Communications Specialist, Restore Local project, Greater Rift Valley Landscape at World Resources Institute (WRI)

Job Highlight:

• Reporting to the Communication Manager, you will work with the Restore Local Project in WRI Africa’s Vital Landscapes Pillar to support the design and implementation of communications and engagement strategies, media relations, and events. You will curate communications products to elevate people-centered stories and messages for various channels, such as websites, social media, blogs, and publications.
• You will also work closely with Restore Local Project staff and partners in the Greater Rift Valley to develop communication products and messaging to promote project activities, create awareness, share lessons learned and increase the overall visibility of project activities. You will collaborate with other communications professionals across the institute on joint efforts to promote WRI’s mission and values.

What will you do:
Communications and Engagement (60%):

• Develop and implement a communications and engagement plan for the Restore Local project in the Greater Rift Valley landscape
• Coordinate and support the development of audience-specific knowledge products
• Coordinate and support the development of effective outreach material including high-quality presentations, publications, newsletters, blogs, photographs, videos, testimonials, webinars, social media, etc.
• Ensure that the project website is updated
• Facilitate communication between partners and the public through dissemination of research and data, publications, media outreach, and digital communications

Media Relations (20%):

• Draft press releases and coordinate the release of media advisories to promote research
• Coordinate project media relations including identifying opportunities for media coverage, responding to media requests, and arranging interviews as appropriate
• Maintain a list of media coverage of the Restore Local projects in the Greater Rift Valley
• Maintain a list of media contacts with the Greater Rift Valley Restore Local project scope

Events (10%):

• Coordinate the production of webinars with relevant program teams
• Coordinate communication support for program events, including social promotion and coverage, photography, media outreach, production of communication products, and post-event communication reports
• Contribute to WRI Africa’s list of events to ensure effective and efficient coordination of communication support

Institutional communications(10%):

• Contribute to WRI Africa’s communication initiatives such as compiling content for international days, blogs, the release of flagship reports, and newsletters

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed Bachelor’s degree in mass communication, journalism, or social sciences preferred or an additional 4 years of related work experience
• Experience: You have 6+ years of full-time relevant work experience in a similar role preferably with international development organizations, knowledge institutions, or media
• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills
• Ability to proactively identify opportunities for communication activities
• Experience storytelling and writing human-interest stories
• Experience designing and organizing events
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in teams and encourage knowledge sharing to achieve organizational goals and preferred experience of working in coalitions and other collaborative partnership models
• Willingness and ability to travel within the region and internationally
• Experience working with national and pan-African organizations and with international institutions; experience working on climate, water, cities, forests, or other development topics
• Languages: You have verbal and written proficiency in English
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization