Communications Consultant Under the Arise at The African Academy of Sciences (AAS)

Scope of Work

• The AAS shall engage a Science Communication Consultant (SCC) to provide branding, visibility, and science communication services for the ARISE programme and the AAS in general. The SCC shall work closely with the Communications Officer and other AAS Programmes staff to deliver the following:

Communication & Public Relations Strategy

• Develop and continuously refine an overall Communication Strategy for the AAS as well as its implementation tools including annual plans and monitoring, evaluation, and learning templates.
• Develop and continuously refine a Communication Plan for ARISE and other programmes of the AAS, based on the overall AAS Communication Strategy.
• Maintain a monthly editorial calendar for events and online communications.
• Science Communication
• Develop key messages for AAS's tripartite mandate, its programmes and promotional items.
• Adapt technical content such as reports and presentations into accessible digital content including blogs and social media posts.
• Lead the development of technical briefs, knowledge products, blogs, and other content for science communication and dissemination.
• Lead the conceptualization of any other commissioned science communication content, when required.
• Plan, draft, and schedule social media content for the AAS’ social media channels, ensuring consistent and appropriate voice depending on the audience/channel.
• Commission, write, edit, schedule, and publishe a pipeline of blogs, including managing relationships with interna and external blog authors and editing their work
• Monitor the AAS’ social media channels, amplify appropriate partner content, flag sensitive content, and respond to questions and messages when needed.
• Track key events such as relevant global and regional events and international days to time publications and maximize visibility of relevant content for the AAS.
• Lead on an overhaul, and subsequent regular updating, of the AAS website content
• Lead on the design and development of new webpages as needed, ensuring posting of accurate and regularly updated content on the webpages
• Lead on the generation of content, design, drafting, editing, and publishing AAS’ monthly newsletters as well as other products including flyers, digital postcards, presentations, and other visual assets as needed.
• Co-conceptualize and coordinate the production of infographics and multimedia assets
• Maintain a set of PowerPoint templates with a consistent style and branding.
• Support ARISE and other AAS events, including editing and distributing the summary reports, presentations, and any press releases.
• Compile and report quarterly communications metrics from AAS’ website and social media channels, applying insights from the metrics to improve online content and engagement.
• Ensures all communications products comply with AAS’ communication policy as well as donor and/or partner guidelines and standards.

Media Engagement

• Organize and facilitate strategic interviews on relevant media platforms such as print, TV, Radio and Online. Media interviews on major African and international TV, Radio and print outlets.
• Spokesperson training: prepare the Academy’s Management, Executive Director and Governing Council for media interviews and who can serve as media spokesperson(s) as necessary or as may be guided. Provide a media briefing document based on key messages. Do’s and don’ts.
• Organize and facilitate the Academy’s Management to meet Journal Editors and Senior Reporters to enable AAS build a strong rapport with various local and international media. Develop Thought-leadership articles and Opinion Editorials (OpEds).
• Run digital campaigns periodically to articulate the Academy’s goals for each of its programmes and respond to issues raised through various digital platforms relating to the AAS.
• Isolate and address any contentious issues that revolve around the AAS operations; provide regular progress reports indicating activities implemented, their outcomes and the way forward for the organization.
• Capacity Building

Develop and conduct media training for the AAS’ spokesperson /people: Managers, the Executive Director, and the Governing Council on media handling and related issues. This shall guide ways of capacity enhancement to journalists reporting on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

• Perform any other tasks that may be requested for by senior management/supervisor.

Necessary Skills and Experience

The lead consultant should have the following education, experience, and competencies:

• At least a master’s degree in communications, International Relations/Public Affairs, Journalism, Marketing, Political Science, or other related disciplines.
• 10 years of work experience in the field of media relations, journalism or/and science communication.
• Demonstrable strong writing and editing skills, and an ability to convey complex ideas in a creative, clear, and lively style, evidenced through publications.
• Ability to collect web and social media analytics, interpret trends in data, and understand implications for intended audiences.
• Excellent organizational skills. Ability to prioritize, work well under pressure and capably juggle multiple tasks with tight deadlines.
• Strong diplomatic, interpersonal, and team skills; demonstrated client orientation; sensitized in working in a diverse and multicultural environment; ability to work effectively and respectfully with writers of different skill levels, from writers who simply need a copy edit to writers who struggle with message and structure.
• Experience working in an international development and/or research and innovation for development space is preferred.
• English is the primary working language for the AAS. Knowledge of other African Union languages, especially French, Arabic, or Portuguese will be an added advantage.

Evaluation criteria

Evaluation Criteria

The communication consultant must meet the mandatory requirements/constraints, if any, as set out in The AAS specifications. The requirements include the following:

Technical Evaluation Criteria -60%

• The Communication Consultant should outline previous experience with media relations, content creation, event branding and video productions, attach evidence-10%
• At least two of the Communication Consultant’s media projects must have won national and/or international excellence awards from reputable institutions, attach evidence- 10%
• Three references for large scope projects, attach evidence -5%
• The Communications Consultant must demonstrate having fundraised or mobilised resources from at least two major donors or commercial sponsors for the media programs undertaken, attach evidence-10%
• The Communications Consultant must have attended at least two PR and crisis management trainings offered by renowned organizations, attach evidence -5%
• The Communications Consultant must have taken part in major media projects in at least two African countries, attach evidence-10%
• The Communications Consultant’s media projects must have featured in major media outlets in at least two African countries, attach evidence -5% CV of the communication consultant to be engaged relevant to the task, Attach CV-5%
• Bidders who pass technical evaluation stage shall be invited for presentation. This constitutes 30% of the rating.

Commercial Evaluation-10%

• The cost estimate should be provided according to the set-out tasks and objectives. This will be discussed in more detail with the selected Communications Consultant. The Consultant has to provide their standard rate structure, including hourly rates for staff roles required to service the scope described by The AAS. The Request for Proposal (RFP) submissions without this information will be automatically disqualified.
• The lowest in price will get higher rating and vice versa.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

• Combined Scoring method – where the technical evaluation will be weighted 60%, presentations 30% combined with price offer which will be weighted a max of 10%.
• The highest scoring bidder will be recommended for award.