Sr Brand & Reputation Specialist (32 hours)

at  Oikocredit International

THE DEPARTMENT

The Communications department positions and emphasises Oikocredit’s mission, vision, theory of change, strategy, and realised impact to internal and external audiences. It informs external stakeholders about cooperative activities, impact, and financial performance. The department develops, enhances, and safeguards the brand and reputation, ensuring consistent messaging across all channels to target audiences internally and externally. It ensures effective internal communication and manages events within the organisation. By harnessing technology, the department delivers measurable value and insights to drive strategy and support the organisation in achieving its goals. The Corporate Communications team aims to be tech-savvy, agile, multidisciplinary, and data-driven.
The areas of responsibility for the Corporate Communications team are 1) brand and reputation management, 2) corporate and impact communication, 3) internal communication & event management and 4) analytics and support.

EDUCATION, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s degree in journalism, marketing and communications or another relevant field.
• Knowledge of and track record on how to build trust and brand loyalty based on mission, vision and strategy of a company.
• Experience with building and maintaining relationships with journalists, opinion makers and influencers.
• Proven track record in (online) reputation management.
• Understanding the media cycle and knowing how, when and where to pitch stories.
• Experience with preparing and handling press releases and handling media inquiries or crafting compelling narratives that capture the essence of the organisation’s message.
• Experience in conducting interview/communication training for staff.
• Practical experience in managing communication during crises to protect and preserve the organization’s reputation.
• Fluent in English and preferably one other language (Dutch, German, French or Spanish).
• Proficiency in media monitoring and PR tools to track media coverage, analysing trends, and managing public relations effectively.
• Basic knowledge of graphic design and visual communication to manage visual identity and create compelling communication materials. Data analytics and reporting to measure communication impact and support data-driven strategies.

Mindset:

• Willingness to create training material and share experience with training senior leaders.
• Has the creativity to build the image as well as the problem-solving skills to counter threats to the company’s reputation.
• Detail-oriented to ensure accuracy and consistency in all communication materials and brand representations.
• Resilient and adaptable to handle crises and rapidly changing situations with calm and effective communication strategies.
• Collaborative to work effectively with internal teams, leaders, and external stakeholders to achieve communication goals and maintain brand integrity.

• Maintain relationships with media outlets together with the marketing team.
• Pitch potential articles with global and/or high-profile outlets.
• Train and support leaders of Oikocredit in their interaction with media and other stakeholders.
• Manage the visual identity and house style of Oikocredit based on our mission, vision and strategy.
• Maintain an accurate brand book, templates, media library and train staff and network on the usage thereof.
• Ensure the Support Associations are aware of the brand guidelines and the language of Oikocredit International.
• Maintenance and monitoring of registered logos and trademarks.
• Provide guidance and advice to internal stakeholders and network on language, web design, copyright, logos, advertisements and all other forms of communication materials.
• Being part of the Corporate Communications team meetings / bilat.
• Back up for the Non-Financial Risk Committee and manager communication.
• Team member of change initiatives (websites/brand refresh).
• Participate in Internal webinars & meetings and serve as a backup for Communications Manager in these meetings when needed.