Communications Specialist

Project Background:

The Bangladesh Systems Strengthening for One Health (SSOH) aims to enhance Bangladesh’s global health security (GHS) capacity to operate a high functioning and equitable One Health (OH) disease detection system that prevents, detects, and responds to new and emerging infectious and endemic zoonotic disease, while ensuring good One Health governance and reducing risks of irreversible antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through evidence-informed and integrated systems approach, SSOH will strengthen Bangladesh’s One Health Systems and enhance the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from infectious disease threats. The activity aims therefore aims to achieve results under the following development objectives:

1. Strengthen Systems for Better One Health Governance across the Government of Bangladesh (GOB)
2. Strengthen One Health Disease Detection Systems for effective prevention, detection and response.
3. Reduce Threats of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across OH sectors.

Role’s Purpose:

The Communications Specialist will work with the Project Team to design and manage all aspects of internal and external project communications. S/he will support the assessment of appropriate communications channels and media through which to reach key audiences and help refine audience segmentation by identifying critical differentiators across gender, ages, literacy levels, etc. in order to better target communications and ensure broad accessibility and transparency of the SSOH announcements and information. The Communications Specialist will contribute to the development of high-quality knowledge and learning content including data visualizations, success stories, case studies, and other reporting that informs learning activities and support adaptive management decisions, contributing to the overall success and impact of the project. S/he will also support promoting project activities through key communication channels and engage critical partners and communities of practice through strategic outreach and innovative multicultural communication practices. The Communications Specialist will be instrumental in maintaining a strong and positive project image and effectively capturing and disseminating the project’s achievements and lessons to support ongoing learning and improvement. The Communications Specialist will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh with travel as required to report on key project activities.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Identify key audiences for project communications; design and carry out rapid assessment of communication channels most utilized by key audiences to inform communications strategy, including audience segmentation and communication approaches for reaching target audiences.
• Collaborate with the project technical team to ensure integration of communications and knowledge management activities that complement and report on program activities.
• Develop and execute the project’s overall communications strategy, catering for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead the communication, knowledge management, and visibility of the project’s activities, achievements, and lessons learned, ensuring that project outcomes are effectively shared with relevant stakeholders and contribute to the project’s overall success and impact.
• Deliver high-quality writing and communications support, with only limited supervision. Develop communications materials including weekly talking points and presentations, website content, fact sheets, presentations, reports, photo-reporting and other collateral materials that effectively showcase the project’s impact, lessons learned, and good practices.
• Lead SSOH’s reporting to USAID, including Biweekly Updates, Quarterly Progress Reports, Annual Reports and the Final Report.
• Working closely with SSOH technical staff and subcontractors to identify and craft stories that showcase impact, lessons learned, and good practices.
• Work with technical and security team to ensure communications are nuanced for the local context, ensuring the promotion of local ownership and managing the identification of USAID in a way that does not overshadow the role of local government or negatively impact the perception of the activity.
• Determine appropriate branding and marking approaches for each activity in each region, identifying opportunities where it is appropriate to identify and promote USAID support, and those where the identification of USAID would be detrimental to the success of the activity and an exception to USAID branding should be requested.
• Identify and spearhead the coordination of key events and other opportunities to connect with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Represent SSOH with USAID/Bangladesh’s Communications team to ensure Activity is aligned with USAID communication priorities and the Branding Implementation and Marking Plan is current and up to date with any required changes.
• Oversee the production of a wide range of communications materials and tools to advance SSOH objectives.
• Lead trainings on branding requirements, reporting and other communications related topics with SSOH staff, grantees, and other internal or external stakeholders, as needed.
• Other duties assigned by the MEL Advisor, Technical Team Leads, and/or Chief of Party that are consistent with the overall focus of the assignment.
• Travel to the field and regional offices as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications or a relevant field; Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 9 years of experience in communications, including writing success stories, social media, report writing, and producing visual presentations.
• Experience conducting interviews and writing success stories that showcase project milestones.
• Experience creating and leading social media content and solid understanding of social media analytics (Twitter/X, Facebook).
• Demonstrated knowledge of USAID Branding, Implementation and Marking requirements and reporting protocols preferred.
• Experience in development and implementation of communication plans and Branding Implementation and Marking Plans, preferred.
• Prior work experience in Bangladesh, required.
• Professional proficiency in English is required, and proficiency in local languages is preferred.

Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Attention to detail, able to manage one’s work, take initiative, set schedules and meet deadlines without close supervision.
• Team player, who can coordinate across several teams within SSOH.
• Ability to communicate project activities and impact to a range of external and internal stakeholders.

Reporting

The Communications Specialist will report to the MEL Advisor.

About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.