World Vision is hiring a Communications and Advocacy Specialist for its Middle East and Eastern Europe Region (MEER), with Nicosia, Cyprus as the main location and several other listed locations across the region. The role supports communications, advocacy and engagement strategies, co-leads risk communications, media engagement and reputation management, and supports child participation. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the vacancy (JR53661): applications close on 19 November 2026.
About World Vision
With 75 years of experience, World Vision focuses on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. It helps children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by its Christian faith. World Vision has 31,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation with a mission centred on following Jesus Christ in service to the world's most vulnerable children. In all locations, to the fullest extent legally permissible, the successful applicant will affirm World Vision's core documents, observe conduct compatible with Christian principles, serve at a high level of professional ethics and act in accordance with cultural sensitivities. Regular attendance at team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings is expected, in line with policies in the World Vision host location and its departments.
Position Details
📍 Main location: Nicosia, Cyprus
🗺️ Other listed locations: Bosnia-Herzegovina (Home Working); Ukraine (Home Working); Syria Location; Lebanon (Home Working); Romania (Home Working); Armenia (Home Working); Jerusalem, Israel; Albania National Office; Erbil, Iraq; Georgia (Home Working); Herat, Afghanistan
📄 Contract type: Local, Fixed Term Employee (Fixed Term)
👤 Applicant types accepted: Local Applicants Only
🔖 Reference: JR53661
Purpose of the Role
The Communications and Advocacy Specialist supports the development and implementation of communications, advocacy and engagement strategies that enhance the organisation's visibility, reputation and influence across MEER. The role:
🛡️ Co-leads risk communications, media engagement and reputation management
🤲 Supports external relations, advocacy initiatives and meaningful child participation
🎬 Develops and delivers communication products and social media content
📰 Coordinates media outreach activities
🧭 Provides technical support and guidance to field offices on communications, risk communications and advocacy
🔗 Strengthens internal communications and cross-functional coordination for consistent messaging
🚨 Contributes to emergency communications and advocacy responses as required
A. Risk Communications and Reputation
⚖️ Co-lead on risk communications, media and reputation with the Advocacy, Communications & External Engagement Senior Advisor, in close coordination with FO, RO and GC risk leads
⏰ Ensure all communications, media and reputation risk issues are addressed in a timely and effective way
✏️ Ensure field offices address communications, media and reputation risks and draft reactive statements in a timely way
🎓 Onboard new comms risk focal points and ensure they complete online training
🔁 Organise regular refresher trainings with all comms risk focal points in the region
📢 Update the senior advisor and SDO regularly on any major communications risks
🤝 Liaise closely with FO, RO and GC risk leads to mitigate negative outcomes
🗃️ Update and assign media, risk and reputation cases in EthicsPoint
B. External Engagement, Advocacy and Child Participation
📑 Support advocacy initiatives, including external engagement events, reports and policy briefs, talking points and key messages
🧒 Support child participation initiatives with field offices' child participation focal points and children's councils
🌱 Support the establishment of sustainable child and youth participation mechanisms at field and regional level
🎪 Support the conceptualisation and implementation of external engagement events at regional level
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🌍 All opportunities in Cyprus →
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C. Communications and Social Media
🎨 Support communications and social media content production and design
🌐 Support updating RO website pages in WVI
📤 Support reviewing and publishing FO content in WVI
⬆️ Upload regional content in Storyhub and answer content requests
📱 Support social media posting and monitoring
📊 Support the communications dashboard and Hootsuite roll-out at regional level, with GC and RO
🛰️ Lead the Cision media monitoring tool roll-out at regional level
🗓️ Produce quarterly media monitoring reports through Cision
📞 Support media engagement, particularly through Cision's media pitching tools
🖌️ Lead on liaising with external designers for external products such as reports and capacity statements
✅ Ensure all regional products are up to standard, branded correctly and in line with safeguarding policies
🤖 Support the team in exploring how AI tools could enhance communications and social media content development
D. Technical Support for Field Offices
💬 Provide technical communications and social media support to field offices when needs arise
🧩 Provide technical advocacy and child participation support to field offices
🩹 Provide technical support to field offices in risk communications, media and reputation
🧰 Support field offices with Cision onboarding and use
🚑 Support RO and field offices with emergency advocacy and communications
👥 Support the development of regional internal and external pools of comms and advocacy experts who can be deployed during P&C gaps and emergencies
E. Internal Communications and Coordination
☎️ Attend regional and global advocacy and communications coordination calls and provide regular updates
📨 Support dissemination of MEERO's communications and advocacy products through key Teams channels
🗞️ Support internal communications (for example the Ignite newsletter, WV Central)
F. General
🌄 Participate in devotions and other activities that enrich and develop mutual growth in Christ
📋 Ensure World Vision's Christian identity is well represented through external and internal communications and advocacy
Education and Training
🎓 University degree in Communications, Journalism, International Relations, Social Sciences or a related field
📚 Relevant professional training in communications, advocacy, media relations, digital communications or humanitarian programming is desirable
Professional Experience Required
🥇 Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in communications, advocacy, media relations, public affairs or external engagement within the humanitarian, development or non-profit sector
🏛️ Experience developing and implementing communications and advocacy initiatives at national, regional or international level
🎙️ Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including media representatives, civil society organisations, government actors, donors and community representatives
🏕️ Experience providing communications and/or advocacy support to field teams and/or local partners
🌪️ Experience in complex humanitarian and emergency contexts is desirable
Languages and Physical Requirements
🗣️ Fluency in written and spoken English
🔤 Knowledge of any other language relevant to MEER is an asset
💪 Must be in good physical health
Preferred Skills and Knowledge
📸 Strong content development skills, including photography, videography, graphic design, storytelling and multimedia production
📈 Experience in social media management, monitoring, audience engagement and digital communications
📝 Excellent report writing, editing, proofreading and report design skills
🎯 Experience drafting advocacy messages, key messages, talking points, policy briefs and other advocacy materials
🧸 Good knowledge and practical experience in child and youth participation approaches and initiatives
How to Apply
📄 Apply through World Vision's official vacancy page (JR53661).
📍 Note that the position accepts local applicants only for the listed locations.
Browse more jobs on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the World Vision Communications and Advocacy Specialist based?
The main location is Nicosia, Cyprus. The vacancy also lists home-working and office locations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Romania, Armenia, Israel (Jerusalem), Albania, Iraq (Erbil), Georgia and Afghanistan (Herat).
Who can apply?
The vacancy accepts local applicants only, on a local fixed-term contract.
How much experience is needed?
A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in communications, advocacy, media relations, public affairs or external engagement in the humanitarian, development or non-profit sector.
What are the main responsibilities?
Co-leading risk communications and reputation management, supporting advocacy and child participation, producing communications and social media content, leading the Cision media monitoring roll-out and providing technical support to field offices.
Which tools are mentioned in the role?
Cision for media monitoring and pitching, Hootsuite and a communications dashboard, Storyhub, the WVI website, EthicsPoint for risk cases and Teams channels for internal dissemination. The role also explores the use of AI tools.
Is faith part of the role?
Yes. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation; the successful applicant affirms its core documents and is expected to attend team and office devotions, chapel and prayer gatherings in line with local policies.
What education is required?
A university degree in Communications, Journalism, International Relations, Social Sciences or a related field. Professional training in communications, advocacy or humanitarian programming is desirable.
Deadline
⏳ 19 November 2026
