Karen Bennett - NGO PR

Having studied PR at university, Karen Bennett took the obvious first career step and got a job in an agency working for big corporate clients. But the corporate side of the industry soon lost its appeal for Karen, so she went back to studying, this time medicine.

It was through those studies that she came across the International AIDS Conference, and found a role where she could put her PR experience and medical knowledge to very good use, to help to support those living with or leading the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Since 2006 she has been working as Senior Communications Manager for the International AIDS Society, the NGO which stages the international conferences. This is a PR role which offers all the job satisfaction she felt was lacking in the corporate sector.

Unicorn Jobs student contributor Katerina Elias-Trostmann spoke to Karen to find out what working as a comms manager in an NGO is like, and why she prefers it so much to her PR roles in the corporate world

By Unicorn Jobs

How did you get into PR?

I studied PR at university. When I was applying for university, like most people I was unsure of what to study, but PR sounded interesting so I opted for that. From there a career in the corporate world seemed inevitable, probably because during all my time at university, and even after my studies, I was never presented with the alternative of working in the not-for-profit sector. I honestly thought the only choice, and the only way, was to work in corporate PR. So after university I joined a PR agency, working for clients like Unilever and the National Lottery. The novelty soon wore off though.

So, how did you make the move into the charity sector?

After some years in PR I went back to studying – this time medicine. The opportunity came up to work at an International AIDS Conference and I didn’t hesitate. It worked really well – my responsibilities combined my professional experience in PR and my newer knowledge from medical school. My first conference was the International AIDS Conference in Durban in 2000. I then went on to do the communications for the next conference in that series, which was held in Barcelona in 2002.

And that led to your role at the International AIDS Society?

Yes. The IAS is the ‘custodian’ of the International AIDS Conferences, so I was already working for the IAS in a way. Though before 2003 the IAS office consisted of just two people, and the conferences were organised by ‘secretariats’ established in the host city, so staff at the secretariats were technically speaking employed by the conference rather than the IAS directly. But in 2003 the IAS set up a permanent conference secretariat in Geneva and I’ve been here since 2006.

How many people work for IAS?

We have 36 permanent staff, and we employ around 100 contract staff for specific periods (ranging from one week to one year) to help us produce the conferences. We also have around 1000 volunteers and we could not hold the enormous International AIDS Conference without them.

What is the charity’s remit?

We are the independent voice of more than 12,000 health care professionals all over the world. Our current focus is on fighting the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, on the integration of TB and HIV services, on promoting evidence-based interventions, on promoting social science research, and on strengthening health systems.

And what does your specific job involve?

Despite being an NGO [non-governmental organisation], a lot of our activities are business-related. As Communications Manager my main responsibility is to reach out to the public and raise awareness. This we do in a large part by organising two global conferences each year. Most of my actions surround and are linked to the conferences. For instance I have to make sure all marketing material is produced and delivered on time. I’m also in charge of branding, promotion and communications – creating and getting our messages out there. I deal a lot with the media in terms of maintaining the issue of AIDS in the spotlight. It is tough, trying to engage others to care.

Given many of your tasks are similar to those done by a communications manager in a commercial business, how does your job differ now you are working in a not-for-profit organisation?

I would definitely say there is more passion involved with IAS. We can see that we do changes people’s lives; and this is what drives us. However, NGOs can fall into the ideology trap. It’s important that an NGO should be run along corporate lines, as the IAS is.

Five years ago the organisation consisted of two people based in Stockholm. We have since grown and become a global player in the fight against AIDS. It would not have been possible to make this transformation without employing the best practices, set procedures and corporate culture.

For the charity and development sector, it’s vital to combine ideology and pragmatism: we have the tools, so let’s use them as efficiently as possible to implement change. You can’t afford to be wasteful if you have limited resources.

But you’re happier working in the not-for-profit sector that in corporate PR?

Definitely. My job is linked to a cause. I work to improve the lives of those infected with and affected by HIV; and hopefully to eliminate a disease.

During the Durban conference, for instance, one particular man stood out who absolutely changed my outlook on life. He was HIV positive and had access to the medication that could save his life, a rare luxury in Africa in those days. Yet he refused to take them until all HIV positive South Africans had access to medication. Essentially he was fighting the cause with his own life, at a time when people were dying in thousands.

So the conference forced me to examine my own fortune and question what was important to me. I needed to do something, I had the skills and tools to achieve and the fortune to have had studied. This is why I joined IAS and why I still work for them. Corporate PR was just a job, this is now my life.

Can you tell us some of the IAS‘s major achievements?

IAS itself has been instrumental in bringing about a change in laws which restrict the free movement of people living with HIV. We work closely with other groups to address issues such as the criminalisation of injecting drug use, integrating HIV and TB services, strengthening the health care workforce globally and so on. Our conferences have brought about major changes including significantly speeding up the delivery of cheap medications to developing countries.

Finally, on a more practical level, what skills do you look for when recruiting?

The most important quality to possess is passion. Some applicants may not have the relevant or necessary qualifications, but passion expressed through experience and volunteering is always taken into account. We also strongly consider candidates who have a background in or good knowledge of business. It’s important to have the backbone skills, such as strategic planning, cost evaluation and project management.

Can you suggest any preparation for people going for PR jobs in the not-for-profit sector, or generally?

Be prepared for competition. There are many applicants for too few spaces. Also, initially the job will provide little reward for a lot of effort. Start gathering work experience and volunteer as much as you can. It’s standard advice, but it’s valuable. What is more, read. Gain knowledge and insight. Ultimately we will consider those candidates who have shown initiative to act, engage and obtain knowledge.

You can find out more about the International Aids Society at www.iasociety.org