Communications Manager

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Directorate for Education and Skills (EDU) leads the Organisation’s work to help member and non-member countries achieve high-quality learning for all, design better skills policies, and turn them into jobs and growth. The Directorate carries this out by providing statistics, analysis and policy advice to countries on a wide range of educational topics.

EDU is looking for an experienced Communications Manager with drive and creativity who will be responsible for developing and co-ordinating the communications activities of the Directorate, aimed at increasing the visibility and impact of EDU’s work both within and outside the OECD. The selected candidate will lead and manage EDU’s communications team and will report to the Director.

Job Description

Main Responsibilities

Leadership

• Develop and implement EDU’s communication strategy, under the guidance of the Director(s) and working in collaboration with the Directorate for Communications (COM). Ensure that EDU messages are coherent and consistent with all OECD policy areas, and are well aligned with the Secretary-General’s strategic orientations for the Organisation.
• Develop, manage, innovate and implement specific end-to-end campaign strategies and outreach plans for EDU’s key priority themes and issues.
• Support the Director(s) in leveraging the strategic complementarities within and across directorates. Work horizontally with other Directorates and Centres/Units for joint communication purposes.
• Collaborate closely with Directorate project managers and Heads of Division to promote appropriate strategic approaches to communications for all projects.
• Promote an impact-driven and evidence-based approach to communications and dissemination. Working with COM, improve EDU’s understanding, mapping and monitoring of its audiences, and establish, implement and monitor criteria for evaluating the impact of EDU communications.

Management

• Manage the Directorate’s team of communications and publications officers. Ensure high standards of recruitment, performance management, project planning and management, effective working methods and a working environment conducive to teamwork, continuous learning, and innovation.
• Oversee the Directorate’s budget and resources for communications, promote the professional development of staff and help them contribute the best of their talents to the implementation of the OECD’s corporate communication strategy.
• Ensure effective co-ordination of communications projects and maintain a high standard of quality control.
• Promote the effective use of OECD corporate communication tools and processes and ensure that EDU communications adhere to the OECD corporate rules, processes and best practices as set out on the OECD Communications Guidance Portal.

Representation and liaison

• Establish effective working relationships with COM.
• As a member of ONE COM Communications Managers Group, represent EDU in the group’s monthly meetings. Contribute to the group’s discussions on strategic, governance or operational issues related to communications and help identify matters to be escalated to the Communications Steering Group.
• Represent the directorate in international dialogues on education and skills.
• Build, manage and expand strategic communication partnerships with other major organisations and key stakeholder groups active in the education and skills areas.
• Oversee and take a leading role in the management and liaison with external partners to deliver high‐profile public launches of publications and events on the EDU agenda.
• Stay abreast of OECD-wide substantive priorities related to education and skills.

Qualifications

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic background

• An advanced university degree in a relevant field such as communications, media or international relations, or another relevant discipline.

Professional background

• A minimum of five, preferably seven years' relevant work experience in the area related to education and skills, with proven experience of handling communications, devising campaign strategies and public relations, with government, business and/or the media.
• Significant experience of providing strategic leadership and advice at senior management level.
• Demonstrated experience in change and project management, especially in an inter-institutional collaborative nature.
• Experience in commissioning and adapting content to make it accessible to a broad range of target audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Ability to innovate, bring new ideas and creative approaches.
• Strong storytelling skills with a proven ability to produce clear and engaging content.

Tools

• Excellent IT skills, including web tools and platforms, and other internet technologies and social media.
• Experience with IT collaborative platforms (e.g. e-share) would be an advantage.

Core Competencies

• OECD staff are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes: Vision and Strategy (Level 2); Enable People (Level 1); Ethics and Integrity (Level 1); Collaboration and Horizontality (Level 2); Achieve Results (Level 2); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 2).
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level.
• Knowledge of other languages would be an asset.

Additional Information

Closing Date

• This vacancy should be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than Sunday 4 May 2025, 23h59 (Paris time).

Contract Duration

• Open-ended appointment, with no foreseen end date.

What the OECD offers

• Depending on level of experience, monthly salary starts at 7,644.78 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.
• Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.
• Please note that the appointment may be made at one grade lower in the specified job family, based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

Selection Process

For retained candidates, the selection process may include a video-recorded interview, job-based assessment and panel interviews.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates who are nationals of OECD member countries, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.