External Communications Advisor

This role is designed for an experienced communications professional who is comfortable operating within large, federated organisations or similarly complex systems. You will be adept at balancing thoughtful, proactive planning with the ability to deliver quickly under pressure, including in moments that require a crisis communications response. You bring creativity, strategic insight and energy across a wide range of topics and country contexts, acting as an enabler who helps reshape how IPPF approaches communication across the Federation.

You understand how public narratives are formed, how internal momentum fuels external influence, and how to create new spaces for dialogue - especially those that resonate with young people. Working across the Secretariat, you will help harmonise IPPF’s voice by advising on the best use of diverse platforms for dialogue, storytelling and information-sharing. This will include collaboration with External Relations and IT to modernise communication platforms and transform key organisational products, such as annual reports, technical guides, and other materials, into more engaging, digital-first, and increasingly paperless formats.

A key part of the role involves bridging digital and technological disparities. You will understand how communication operates in low‑resource settings and maintain curiosity about emerging technologies, including AI, that influence user experience and elevate the client voice. Throughout, you will work across an intergenerational Federation operating in a variety of environments - from humanitarian settings to countries with restricted digital freedoms - ensuring that IPPF’s most critical issues remain present and protected within public discourse.

Role Purpose

IPPF’s ability to advance SRHRJ through powerful, values-aligned communication is immense. This role provides strategic advice and leadership on all external communications, ensuring IPPF is visible, relevant, and aligned with our Strategy 2028 and the Charter of Values. The post-holder will strengthen both internal and external communications, ensuring SRHRJ remains central across all channels, and will act as the primary liaison with the Identity Initiative.

Deliverables

• Reorient IPPF’s communications to reflect MA and community priorities.
• Ensure global work is understood through the stories, needs and voices of those closest to the issues.
• Build insight into how key stakeholders use digital and traditional media.
• Strengthen collaboration across Global Comms, Voice and Media teams and act as the key interlocutor for the US‑based Individual Giving team.
• Increase IPPF’s external presence and visibility by enabling larger, more strategic communications outputs, supporting participation in conferences and global moments, and leading communications support for high‑demand events or major announcements.
• Create and support content for media and social platforms and link these external stories to internal dialogue and engagement.
• Champions timely, values‑driven voice, helping the Secretariat and MAs align communications approaches and using global platforms judiciously when MAs face restrictions and cannot speak publicly.
• Brings expertise in values‑based narrative development and cognitive linguistics, acting as the key liaison with the Opposition and Winning Narratives team.
• Drive internal communication transformation by supporting the CVM team to modernise approaches, advising on opportunities, risks, safety and security.
• Lead collaboration with the Identity Initiative, ensuring key components of the Charter and rebrand come to life and supporting rebrand implementation as needed.
• Work with the Director, Solidarity for Change and Voice on crisis communications, providing rapid, credible, coordinated messaging as situations evolve.
• Promote and uphold safeguarding, supporting a safe environment and meeting all reporting and monitoring responsibilities.

Essential Skills

• Ability to anticipate emerging issues, prioritise effectively, work across teams, and deliver results through collaborative, non-hierarchical ways of working.
• Strong instinct for deadlines, with the drive and ability to secure internal buy-in and deliver across multiple work streams within tight timelines.
• Knowledge of performance metrics and data analysis.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills — assertive, diplomatic, clear, and audience focused.
• Skilled at translating technical or rights based issues into accessible messages for public and lay audiences.
• Understanding of performance metrics and data analysis to guide decision making.
• Ability to drive teams toward more virtual, digitally enabled ways of working.
• Strong understanding of digital, social media, and emerging technologies (including AI), and how they shape user experience.
• Confident in supporting safe, secure, risk aware communications across diverse online environments.
• Fluent in English; French, Arabic or Spanish an advantage.

Experience

• Experience leading an INGO or similar organisation into the public arena, increasing visibility and public presence.
• Experience working across time zones, cultures, and diverse digital environments.
• Experience mobilising internal communities across time zones to collaborate intensively during high pressure or time‑sensitive issues.
• Experience developing communication approaches that support income generation and donor relations.
• Experience contributing to crisis communications and/or rapid response communications.
• Lived experience of a marginalised group (welcomed and valued).

About Us

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy. IPPF is a global movement delivering sexual and reproductive health services and rights. We are a diverse, feminist, and values‑driven workplace - multi‑national, multi‑cultural, multi‑racial, multi‑lingual, and intergenerational. We are an equal opportunities employer and appoint on merit through open competition. We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience and from the communities we serve, especially those from marginalised groups.

WHY JOIN IPPF?

• IPPF offers meaningful work, an inspiring environment, professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and communities around the world.
• Working for IPPF offers a compelling value proposition: Mission‑Driven Organization: IPPF is a globally recognized leader. By joining IPPF, you become part of a mission‑driven organization dedicated to empowering individuals and communities, advancing gender equality, and improving access to comprehensive healthcare services.
• Bringing Positive Change: IPPF brings positive change to the lives of millions of people worldwide. Reducing maternal mortality, preventing unintended pregnancies, combating gender‑based violence, promoting comprehensive sexuality education, and advocating for the realization of sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all, and especially marginalized people.
• Global Reach and Influence: IPPF works across all continents, providing a unique opportunity to work on a global scale to shape change and implement innovative approaches to combat racism.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: IPPF is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work. You will play a crucial role in building an inclusive and equitable organization that respects and values individuals’ backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

YOUR ETHOS

• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding in a local and international context.
• Demonstrates ability and willingness to work in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and intergenerational environment that is anti‑racist and respectful of others.
• An intersectional (pro) feminist passionate about sexual reproductive health care rights + justice, including safe abortion.
• Supportive of people’s rights regardless of sexuality or gender identity/expression and supportive of workers’ rights and access to health care in sex work.