Communications Manager – BUILD At African Institute for Development Policy

AFIDEP, together with other partners, is implementing a five-year global project called Building Capacity for Integrated Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH) and Population, Environment and Development (PED) Action (BUILD) funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) in Washington D.C. The other consortium partners are Leadership for Environment and Development Southern and Eastern Africa (LEAD SEA); PATH Foundation Philippines Inc. (PFPI); FHI 360; and Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).

BUILD is designed to leverage the interconnectedness of Population, Environment, and Development (PED), to spur strong political commitment, sustained financial resources, and accountability for voluntary family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). BUILD seeks to amplify the PED approach for transformative action across disciplinary, geographical, sociocultural, and sectoral divides encompassing population dynamics, health, environment, climate change, resilience, livelihoods, food security, education, and governance.

The project is being implemented from 4 regional hubs in Eastern Africa (Kenya), Southern Africa (Malawi), Western Africa (Cote d’Ivoire) and Asia Pacific (Philippines).

Job Overview

The Communications Manager reports to the Project Director, BUILD. This position serves as the lead for all the project’s communications functions.

Key duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic communications and knowledge management

• Lead the planning, development and implementation of the project’s programmatic communications and knowledge management strategy,
• Support the development of content for communications materials such as web stories, op-eds, press releases, fact sheets, talking points, and event briefings as needed, working closely with consortium members.
• Support consortium partners in implementing the project’s communication and knowledge management strategy.

1. General communications and knowledge management; Execute communications projects for the project, including managing the production of all project communications material, Draft and coordinate the production and dissemination of a diverse range of products including external facing reports, technical briefs, infographics, program updates, media releases and success stories.
2. Support the project in developing and implement communication campaigns around key events such as global commemoration days to demonstrate the project’s work presence at regional convenings and events, including logistical work, collateral design, and staffing.
3. Manage the dissemination and maintenance of BUILD publications and products through channels such as website, social media, and other external facing platforms to ensure emerging research, program updates, success stories and reports of hub country and regional progress reach their target audiences and are consistently branded.
4. Establish metrics for measuring and gauging impact of materials and publications and provide updates on these metrics throughout the project.
5. Where necessary develop, manage, and maintain internal communications resources such as branding guidelines, style guide, templates etc.
6. Work with BUILD program and technical staff on the design and delivery of a regular program of technical updates for staff and partners.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Masters’ Degree or equivalent standard of education required, preferably in communications, digital media, journalism, international relations, global health, or other directly related field.
• At least five (5) years’ experience in science and development communications.
• Experience and interest in global population, health, environment and development issues including family planning, and reproductive health.
• Demonstrable track record of successful communication projects executed in previous roles
• Excellent and demonstrable writing and technical editing skills, especially policy-oriented publications and media products.
• Excellent presentation and public-speaking/verbal communication skills.
• Technical skills in publications design, web design and management, and social media platforms.
• Ability to negotiate, network and form credible relationships within organisation as well as with senior decision-makers in external institutions.
• Skilled communicator, able to dialogue effectively with a wide range of audiences and to represent the organisation with authority and credibility to the outside world, including the media.
• Experience in science and development communications, including translating and communicating research to non-scientific audiences such as the media and the public.
• Knowledge of the African context and how this influences decision-making in the areas of health, population and development, education, environment and climate change, and governance.
• Knowledge of current global issues and debates in development policy and international development politics.