Embed impact data continuously and systematically in all communication to ensure a coherent and impact-orientated image of GIZ Palestine.
• Ensure the organization’s visual identity and messaging adhere to agreed standards while being sensitive to local cultural and political nuances, including quality assurance of speaking points and project briefs.
• Maintain and develop a secure file sharing and photo respiratory system for GIZ Palestine and ensure alignment to corporate copy right standards.
• Coordinate and work closely with the GIZ Corporate Communications Unit ensuring adherence to GIZ corporate design and communication standards. Cooperate with external communication service providers (e.g. appraisers, agencies, photographers, trainers etc.).
• Establish and manage an editorial calendar to plan and align communication outputs with key national, regional, and international events (e.g. UN Days, national holidays, donor milestones).
• Ensure accessibility and inclusivity in all communication products, incorporating gender-sensitive language, visual diversity, and formats suitable for people with disabilities.

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Required qualifications, competencies and experiences

• Advanced university degree in Communications, International Relations, Journalism, Political Science, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, media relations, or public affairs, including at least 5 years in overall management roles.
• Proven track record of managing communication strategies in politically sensitive or conflict-affected environments, especially in the Middle East or the Palestinian Territories.
• Experience working with government-owned or semi-governmental institutions, international NGOs, UN agencies or the private sector.
• Fluency in Arabic (spoken and written) and English; proficiency or knowledge of German is a plus.
• Deep understanding of the Palestinian political landscape, including the challenges of operating under political division, occupation, and socio-economic hardship.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing strategic communication concepts.
• Strong media relations skills and experience in handling politically sensitive messaging.
• Extensive crisis management and risk communication expertise, with the ability to quickly assess situations and provide clear, actionable communication strategies.
• Ccomprehensive knowledge of the systematic use of digital tools, content analytics, or AI-driven comms platforms.
• and social media
• Ability to communicate complex topics professionally in a calm, neutral, understandable and stakeholder-oriented manner, both orally and in writing, emphasizing partnerships, inclusive development processes and impact data.
• At least 5 years of experience in editing and proofreading texts for various target groups and publication formats; strong conceptual and editorial skills.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to think and act strategically with a quick perception and an eye for the essentials
• High level of personal responsibility and integrity, solution orientation and creativity. High service orientation and reliability. Excellent organizational and work efficiency skills, with the ability to work in a complex environment under stressful conditions with tight deadlines.
• Excellent networking, cooperation and communication and skills. Self-Commitment, self-motivated, flexible team player with diplomatic skills, intercultural understanding and ability to work with people of different backgrounds. gender competence, as well as frustration tolerance.

Assignment: As soon as possible for Initial period of one year, with possible extension for an additional year

 As an equal opportunity employer, GIZ stands for inclusion and diversity and does not discriminate against applicants for employment because of their gender, disability, age, religion, or ethnic origin. GIZ offers an attractive and challenging work environment with opportunities for personal and professional development. A complete application must be submitted in English to the following address: [email protected], which includes the Applicant Information form, CV and a one-page cover letter, no later than 07.08.2025 at latest 04:00 PM.

Kindly state in the email subject “Communication Specialist”. Any deficiency in the application will NOT be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.