POSITION SUMMARY:

The Communications and Outreach Associate is responsible for designing and executing communications and outreach initiatives that advance the Committee for the Welfare of Prisoners’ mission: safeguarding the legal rights, dignity, and welfare of prisoners and undertrial detainees across Pakistan.The role focuses on translating complex legal and human rights issues—such as unlawful detention, prison conditions, access to legal aid, and post-release reintegration into accurate, ethical, and compelling narratives for the public, media, donors, and institutional stakeholders. This position requires strong judgment, field sensitivity, and the ability to communicate stories involving incarceration without sensationalism, stigma, or harm to affected individuals and families.

The Associate works closely with legal teams, field staff, and partner organizations to ensure communications are grounded in reality, aligned with program objectives, and reflective of the organization’s values.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Communications, Outreach, and Field Engagement (Approximately 80%)

• Plan and execute communications coverage for programmatic activities, including prison visits (where permitted) & Court visits, legal aid camps, community awareness sessions, trainings, stakeholder consultations, and advocacy events.
  

• Conduct regular field visits to document program activities and outcomes through written briefs, photographs, and short narratives, ensuring informed consent and ethical representation of prisoners, former prisoners, and their families.
  

• Develop short coverage pieces, human-interest stories, and issue briefs for dissemination across print, digital, and social media platforms, with a focus on prisoners’ rights, access to justice, and systemic reform.
  

• Draft blogs, opinion pieces, and explainer content on legal and human rights issues related to incarceration, undertrial detention, prison reform, and rehabilitation, tailored for non-legal audiences.
  

• Support and coordinate media engagement, including identifying opportunities for talk shows, radio programs, panel discussions, and interviews that responsibly highlight prisoners’ welfare issues.
  

• Map, build, and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, digital platforms, and publishers interested in justice-sector reporting, human rights, and legal reform.
  

• Support the development, adaptation, and translation (Urdu/English, and other local languages where required) of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials for use in prisons, courts, and communities.
  

• Ensure all external communications reflect legal accuracy, institutional sensitivity, and the organization’s safeguarding and confidentiality standards.
  
  

2. Internal Coordination and Cross-Team Support (Approximately 20%)

• Maintain regular coordination with legal, field, and program teams to anticipate upcoming activities that require communications planning or outreach support.
  

• Translate program objectives and legal outcomes into clear messaging for public-facing materials without compromising legal nuance or client safety.
  

• Support the communications team in managing and updating social media content, ensuring consistency with organizational tone and mandate.
  

• Act as a liaison between program teams and the communications unit, providing strategic input on how and when sensitive issues involving prisoners should be communicated externally.
  

• Assist in documentation and reporting inputs for donor communications, Quarterly News letter, proposals, and program reports, where required.
  
  

Required Skills and Competencies

• Strong writing and editing skills in English and Urdu, with the ability to explain complex legal and human rights issues in plain language.
  

• Demonstrated sensitivity to working on issues involving incarceration, trauma, marginalization, and state institutions.
  

• Ability to exercise sound judgment when handling confidential or high-risk information.
  

• Strong relationship-building skills with media professionals, partners, and internal teams.
  

• Ability to manage multiple priorities, tight timelines, and field-based work in challenging environments.
  

• Working knowledge of social media platforms and digital content practices; familiarity with advocacy communications is an asset.
  
  

Attitude and Professional Disposition

• Demonstrates respect, empathy, and discretion when engaging with prisoners, families, and justice-sector stakeholders.

• Remains calm and effective under pressure, particularly when covering sensitive or time-critical issues.

• Proactively seeks better ways to communicate impact without compromising dignity or accuracy.

• Takes ownership of responsibilities and meets deadlines with minimal supervision.

• Willing to work extended hours or travel for field activities when required.

• Able to adapt quickly to the realities of working in a legal aid and human rights organization.