Communications Consultancy – Washington DC

Global Witness is looking for a consultant to provide communications and media support for our US-based advocacy activities.

Initially, we are looking to work with someone (not necessarily on a full time basis) until the end of November. Terms and day rate to be agreed.

You may be required to travel to our DC office as part of the consultancy, but don’t need to be based there.

You will work with our oil and banks / anonymous companies’ teams and will report to the Head of the US office.

Scope of the work:

Extractive sector transparency campaign

Global Witness focuses on promoting greater transparency in the extractive industries, so that citizens of resource-rich countries are able to track the money being paid for their natural resources and hold their governments to account for how it’s used.

After over a decade of campaigning, momentum to force extractive companies to open up their books to scrutiny is building on a global scale. The U.S. government has passed a strong law (Section 1504 of the Dodd Frank Act) which forces over 1,000 extractive companies, including some of the world’s biggest oil and mining firms, to be more transparent. The EU has passed similar legislation, and Canada has announced a commitment to the same.

In the US, the American Petroleum Institute (API), which includes companies such as Shell, Chevron, Exxon, BP, is fighting against this emerging consensus on transparency. They have filed a lawsuit which aims to strike out the strong rules laid down by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) governing Section 1504. Global Witness is continuing its campaign to ensure they don’t succeed in gutting this law.

Ending the abuse of anonymous shell companies

Those who loot state funds through corruption or deprive their state of revenues through tax evasion need more than a bank: they need to hide their identity behind a corporate front. It is primarily companies that are used to move dirty money. The World Bank reviewed 213 big cases of corruption between 1980 and 2010. More than 70% of them relied on anonymous shell companies. And those anonymous companies did not just come from sunny Caribbean islands. Instead, companies registered in the United States topped the list, and the UK and its crown dependencies and overseas territories came second.

Global Witness is carrying out advocacy  to stop the ludicrous ease with which shell companies are used by the corrupt as fronts to hide behind. We’re working to raise awareness about the problems created by anonymous shell companies and pressing  for countries to enact legislation requiring companies to put the information about their true, beneficial, owners in the public domain.

This issue is rising up the political agenda. In the US, Senators Levin (D-MI), Grassley (R-IA), Feinstein (D-CA) and Harkin (D-IA) have introduced legislation that would require companies to disclose their beneficial owners when the company is set up, and keep this information up to date. This would allow the Obama Administration to implement its G8 commitment to enhance transparency of the real owners and controllers of American companies.

Specific deliverables:

1. Proactive press work:

• Identify, take advantage of and create opportunities to get coverage around these issues during the consultancy

1. Work with Global Witness’s policy advisors  to broaden our base of US media contacts on these campaigns

• Identify the key media players (outlets and journalists) for both campaigns.
• Work with the team to proactively reach out to these key targets (including meetings) and fill any gaps.
• Introduce Global Witness to existing contacts.
• Produce a written briefing on who Global Witness’s main targets should be (both outlets and journalists), and provide contacts.

1. Produce written materials for use on both campaigns / work on key messaging

• Input and advice on messaging for both campaigns, ensuring it is framed correctly for a US audience and produce a crib sheet of topline messaging for GW as a result.
• Work proactively with both campaigns to translate their work into communications-friendly materials – including writing press releases, OpEds, tweets, material for the website, and other products as necessary – using these as tools for use in proactive outreach to journalists.

1. Process: Advise on communications strategy throughout the consultancy

• Work with policy advisors at the start of the consultancy to ensure this work is coherent in terms of strategy (i.e. timed correctly, tied to appropriate campaigning opportunities where possible.etc…)
• Advise Global Witness of any communications opportunities we could be taking advantage of during the consultancy, not included in this ToR.
• Towards the end of the consultancy, work with the policy advisors, Head of the US office, and the Communications Manager to devise a written, ongoing communications strategy, based on forthcoming campaigning opportunities, taking account of the achievements of the consultancy.

Who we’re looking for:

• Experienced communications professional (either a journalist / campaigner with a comms background).
• Existing contacts with US press.
• Someone who can demonstrate an understanding of strategic communications for campaigns.