Communications Officer At African Population and Health Research Center

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is the continent’s premier research institution and think tank, exploring questions of population health and wellbeing. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and with a West Africa Regional Office (WARO) in Dakar, Senegal, the Center seeks to drive change with evidence led by a growing cadre of research leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa. According to global and continental development priorities, our teams orient their research agendas, driven by the belief that Africa and African-generated evidence must be at the forefront of decisions supporting improved growth and development.

APHRC has embarked on a four-year research-to-policy program called ‘challenging the politics of social exclusion’ (CPSE). The program seeks to support the full domestication and translation into practice of continental commitments, forged collectively by African States. CPSE’s work is anchored on partnerships with key government and civil society bodies at the regional and sub-regional levels, in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa in seven countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and Liberia.

The APHRC seeks to recruit a Communications Officer to work in the CPSE project within the Policy Engagement and Communications Division. The Communications Officer will report to the Head of Advocacy Unit while working closely with the CPSE project team. Externally, the Communications Officer will work closely with national parliaments, civil society organizations, UN agencies, regional economic groups such as EAC, EALA, SADC PF and ECOWAS/WAHO among others. S/he will also participate in funder meetings. The country scope of this role includes Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and implement communications strategies for the CPSE project:

● Generate print and multimedia content to support the visibility of CPSE project including blogs, policy briefs, infographics, social media updates, and short films;

● Maintain an up-to-date, comprehensive understanding of and familiarity with the body of CPSE’s research and recommendations, and policy platforms to be used in policy engagement;

● Lead on planning for stakeholder meetings’, research uptake events, media engagement and related activities;

● Conduct training in communications and knowledge translation for researchers and stakeholders;

● Contribute to resource mobilization efforts; and

● Manage and inventory repository of knowledge management tools at the Center level.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

● Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Film Production, Marketing or related field; Master’s degree is desirable.

● At least four years of post-qualification work experience in communication, writing, and content creation, preferably in the development field.

● Excellent editing and writing skills as well as ability to translate complex scientific facts into accessible messages for general audiences.

● Visual media skills including use of still and video camera; use of editing software including FinalCut Pro desirable.

● Experience in using social media channels and extending their reach.

● Experience in creating and editing digital media and publishing across a variety of platforms including but not limited to Storify, Prezi, Slideshare, and YouTube.

● Experience in using the Adobe Creative Cloud for production.

● Familiarity with approaches for planning, executing and monitoring communications strategies.

● Demonstrated interest in some or all of the research topics APHRC touches, and a willingness to work as part of a team.

● Networking, interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills coupled with resourcefulness initiative and maturity of judgment.

Useful additional skills and experience

● Data visualization.

● Use of email distribution systems such as Mailchimp, ConstantContact, Salesforce, Pure360.

● Use of a contact database.

● Use of a website CMS.

The ideal candidate must have laser-sharp attention to detail, be an engaging and competent writer, an innovative user of new media, adept at photography and videography, be highly skilled at using social and digital media, and adheres to deadlines. Whether it is a blog, a press release, a short film, or an annual report, the right candidate will use his or her communications skills, media networks and expertise in campaigns to support CPSE’s efforts in bridging the evidence to policy gap, to ensure that our research and advocacy interventions have impact at the national, sub-regional and global levels.

A portfolio of three samples of work must accompany the application. The samples can include:

● a tool kit;

● a sample of written work – with one showing tracked changes edits from one version to the second ; and

● all the documents and elements of the most successful campaign that the candidate has developed and implemented.

If an application does not include these samples, it will not be considered. Please ensure that your cover letter includes two paragraphs on your motivation for applying for the position.