Communication Officer at Pact World

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A non-profit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives. This position reports to the Regional Team Leader.

Position Overview:

Pact Inc. Kenya Office is recruiting a Communication Officer for two of its European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) funded cross border projects. Through these two projects; Selam Ekisil (SEEK) which operates in the South-West Ethiopia and North-West Ethiopia and Regional Approaches for Sustainable Conflict Management and Integration (RASMI) which works in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia border, Pact adopts a conflict systems-based approach to address the multiple causes of conflict in cross-border areas and to promote peace building, conflict management, and conflict resolution capacity at the community and cross-border levels. Pact co-implements the two projects with seven other local consortium partners and this role will be required to bolster the communication capacity of these local partners with a view to enabling clearer, more coherent messaging across the implementation cycle. The ideal candidate for this role will excel at finding creative ways to tell stories and convey consistent messaging across the programs and have the technical skills to package and implement a mix of communication strategies. This is a 1-year role with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability.

Specific objectives and activities for the position will include:

• Designing and delivering a comprehensive but practical communication platforms for SEEK and RASMI. This will involve working with the program teams to develop and implement communication and visibility strategies; developing audience maps, targeted contact databases, key messages-digital and non-digital channels, editing and packaging reports, communication templates, monitoring and evaluation of communication activities, and capacity building for RASMI and SEEK staff and partners. The successful candidate will have the freedom to design and deliver a workplan to build on the communications assets developed by RASMI and SEEK so far.
• Fostering a vibrant Working Group for communications. Pact intends to set up a community of practice for communications which will entail working with SEEK and RASMI partners. With guidance from the field Program Managers, the Communications Officer will galvanise the Working Group by injecting energy and ideas and formalising its ongoing modus operandi. The purpose is to share knowledge, strengthen the RASMI and SEEK communications team and provide a platform for communications training and mentoring.
• Developing and managing innovative tools and channels to capture and share RASMI and SEEK ideas and impact. This role will provide scope to strengthen existing and create new ways to measure and communicate the impact of RASMI and SEEK projects. Working closely with the Program and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning (MERL) teams, the communication Officer is expected to develop and come up with new ideas and innovation of how to reach the program stakeholders in all the operation countries. These new methods might include; visual presentation and storytelling, video diaries, human interest stories, info-graphics, podcast and blogs.

Qualifications and experience required:

To deliver these objectives and the associated scope of work, the Communication Officer must have proficient knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• Bachelor’s degree in communication, journalism, or related fields from a reputable university.
• Three years of experience in the field of communication and journalism.
• Understanding of media and corporate relations, and digital media strategies
• Outstanding command of the English language (written and spoken)
• Story development and writing for publications, social media channels and reports
• Knowledgeable in and proficient using social media tools for communications, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc.
• Proficient with design concepts and corresponding computer programs (Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Adobe In-design, and Adobe Audition).
• Knowledge of video editing is required and will be tested as part of the interview process

Key Competencies:

• Current knowledge of industry trends and best practices in communications
• Excellent communication skills and strong attention to detail
• Time management skills and the ability to meet project deadlines
• Ability to deal effectively with rapid changes; possess a proactive, positive attitude and flexibility in working in a fast-paced environment anticipating the future communication needs of the organization
• Highly developed written, verbal, editing and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in an international, culturally diverse environment
• Must be willing to travel to remote cross-border areas (50% of the time).
• Must be a self-starter and require limited supervision.