Head of Communications

Job Title: Head of Communications
Working For: The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation
Reporting to: Director, UK & EU
Location: London
Salary: £60,000
Length of Contract: Permanent (after successful completion of a three-month probation period)

The Head of Communications is responsible for developing effective messaging and communication strategies for a prominent international human rights organisation. They must create or oversee the delivery of press releases, op-eds, parliamentary testimonies, speeches, fact sheets, advertising, social media and other materials. They will work with all forms of media, including print, digital, audio, and video.

This is senior position and a role for someone who can bring experience and connections to help elevate the activist work of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK Foundation) across the UK, US, and EU.

The successful candidate should have well-established relationships with journalists and media platforms in the UK and abroad, particularly in the US and Europe. This role requires experience of working across time zones and in conjunction with other relevant organisations including NGOs and parliaments around the world.

About the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation:

The CFHK Foundation was set up to fight for Hong Kong and its people as China continues its crackdown on the city. The Beijing-imposed National Security Law, which was introduced to Hong Kong in 2020, has been used to stifle any protests, demonstrations, critical journalism or other opposition to the Hong Kong authorities and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The CFHK Foundation defends political prisoners, free media and Hong Kong people’s right to live peacefully under the terms of the Basic Law which was put into effect by China in 1997. Hong Kong’s fate is linked to the preservation of freedom, democracy, and international law in the region and around the world.

CFHK Foundation raises awareness of the issues faced by people who flee Hong Kong and China, such as transnational repression, and exposes how China behaves in many countries across the world through economic coercion, interference in politics, academics and through local authorities.

We work together with parliaments, governments and NGOs around the world fighting for press freedom and freedom of expression, campaigning against dictatorships and the rise of authoritarians and campaign to free political prisoners.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate should have at least 10 years of professional experience in a communications, public relations or similar position within an NGO or government body. The position requires:

Staff management and /or leadership experience
Fluent in written and verbal English
Familiarity with the human rights community
Experience in advocacy campaigns
Experience of producing media strategies and social media strategies
Examples of high-level written work
Familiarity with international political affairs, international institutions and through understanding of Hong Kong and Chinese political issues
Experience working and managing projects across an international network of offices and independent contractors.

The successful candidate will show evidence of:

Managing staff
Teamwork and the ability to lead and motivate staff to produce high-level content
Building and growing media networks around the world
Finding the best way to convey a message and the creativity to produce exciting and interesting content
Organisational skills and the ability to multitask and prioritise projects while working on deadline in a high paced environment
Producing media plans and media strategies
Presenting communications plans and outputs to CFHK Foundation leadership

Tasks will include:

Drafting and/or editing press releases and statements
Drafting and /or editing speeches and testimonies for parliaments
Liaising with journalists, producers, editors as well as communications counterparts at NGOs and think tanks
Drafting and placing op-ed columns
Managing and editing the CFHK Foundation website and blog
Working on a variety of digital platforms and help create social media, web and mobile content
Support the delivery of research reports, including assisting with editing, proofreading and marketing of reports through traditional and social media as well as to think tanks, legislatures, and civil society organisations.
Manage production of a weekly newsletter
Overseeing the organisation of external events
Managing the media database

Interview/Start Dates
We will conduct interviews throughout July and would like the successful candidate to take up this newly created position as soon as practicable.

Application Details

Applicants should email a CV and a short letter explaining why they would like to work for the CFHK Foundation and how their relevant experience qualifies them for the role.

Applications should be sent to mark.sabah@thecfhk.org, with the subject line “Application for Head of Communications”