MSF Social Media Internship Programme 2024
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) seeks a Social Media Intern to handle the @MSF_HIV Twitter account. This role will be based in Cape Town.
About Doctors Without Borders
Doctors without Borders (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation committed to two objectives: providing medical assistance to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, natural and man-made disasters; and speaking out about the plight of the populations assisted.
Background: The @MSF_HIV Twitter account
The @MSF_HIV twitter account, currently at nearly 3000 followers, was started in April 2024 and positions itself as “the main hub for MSF’s work in 19 Middle & Lower Income countries, plus HIV-related operational research, views and more.”
The account aims to be a tool for the MSF movement to build general visibility on MSF’s HIV and related interventions, while supporting MSF’s leverage communications around HIV, with positioning around key events and issues. The account has access to a wide network of MSF projects and operational staff, from which a wide range of material can be sourced and developed.
Role Purpose
The Social Media Intern for the @MSF_HIV Twitter account will be instrumental in helping the HIV HIV Communications Advisor to raise online visibility, awareness and engagement around MSF’s HIV-related activities and positioning.
The Intern will play a key role in all aspects of the account, and will proactively identify and produce elements appropriate for sharing with selected audiences. The role will also play a part in the ongoing development and deployment of the @MSF_HIV account strategy.
The Social Media Intern reports to the Communications Advisor, who will ensure necessary training and supervision, and will be based with the South African Medical Unit in Observatory, Cape Town.
Responsibilities
- Media monitoring:
- Using List_servs, mailing lists, Google search terms, newsletters, etc, identify and flag relevant HIV- and HIV co-infection related MSF content, stories that could be publicly shared via @MSF_HIV
- Using @MSF_HIV, conduct daily monitoring of key HIV organisations, key search terms, HIV related info; flag stories with HIV Advocacy / Comms team
- Identify strong social media content developed by key HIV organisations, people and flag good examples ad new developments to HIV Combo
- Flag any potential issues, errors or misquotes relevant to MSF projects and positioning to HIV Communications Advisor
- Engagement:
- Where appropriate, build and maintain proactive engagement with followers who like, retweet or quote @MSF_HIV
- With the HIV Communications Advisor, write and share tweets on HIV-related topics relevant to MSF’s work, targeting influential handles where relevant
- Content development:
- Research, conduct related interviews and develop content related to MSF’s HIV activities for sharing via @MSF_HIV
- Liaise with internal MSF HIV-related contacts to source, collect, adapt and develop content and messages for @MSF_HIV
- Proactively source, develop or repurpose existing HIV-related MSF content, stories that could be suitable for sharing via @MSF_HIV
- Shoot and produce basic mobile videos and photos for use via @MSF_HIV on HIV related topic
- Assist the HIV Combo in taking photos, quotes, info to be shared via @MSF_HIV during events
- Maintaining contacts, lists:
- Research, identify and follow Twitter handles of key contacts and networks
- Compile and maintain lists of key HIV-related contacts on @MSF_HIV
- Reporting:
- Track and regularly report on the @MSF_HIV account, including engagement rates, influence
Requirements
Essential:
- Studies in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or similar field
- Good working knowledge of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, related Apps & other social networking tools & platforms
- Experience in using social media monitoring tools
- Creative and flexible approach to work, and ability to work well within a team
- Excellent verbal and written proficiency in English
- An interest in humanitarian, HIV and global health issues
- Awareness of best industry practice
Highly Desirable:
- Understanding of and interest in HIV and the global HIV environment
- Experience in managing social media accounts and/or campaigns
- Experience in editing mobile video and photo
- Basic design and layout experience, including on InDesign
Desirable:
- Experience using social media monitoring tools
- Experience creating social media campaigns
- Image/Video editing skills
- Experience using a Content Management System (CMS) (Drupal 7 beneficial)
- An awareness of industry best practice
Personal Attributes
- Ability to work independently, as part of a team and inter-departmentally
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to carry out different tasks simultaneously and to prioritise time and resources accordingly whilst maintaining an overview of all activity
- Good interpersonal, team-working and negotiation skills
- A positive mental attitude, persistence and the desire to learn
- The ideal candidate for this role will be hard working and fast learning
- A creative, out-of-the-box thinker
Further Details
- 3 months part-time (3 days a week) with the possibility to extend to 6 months
- Based in Cape Town, South Africa
- Hourly stipend paid to intern
- Candidates need to have the necessary permission and documentation to work in South Africa