Communications Manager

Position description

Spark MicroGrants believes in a world where everyone lives with dignity and determines their own positive future. Spark has worked in 800+ villages in 6 countries and has pioneered a community-driven development model in sub-Saharan Africa. Spark works with NGO and Government partners to scale the model’s adoption and impact on rural communities – on their own terms. Our model combines facilitated community meetings with a small, discretionary grant to catalyze local action and institution building. Read more about our Approach, Impact and Values on our website. 

 

WHO YOU ARE 

We’re seeking a passionate Communications Manager to amplify the voices of our community partners and share the impact of village grants and planning. This role will lead our strategic communications efforts across multiple channels, telling compelling stories that bridge our grassroots work with global audiences. The ideal candidate will combine strong storytelling abilities with a deep commitment to ethical, community-centered communications. 

The Communications Manager will work closely with Spark’s Growth Team to ensure that the roll out of communication products aligns with the organization’s strategic direction and associated fundraising priorities. The Communications Manager will also be responsible for working closely with department heads and country teams to communicate program learnings, success stories, and study results. The Manager will produce high-quality content that engages our stakeholder community and builds relevant brand recognition. They will also be responsible for overseeing Spark’s social media and website presence. The ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator, with exceptional writing, presentation, and organizational skills. 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibility: Strategic Communications 

• Act as a thought partner and advisor to the Growth Director and leadership team on strategic communications, the prioritization of communications projects, and capacities required to achieve success.
• Lead the implementation and adoption of Spark’s new brand, including external and internal communication and press and staff coordination.
• Create and manage an editorial calendar for all platforms.
• Develop key messaging and communications frameworks.
• Ensure brand consistency across all materials and channels.
• Track and analyze the success of communications projects to optimize impact.
• Manage the communications budget and resources.
• Ensure all communication platforms (website & social media) are responsibly supported and secured.

Responsibility: Content Creation & Management 

• Collect and develop compelling impact stories with photos/videos.
• Ensure all materials are aligned with Spark’s brand and are compelling and visually appealing.
• Collaborate with country and department teams to support department-specific requests.
• Write and edit compelling stories, op-eds, and articles.
• Create impactful presentations and reports for various stakeholders.
• Identify key outlets of influence with targeted audience bases.
• Develop content for social media, newsletters, and the website.

Responsibility: External Relations 

• Manage media relations and press inquiries.
• Assess, source and oversee additional capacities needed to support and mature Spark’s communications infrastructure.
• Manage communication vendors, including videographers and photographers, to ensure quality on-time deliverables within budget.
• Coordinate with partner organizations on joint communications and op-eds.
• Support donor communications as needed.
• Represent Spark at external events when opportunities arise.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience, including at least 3 years of progressive experience in communications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to translate complex ideas into accessible content
• Creative storytelling abilities
• Attention to detail and commitment to quality and integrity
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines while working with internationally dispersed colleagues
• Ability to be flexible and collaborative; to assess capacities and priorities and work with colleagues to meet both immediate needs and broader strategic objectives
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa and knowledge of the East African context preferred
• Experience with international development and/or community-driven development preferred
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken

Application instructions

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