Communications Officer at African Institute for Development Policy

The Communications Officer will play a key technical role in implementing our policy engagement and communications (PEC) strategy to raise AFIDEP’s profile and impact as a regional development research policy institute. The strategy should be an innovative plan that will raise AFIDEP’s profile as a regional development policy institute and enhance the role of research evidence in development processes in Africa.

Responsibilities

• PEC strategy: Contribute to the design and implementation of AFIDEP’s policy engagement and communications strategy.
• Branding: Contribute to the development of a recognisable AFIDEP brand as a leading policy institute in promoting and enabling evidence uptake in development efforts in all sectors, and supporting evidence synthesis and use; Expand AFIDEP’s partnerships and facilitate participation in key policy platforms.
• Publications: Create, design, edit and produce content for various institutional and technical publications. Write stories and blogs based on AFIDEP’s programmes and projects for publishing in newsletters, AFIDEP website, and other development blogs websites; Prepare content and produce AFIDEP’s IEC materials, mainly in relation to programmes in Kenya, and Eastern and West Africa.
• Media and multi-media: Implement a robust media engagement strategy that includes to establish and sustain links and contact with relevant journalists in Kenya and Eastern and West Africa to increase awareness of AFIDEP’s work among journalists; Develop media materials based on evidence generated by AFIDEP including media releases, media kits, Op-Eds, etc.; Produce and publish multi-media products (including videos, podcasts, photo-stories, infographics, animations, etc.) in a timely fashion.
• Online presence: Management of AFIDEP website and social media accounts. Contribute to managing the AFIDEP website, ensuring that web content related to our programmes in Kenya and the Eastern and West African regions are well presented and up to date on the website (includes developing content for website). Contribute to managing AFIDEP’s social media accounts, ensuring regular and quality content emanating from our work in Kenya and Eastern and West Africa.
• Keep abreast of other emerging social media and web 2.0 tools, taking advantage of these to extend the reach and impact of AFIDEP’s work.

Capacity development in science communication and evidence-informed decision-making

• Contribute to capacity-building programmes for AFIDEP staff in science communications and evidence uptake.
• Contribute to the Institute’s capacity-building programme in evidence-informed decision-making.

Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation of Communications Programme

• Implement a monitoring, learning and evaluation (MLE) plan for AFIDEP’s policy engagement and communications (PEC) programme in Kenya, and Eastern and West Africa.

Qualifications

• A Masters’ Degree in Communications, Media or International Relations, with at least 5 years’ experience in science communications.
• Communication: excellent writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with ability to convey technical arguments in clear and vivid prose
• Negotiation and networking: ability to negotiate, form and sustain credible strategic alliances
• Knowledgeable: sound knowledge of regional and pan-African development issues; public policies and laws; proven skills in translating research and evidence into effective advocacy
• Technical skills in publications production and design; web design and management