Public Affairs Manager

Department: Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Department

Location: Lausanne, Switzerland

Contract Type: Open-ended

Activity Level: 100%

Entry date: As soon as possible

Your mission will be to manage the implementation of the IOC public affairs approach and related projects to reinforce the IOC position and visibility.

Main responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of the IOC public affairs strategy.
• Recommend approaches for effective engagement to position and promote the IOC role in society with key political platforms, in particular with partner organizations and entities of the UN system.
• Ensure the coordination of activities of the IOC as Observer to the UN.
• Develop and writes the advocacy messaging and supports partners’ outreach, including with:
• - high quality submissions, briefings, speeches, correspondence, and other advocacy products for internal and external purposes (for govt, Olympic movement, general public).
• - identification of audiences, and targeting of stakeholders, influencers, and media outlets. 
• Support IOC Corporate communication with content creation, story mining, and refines IOC’s core messages to ensure consistency in positioning and branding, and serves as liaison with other Communication units and other departments as required.
• Manage the development and publication of the IOC Public Affairs newsletter on a regular basis.
• Support the development and management of relationships with key stakeholders and partners, and attends meetings in representation as required.
• Maintain a public affairs schedule and global roadmap for the Unit, and develops and manages a public affairs database of key stakeholders, influencers, institutions, and media.
• Manage ad-hoc Public affairs events’ organization (panels, workshops, etc.).
• Work closely with the other Public Affairs Manager and Project Officer to build and implement public affairs positioning.

Preparation and planning

• Perform public affairs projects feasibility study and analysis of return on investment, and formalises the project definition and establishes the project plan.
• Select sub-contractors and prepares the contracts as required (formalising needs, drafting calls for tender, comparing offers and establishing contracts).

Managing a public affairs project team

• Put together the project team, around a shared vision, working rules and the engagement and open-mindedness of each member.
• Lead the team, recognises its successes, deals with obstacles and addresses conflicts.
• Organise the team meetings and manages the practical functioning of these (e.g. minutes, document management, etc.).
• Report regularly on project progress.

Coordination and monitoring of activities

• Is responsible for ensuring respect of deadlines, quality of the deliverable and project budget.
• Follows up the project using indicators (quality, deadlines, budget and risks).
• Coordinates the implementation of the project with the project team and various stakeholders (managing the change with those impacted).

Steering the project

• Gives regular progress reports to the Head of Public Affairs (indicators, slippage, obstacles, etc.).
• Ensures formal validation of the key project phases is obtained.
• Establishes the end-of-project report and project closure (documents the experience/ knowledge acquired).

Our requirements

• University degree in political sciences, international relations, or journalism (Masters, bachelor’s degree, federal diploma, etc.).
• At least 5 years of experience with a solide professional experience in the UN system, in particular in social related themes.
• Understanding of external political environments, sound knowledge of the working of the UN system and governmental affairs.
• Project management experience - project management certification an advantage.
• Fluent in English or French, with excellent writing and speaking of the other language. 
• Excellent writing, editorial, speaking and networking skills.
• Ability to prioritise and work under pressure, meeting deadlines with tight schedules.
• Ability to establish a realistic, clear and efficient line of action to reach individual or common objectives. 
• Collaborative working style and ability to find agreement through mutual concessions when faced with the diverging interests of several people. 
• Ability to allocate responsibilities and tasks to the right people at the right time, as well as the resources needed to achieve these tasks. 
• Excellent command of corporate tools and compliance with the internal usage rules (MicrosoftTeams, Outlook, etc.).

Come and join an organisation where the spirit of inclusion, gender equality and diversity is embedded in its DNA and which focuses on what unites us – a passion for sport and its values. Work in a flexible and rewarding environment which offers equal pay for work of equal value, competitive employee benefits and numerous incentives to live a sustainable, healthy and active life. By joining us, you become part of the Olympic Movement and help to build a better world through sport. You will have the opportunity to work with people of more than 50 nationalities.