About Migration Services and Development (MSD)
Migration Services and Development (MSD) is a Lebanese non-governmental organization established in 2014, dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of vulnerable migrants, migrant workers, refugees, and individuals affected by exploitation and trafficking.
Guided by its vision of a world of justice where migrants are empowered and live in dignity, MSD provides protection, legal, psychosocial, humanitarian, and other forms of support while contributing to advocacy, awareness raising, and efforts to advance migrants’ rights in Lebanon.
Position Summary
MSD is seeking a dynamic, creative, and highly motivated Communications Officer to lead and support the organization’s external communications, digital presence, visibility, storytelling, and public engagement.
The Communications Officer will work closely with programme, protection, legal, and management teams to communicate MSD’s work and impact in an engaging, accurate, and ethical manner.
The role will be responsible for producing content across MSD’s communication channels, documenting programme activities, supporting campaigns and advocacy initiatives, strengthening the organization’s digital presence, and ensuring visibility for MSD and its projects.
Given MSD’s work with vulnerable individuals, the Communications Officer must demonstrate a strong understanding of ethical storytelling, safeguarding, informed consent, confidentiality, dignity, and do-no-harm principles.
Key Responsibilities
1. Communications and Content Development
- Develop and implement MSD’s communications and visibility activities in coordination with management and programme teams.
- Produce high-quality content including:
- Human-interest and impact stories;
- Programme updates;
- Social media content;
- Press releases;
- Reports and publications;
- Campaign materials;
- Donor and partner visibility content.
- Translate programme activities and technical information into accessible, compelling, and audience-friendly communications.
- Identify stories and communications opportunities that demonstrate MSD’s impact and highlight the experiences, resilience, and rights of migrants and refugees.
- Ensure that all communications materials are consistent with MSD’s identity, messaging, values, and communication standards.
- Attend MSD related activities and produce relevant media content as needed.
2. Social Media and Digital Communications
- Manage and regularly update MSD’s social media platforms.
- Create engaging social media posts, campaigns, reels, stories, graphics, and other digital content.
- Monitor online engagement and respond or refer inquiries when appropriate.
- Recommend approaches to improve MSD’s reach, visibility, and audience engagement.
3. Website Management
- Regularly update MSD’s website with news, activities, programme information, publications, vacancies, and other relevant content.
- Coordinate with technical support providers when website modifications are required.
- Ensure that website information remains accurate, accessible, up to date, and consistent with MSD’s messaging.
4. Photography, Video and Visual Content
- Document MSD activities through photography, short videos, interviews, and other multimedia content when appropriate.
- Develop simple visual communication materials using platforms such as Canva or Adobe tools.
- Coordinate with external photographers, videographers, graphic designers, or other communications service providers when required.
- Ensure that visual materials respect the safety, privacy, dignity, and confidentiality of programme participants.
5. Ethical Storytelling and Safeguarding
- Ensure informed and voluntary consent is obtained before documenting or publishing personal stories, photographs, videos, or identifying information.
- Apply safeguarding, confidentiality, protection, and do-no-harm principles to all communications activities.
- Ensure that migrants, refugees, survivors of trafficking, survivors of violence, children, and other vulnerable individuals are represented respectfully and without reinforcing stereotypes or stigma.
- Avoid sensationalist, exploitative, or victimizing narratives.
- Coordinate with protection and programme staff when communicating sensitive cases or topics.
- Maintain secure and confidential storage of consent forms and communications materials involving programme participants.
6. Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns
- Support MSD’s advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives related to migrants’ rights, protection, trafficking, discrimination, exploitation, and other relevant issues.
- Translate advocacy objectives into accessible public messages and digital campaigns.
- Monitor public discourse and relevant developments affecting migrant communities in Lebanon.
7. Media Relations and Public Visibility
- Draft press releases, media invitations, key messages, briefing notes, and talking points when needed.
- Support the organization of media interviews, press events, campaigns, workshops, and public events.
- Monitor media coverage of MSD and topics related to migration and migrant rights.
- Maintain an updated database of relevant media contacts.
8. Programme and Donor Visibility
- Work closely with programme teams to ensure appropriate visibility of projects, activities, achievements, and results.
- Develop communications materials in line with donor visibility requirements.
- Support the communications components of project proposals and donor reports.
- Document events, trainings, humanitarian interventions, outreach activities, and community initiatives.
- Ensure appropriate use of MSD, donor, and partner logos and branding.
9. Internal Communications and Coordination
- Regularly coordinate with MSD’s programme, legal, protection, psychosocial, and management teams to identify communications priorities.
- Support internal announcements and organizational communications when required.
- Contribute communications perspectives to programme planning and organizational strategy.
Qualifications and Experience
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Studies, Public Relations, Marketing, International Relations, Social Sciences, or another relevant field.
- Minimum 2–3 years of relevant professional experience in communications, media, digital communications, journalism, advocacy, or a related.
- Previous experience with an NGO, humanitarian organization, human rights organization, or civil society organization is strongly preferred.
- Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
- Excellent command of Arabic and English, written and spoken.
- Demonstrated experience managing organizational social media platforms.
- Experience producing digital and visual content.
- Good knowledge of Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or equivalent design and editing tools.
- Ability to take good-quality photographs and basic video content.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage several assignments and deadlines simultaneously.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse communities and colleagues.
- Willingness to undertake field visits within Lebanon when required.
Assets
- Experience working on migration, migrant workers’ rights, refugee protection, trafficking, human rights, or humanitarian issues.
- Experience implementing communications or visibility requirements for donor-funded projects.
- Experience with website content management systems.
- Knowledge of social media analytics and digital advertising.
- Video editing and graphic design skills.
- French or other languages commonly spoken among migrant communities in Lebanon would be considered an asset.
Core Competencies
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
- Commitment to human rights, dignity, equality, and social justice.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity.
- Creativity and initiative.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Sound judgement when dealing with confidential or sensitive information.
- Ability to communicate complex and sensitive issues responsibly.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to perform effectively in a fast-moving humanitarian environment.
- Commitment to ethical storytelling and the meaningful representation of migrant and refugee communities.
Ethical Standards and Safeguarding
MSD is committed to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, protection, and safeguarding.
All staff are expected to comply with MSD policies and standards relating to:
- Code of Conduct;
- Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA);
- Child Protection and Safeguarding;
- Confidentiality and safe data management;
- Do-No-Harm principles;
- Non-discrimination;
- Dignity and respect for programme participants.
Any form of sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, discrimination, abuse of power, or other misconduct is strictly prohibited.
Migration Services and Development (MSD) is an equal opportunity employer. Applications from qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged.
