Job title: Head of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations
Reports to: CEO
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Availability: As soon as possible

About UICC

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is a non-government organisation based in Geneva which serves an international and diverse population of cancer organisations to unite the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity and to integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda. We have achieved this by building a membership base of over thousand organisations and engaging in partnerships with more than 60 organisations across the UN, academic, health and private sector.

UICC convenes members and partners to encourage collaboration and new thinking through keystone events (World Cancer Congress, World Cancer Leaders Summit and World Cancer Day). Through our capacity building activities, UICC supports its members do a better job tomorrow than they do today and increase their impact by scaling up their relevance, reach and sustainability in their own settings. With our members and partners, we drive forward the key advocacy priorities building upon key international agreements (the Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Action Plan on NCDs and the 2017 Cancer Resolution at the World Health Assembly) to ensure that these global goals and targets are translated into national action.

UICC has a team of 45 people based predominantly in Geneva, Switzerland led by a CEO, reporting to a Board of Directors. It has an annual income of approximately $10m and has plans to grow significantly in the coming years. The UICC works in new offices in Geneva situated close to the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, with whom it has formal relations.

Summary of the position

The Head of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations will:

  • Lead the marketing, communications and public relations team, at the strategic and tactical levels, in coordination with the other functions of UICC.
  • Direct the development and implementation of related strategies and activities in the areas of marketing, communications and public relations both external and internal including the management of all digital platforms.
  • Oversee development and implementation of the UICC brand and visual identity across the organisation’s areas of work. Lead on specific projects for UICC as determined by the CEO. For example: World Cancer Day, CRM and other Management Information Database systems, delivery of e-UICC.

The Head of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations reports to the Chief Executive Officer and serves as a member of the senior management team. They will participate with the Board of Directors (at their regular meetings), CEO and other management staff in charting the direction of UICC, assuring its accountability to all constituencies, and ensuring its effective operation.

Main responsibilities

Marketing, communications and public relations

  • Responsible for creating, implementing and measuring the success of: comprehensive marketing, communications and public relations strategies that support the delivery of UICC’s objectives and enhance the organisation’s image and position amongst its network of stakeholders – this includes supporting all UICC teams in their publications, media relations, member communications, web and social media activities.
  • Ensure consistent use and positioning of the UICC brand, including tone of voice, messaging and visual identity both internally and externally, and those of UICC’s convening platforms World Cancer Day, World Cancer Congress and World Cancer Leaders’ Summit. Responsible for editorial direction, design, production and distribution of all organisational publications.
  • Coordinate media interest in UICC and ensure regular contact with target media and appropriate response to media requests.
  • Act as a UICC’s representative and spokesperson with the media, supporting the CEO in his/her interactions.
  • Ensure that UICC regularly monitors trends in the areas of communications, marketing and public relations and considers strategic shifts where relevant.

Projects

  • Leads projects as assigned by the CEO, such as:
    • Cause-related marketing
    • Special events
    • Global campaigns eg World Cancer Day
    • UICC Information database design and delivery
    • Sub-activities at the World Cancer Congress
    • Delivery of a UICC e-platform

Planning and budgeting

  • Responsible for the achievement of marketing, communications and public relations mission, goals and financial objectives. Ensure that evaluation systems are in place related to these goals and objectives and report progress to the CEO and Board.
  • Develop short- and long-term plans and budgets for the marketing, communications and public relations. Monitor progress, assure adherence and evaluate performance.
  • Keep informed of developments in the fields of marketing, communications and public relations, not-for-profit management and governance, and the specific business of UICC Use this information to help UICC operate with relevance, initiative and innovation.

Organisational strategy

  • Work with senior staff, other staff and volunteers to: develop and maintain a strategic perspective -based on marketplace and constituent needs and satisfaction – in organisational direction, programme and services, and decision-making; and, ensure the overall health and vitality of UICC.
  • Contribute to the strategic thinking of UICC and the business planning process undertaken each year.
  • Help ensure that UICC’s values, mission and vision are pertinent and practiced throughout UICC.
  • Develop and coordinate means to seek regular input from UICC’s key stakeholders regarding the quality of UICC’s communication capabilities.
  • Help formulate and administer policies to ensure the integrity of UICC.
  • Act as an internal consultant to bring attention and solutions to institutional priorities.

Managing

  • Maintain a positive and supportive work environment that attracts, retains and motivates top quality personnel, both paid and volunteer.
  • Recruit, train, appraise, supervise, support, develop, promote and guide qualified personnel, both paid and volunteer.
  • Ensure effective management within the marketing, communications and public relations function, with provision for succession.
  • Design, support and oversee cross-functional teams throughout UICC.
  • Manage the various demands on their team from across the rest of the UICC.
  • Effectively enable staff, suppliers and volunteers so they can take action on behalf of UICC by:
    • transmitting UICC’s values, vision and direction;
    • engaging people in the purpose of UICC;
    • respecting and using the skills, expertise, experience and insights of people;
    • providing direction and resources, removing barriers and helping develop people’s skills;
    •  articulating expectations and clarifying roles and relationships;
    • communicating which includes helping people transform information into knowledge and learning;
    • encouraging people to question organisational assumptions and ask strategic questions; ensuring quality decision-making;
    • anticipating conflicts and facilitating resolution;
    • engaging people in process as well as tasks; encouraging people to use their initiative, practice their authority, and accept their responsibility;
    • modelling behaviour; and
    • coaching people to success.

Skills and competencies

  • Advanced university degree in communications, marketing, public relations preferred or a comparable education.
  • Minimum of 7 years experience in marketing, communications or public relations with demonstrated success, preferably in the not-for-profit or association sector.
  • Demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience in the design and execution of marketing, communications and public relations activities (including digital media, and the production of electronic and print materials and publications).
  • Demonstrated successful experience in writing for different purposes, making presentations and negotiating with media and suppliers.
  • Experience developing and managing budgets, and hiring, training, developing, supervising and appraising personnel.
  • Commitment to working with shared leadership and in cross-functional teams.
  • Ability to manage multiple projects at a time and to work to tight timescales with others.
  • Computer literacy in word processing, data base management and page layout.
  • Strong creative, strategic, analytical, organisational and personal sales skills.
  • Strong oral and written communications skills.
  • English mother tongue; other languages will be an advantage, especially French and/or Spanish
  • The candidate should be eligible to work in Switzerland

Applications

Send your CV and motivation letter explaining how you think your skills and experience make you a strong candidate for this position to careers@uicc.org. Deadline for applications: 30 June 2018

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

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