Job Title: Senior Editorial Officer (Signpost)
Band / Level / Grade: 8A
Department: SARL – Signpost 
Location: Aden with travel to field

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC responds to people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives. Our work gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, conflict sensitivity, coordination, and impact.

The IRC Yemen began its programs in October 2012. Since establishing its presence in the South of Yemen, in the Red Sea Coastal city of Aden, the organization has grown from just an implementing small project to handling large scale emergency and relief `operations. Following the war which broke out in Yemen in March of 2015 and the humanitarian disaster, which was crafted by the same, IRC launched one an emergency response program in the southern governorates of Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Shabwah and Al Dhale, and expanded later in Sana’a and Hodeidah in the North.  Currently IRC Yemen is operating in eight governorates in the south and north of Yemen through direct programming and through local partnerships, in Health, WASH, Nutrition, Economic Recovery Development, Education, Child Protection, Gender and Women Protection and Empowerment.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for more than forty years. Today, the IRC has more than 2,200 staff working across the region, including in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen to support those affected by some of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises.

SCOPE OF WORK:

The Senior Editorial Officer (Signpost) leads the design, management, and quality assurance of Signpost information services. The role oversees content development, editorial standards, digital engagement strategies, and information dissemination to ensure crisis-affected populations have access to accurate, timely, and actionable information. The position supervises Digital Community Liaison Officers and ensures that community feedback, protection monitoring findings, and service mapping data are translated into relevant information products that support accountability to affected populations (AAP).

JOB SUMMARY:
The Senior Editorial Officer (Signpost) will serve as the technical lead for Signpost, responsible for the overall design, implementation, and quality assurance of information services under the PRoL component.

The role will lead the development and delivery of accurate, timely, and user-centered information, ensuring alignment with Protection Monitoring findings, service mapping, and programme priorities. The position will also oversee content strategy, platform management, and community engagement approaches, while ensuring integration with protection and multi-sectoral services.

WORKING RELATIONS:

Reports to: Integrated Protection Manager
Direct supervision: Direct supervision: Digital Community Liaison Officer(s), Moderators, and other Signpost community engagement staff as applicable

Works closely with:

• Protection Monitoring team
• CP and WPE teams
• Health, Nutrition and WASH teams
• Emergency team.
• MEAL and IM teams
• Service mapping/referral actors
• IT/digital support teams.
• Cluster platforms and report tools

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, edit, and publish accurate, user-friendly, and contextually relevant content across Signpost platforms, ensuring information is verified, up-to-date, and accessible to affected populations. 
• Adapt content for both digital and offline channels, ensuring inclusive delivery in low-connectivity environments and alignment with protection principles and do-no-harm approaches. 
• Work closely with the Protection Monitoring team and other fiel team members to translate protection risks, trends, and alerts into actionable information that addresses identified information gaps. 
• Coordinate with service mapping efforts to ensure all content reflects accurate and updated information on available services, service providers, and referral pathways. 
• Manage content publication through digital platforms and tools, monitor user engagement and feedback, and adjust content strategies to improve relevance and reach. 
• Strengthen two-way communication by capturing and integrating community feedback and information needs, in coordination with Digital Community Liaison Officer, to support accountability to affected populations (AAP). 
• Ensure effective dissemination of information through both digital platforms and field-based outreach channels, in coordination with IRC teams and partners. 
• Contribute to reporting and analysis by tracking information needs, user engagement, and feedback trends, and linking these insights to program adaptation and Protection Monitoring outputs. 
• Coordinate with internal teams and external actors, including cluster platforms, to align messaging, support information sharing, and contribute to joint response efforts. 
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring, and coaching to Digital Community Liaison Officers, moderators, and other Signpost staff. 
• Ensure ongoing training and targeted capacity building of signpost staff.  
• Review performance of moderators in the field and provide encouraging approaches to address issues identified

REQUIREMENTS

A. Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Media, Public Information, or related field 

B. Experience

• Minimum 4–5 years of relevant experience in content development, editing, or communications, preferably within humanitarian or development settings. 
• Demonstrated experience working with digital content platforms and social media, as well as engaging with vulnerable or crisis-affected populations.

C. Skills and Competencies

• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills with the ability to produce clear and high-quality content (English & Arabic). 
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into simple, user-friendly, and actionable messages. 
• Good knowledge of digital communication tools, social media platforms, and content management systems (CMS). 
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, trends, and user feedback to inform content development. 
• Excellent coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders. 

D. Language

• Fluency in Arabic (required) 
• Advanced English language skills, oral and written

Core Competencies

• Strong understanding of protection principles and AAP 
• Commitment to ethical communication and do-no-harm approach 
• Ability to work in complex and dynamic environments 

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, at the IRC Yemen, we place the people we serve - our clients - at the center of our programming and services. The IRC Yemen Staff have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming through raising awareness among the community and clients about the existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them including the response processes, access, and eligibility to services, and contribute to building an institutional culture that prompts staff to listen to clients.