Regional Communications and Outreach Specialist

SUMMARY: The Regional Communications and Outreach Specialist will spearhead the creation, curation, and dissemination of communications materials aimed at raising awareness and engaging both external and internal audiences across the African continent. This strategic role requires collaboration with stakeholders and teams within Feed the Children to amplify our mission and vision in the region. The Specialist will also manage outreach and media relationships, and drive communication efforts that support our core values and goals in Africa.

Preference for candidates living in and with citizenship in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Strategy & Planning:

• Ensure that the strategies and plans specifically address the communication challenges and opportunities within the African context.
• Plan and produce content, including publications, articles, web content, social media content, media releases, etc.

Content Creation & Management:

• Manage national office communication channels.
• Support design and improvement of tools and forms, develop and manage communications consultants.

Events & Outreach:

• Support fundraising events and develop and nurture linkages with local radio/TV stations.
• Organize and participate in events, interviews, conferences, seminars, meetings, and workshops.

Compliance & Reporting:

• Produce analytical reports to identify and mitigate potential risks related to communications work.

Collaboration & Communication:

• Create communication messages, talking points, presentations, respond to inquiries, and collaborate with Program officers.

Research & Development:

• Conduct submission review process, track, research, and analyze information, and gather effective practices and lessons learned.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Feed the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging personal and team goals, takes responsibility for own personal development, and encourages teams to do the same
• Widely shares personal vision for Feed the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with team, colleagues, Donors and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• At least a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, social work, or any other related discipline. Additional qualifications on the same subjects will be advantageous.

Qualifications & Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in strategic communications planning, messaging, and monitoring, with a proven track record of executing successful communication campaigns.
• At least two years of full-time experience in journalism, writing, editing, digital and print media, video production, or broadcasting.
• Demonstrated hands-on expertise in graphic design, including the creation of visual content for various communication channels.
• Proficient in graphic design software, such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) or similar tools, with a portfolio showcasing previous work.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, working across platforms and channels, online and offline, with high-level skills in design for social media and PowerPoint.
• Strong understanding of different communication formats and channels and robust knowledge of current trends in digital/social media.
• A background in and comprehension of the humanitarian rights approach, children safeguarding, and protection.
• Experience in project management, including managing communications vendors and consultants (e.g., translators, videographers, etc.).
• Outstanding organizational skills, with the capacity to handle conflicting demands, meet tight deadlines, and adapt priorities as needed.
• A positive attitude and flexibility in managing work tasks in a dynamic, high-pressure environment.

Additional job responsibilities

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reason and in line with their level of skills and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Computer Skills –

• Design Tools Proficiency: Experience with design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) or other relevant design tools for creating engaging social media posts, infographics, and visual content.
• Digital Media Management: Familiarity with and experience in managing websites, social media platforms, and blogs, along with strong knowledge of current trends in digital/social media.
• Content Development: Skills in creating various types of content, including articles, videos, infographics, and social media posts, using design tools as needed.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Experience with design software and platforms specific to social media content creation.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Oral Communication – Speak clearly, persuasively, and professionally in positive or negative situations; listen and gets clarification; respond well to questions; demonstrate group presentation skills; participate in meetings.

Written Communication – Write clearly and informatively; edit work for spelling and grammar; vary writing style to meet needs; present numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.

Teamwork – Balance team and individual responsibilities; exhibit objectivity and openness to others’ views; give and welcome feedback; contribute to building a positive team spirit; put success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; support everyone’s efforts to succeed.

Project Management – able to manage multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.

Innovation and creativity – ability to come up with innovative communications strategies or angles to communicate FEED stories.

Ethics – Treat people with respect; keep commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.

Reasoning – Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Feed the Children strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. Feed the Children holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. Feed the Children expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that Feed the Children work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the Feed the Children safeguarding and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

DISCLAIMER:

This job description should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this description. Any essential function or requirement of this job will be evaluated as necessary should an incumbent or applicant be unable to perform the function or meet the requirement due to a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation for the specific disability will be made for the incumbent or applicant when possible.