Communications Department Support Officer

Position Identification

Position Title:  Communications Department Support Officer

Organisation:  Islamic Relief South Africa

Location: Western Cape

Contract: One-year fixed term

Reports to:  Head of Department – Communications

Purpose of Position

• Handling all administrative paperwork with finance and procurement.
• Managing relationships with external service providers, including radio stations and TV.
• Daily management of communications projects, campaigns, and new requests.
• Reporting on project status, workloads, and accounts.
• Providing timely communication between relevant departments including digital, accounts, and creative teams.
• Managing daily schedules and departmental workflows.
• Providing operational ASANA support throughout the organization
• Overseeing project resources and assisting with the management of freelance requirements and bookings.
• Holding regular production meetings and status updates.
• Supporting design, content, and digital functions to strengthen the Communications Department.
• Daily management of projects and new requests.

Key Responsibilities

1. Procurement, Finance & Budgets

● Prepare, process, and track all procurement paperwork (purchase requisitions, quotations, purchase orders) for the Communications Department.

● Liaise with Finance to ensure timely processing of supplier invoices, reimbursements, and payments.

● Maintain accurate budget trackers for campaigns, projects, and departmental spend, flagging variances to the HOD.

● Ensure compliance with IRSA procurement and finance policies at all times, keeping a clear and accessible record of all supporting documentation.

● Support the HOD in preparing budget submissions, forecasts, and expenditure reports for monthly and annual reviews.

● Act as the administrative focal point between Communications, Procurement, and Finance, ensuring smooth flow of documentation and approvals.

2. Campaign & Project Coordination

● Lead and coordinate admin for campaigns from initial stages through to delivery.

● Ensure projects meet client/creative briefs, budgets, resources, and deadlines.

● Manage multiple projects simultaneously, keeping all parties informed of progress, issues, and updates.

● Prepare daily priority lists, weekly project status reports, and project planning documents for the team.

● Develop work schedules for the Communications Department to ensure timely delivery.

● Communicate potential problems to project teams and recommend solutions.

● Support the annual planning process and departmental strategy development.

● Support HOD, Content Creation Coordinator, and Marketing Coordinator with admin support for campaign execution.

3. Team & Workflow Support

● Manage departmental calendars, arrange meetings, and prepare minutes with action items.

● Facilitate effective workflow for marketing/communications,

● Identify opportunities to improve efficiency of work processes.

● Support cross-department collaboration and communication, ensuring stakeholders are aligned.

● Support internal communications, keeping staff informed of departmental campaigns and initiatives.

● Provide ad hoc administrative support to the HOD, Content Creation Coordinator, and Marketing Coordinator.

4. Content & Creative Support

● Ensure all design work aligns with IRSA brand guidelines, quality standards, and messaging consistency.

● Conduct quality control and provide final approval for all printed and digital design materials, liaising with service providers as required.

● Provide guidance to service providers who handle printing of artwork, banners, and other visibility materials to ensure high production standards.

● Maintain digital asset libraries (photos, videos, graphics) for accessibility.

5. Relationship & Stakeholder Management

● Build strong, effective relationships with internal departments, service providers, and external suppliers (printers, media houses, agencies).

● Update stakeholders on campaign requirements, progress, and supply management.

● Arrange and coordinate internal and external meetings, taking minutes and recording action items.

6. Operations & Training (ASANA & Workflow Management)

● Act as the departmental ASANA Super-User, ensuring consistent use across the Communications team.

● Provide ongoing training and refresher sessions for existing team members to ensure optimal usage.

● Monitor task progress and usage compliance on ASANA, providing reminders, support, and feedback.

● Develop and update team workflows and templates to improve project management efficiency.

● Support the Head of Department in using ASANA for reporting, timelines, and accountability tracking.

GENERAL DUTIES

● Be flexible within the broad remit of the post.

● Comply with organizational policies and practices.

● Keep professional knowledge and expertise up to date.

● Attend internal and external meetings as required and contribute positively.

● Undertake any other duties commensurate with this post as reasonably requested by the Head of Department.

Educational Qualification:

• Matric
• Diploma in administration/related qualification OR equivalent experience

Skills & Knowledge Required

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Calendar)
• Experience with project management and collaboration tools (Asana, Trello, Monday.com, ClickUp, Slack, Microsoft Teams)
• Strong data entry, record-keeping, and document management skills (digital and physical filing systems)
• Basic database and CRM knowledge (Microsoft Access, Airtable, Salesforce)
• Ability to generate reports, analyze data, and create dashboards (Excel/Sheets, basic analytics)
• Experience with cloud storage platforms and file-sharing tools (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)
• Proficiency in PDF and document management tools (Adobe Acrobat, Smallpdf)
• Knowledge of scheduling and calendar management tools (Calendly, Doodle, Google/Outlook Calendar)
• Basic finance and procurement support skills, including expense tracking, budgeting, and invoice processing
• Basic IT troubleshooting skills, including office hardware (printers, scanners) and software installation
• Cybersecurity awareness and safe handling of sensitive information
• Basic photography and content creation abilities
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to interact effectively with colleagues, management, and external stakeholders
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills for team collaboration and stakeholder engagement
• Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills in day-to-day administrative challenges
• Professionalism, adaptability, and emotional intelligence to handle sensitive information and workplace dynamics
• Time management, multitasking, and organizational skills to prioritize tasks efficiently
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple project deliverables.

Key Islamic Relief Qualities Required

• It is essential that the post holder shows a good understanding and sympathy with Islamic values and principles as well as commitment to IR’s vision and mission as per below:

• Excellence (Ihsan): Our actions in tackling poverty are marked by excellence in our operations and conduct which are deserving of the people we serve.

• Sincerity (Ikhlas): In responding to poverty and suffering our efforts are driven by sincerity to God and the need to fulfil our obligations to humanity

• Social Justice (Adl): Our work is founded on enabling people and institutions to fulfil the rights of the poor and vulnerable. We work to empower the dispossessed towards realising their God-given human potential and developing their capabilities and resources.
• Compassion (Rahma): We believe the protection and well-being of every life is of paramount importance and we shall join with other humanitarian actors to act as one in responding to suffering brought on by disasters, poverty and injustice.

• Custodianship (Amana): We uphold our duty of custodianship over the earth, its resources and the trust people place in us as humanitarian and development practitioners to be transparent and accountable.

Closing date: 23 October 2026

Please forward a copy of the completed application form (available on the website), 1 page motivational letter and your CV along with a certified copy of your ID to recruitment@islamic-relief.org.za before the 23 October 2026.

Over and above operational requirements Islamic Relief South Africa will take into account the country’s and organizational employment equity imperatives.