Advocacy & Communications Officer at Hivos East Africa

Job Context

• Hivos is looking for an Advocacy and Communication Officer who will be responsible for producing & curating content that contributes to Hivos’ positioning and leading campaign efforts on LGBTIQ+ rights.  They will work with external and internal audiences to deliver key advocacy and communication initiatives for the promotion, coordination, and advancement of the human rights of the LGBTIQ+ community.

Your responsibilities:

Advocacy and Campaign Management

• Develop advocacy and campaign guidelines for the project in the region
• Support community advocacy efforts for policies promoting online safety, and protection of LGBTQ+ rights in online and offline spaces.
• Organize convenings with policymakers to enhance support for human rights for all
• Collaborate with existing networks and regional bodies in the protection and promotion of LGBTIQ+ rights
• Support efforts to counter the anti-rights/ anti-gender movements in the region
• Support creatives in the design and dissemination of new and empowering narratives
• Connect communities of action to networks of creatives in the design and dissemination of powerful alternative narratives

Communication strategy and implementation   

• Develop and implement a project specific communication strategy in line with Hivos’ global corporate communications strategy in East Africa
• Implement an annual budgeted editorial calendar by working with various vendors and consultants in execution
• Provide communications advice and counsel to the Free to be Me program closely weighing possible (security & reputational) risks

Online strategy and content development         

• Develop and play a lead role in implementation of the program's digital advocacy strategy.
• Produce, edit and/or curate (multimedia) content for the main hivos.org website through blogs, news items and opinion articles, illustrations, videos, and infographics
• Contribute to Hivos East Africa’s social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Movement building & strengthening

• Pro-actively gather intelligence in the environment through issue management and advise program and executive leadership where appropriate
• Map out and work closely with movements in the region and mobilize allies of human rights defenders
• Capacity strengthening of media organizations on positive messaging that promotes non-discrimination
• Continuously seek targeted opportunities to position Hivos’ work in East Africa through global bilateral and multilateral events, media interviews, Op-Eds amongst others

Engagement with the International Communications & Program Teams

• Work in partnership with the Corporate communications team based in the Netherlands, and our global Communications Officer to co-create campaigns, strategy, pro-active and reactive content pieces, amongst others.
• Actively participate and contribute as an advocacy and communications team member from East Africa.
• Work closely with the Program Officer for East Africa in engagement with societal leaders

Your Profile

• Degree in Sociology, Media/ journalism/ communications, public relations, or a human rights-related field from a recognized institution
• At least five years of work experience in an international organization or working in a regional setting
• Experience in advocacy strategy development and implementation
• Experience in human rights advocacy and/ or campaign management is essential
• High-level interpersonal skills including the ability to build relationships internally and externally
• Must possess excellent journalistic and photographic skills
• Ability to craft messaging for effective advocacy including production of video and audio documentaries
• Exceptionally good writing skills.