Director, Partnerships and Strategic Communications, Africa at Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

Role’s Responsibilities  

Strategic Partnerships & External Engagement  

• Lead and deliver CIFF Africa’s partnerships strategic communications strategy aligned with CIFF’s Africa priorities and global objectives. 
• Build, steward, and deepen relationships with philanthropic partners, peer foundations, donor collaboratives, and high‑value networks. 
• Identify, assess, and pursue new partnership opportunities that unlock scale, sustainability, and systems‑level impact. 
• Support the Executive Director, Africa and Africa Directors in cultivating and managing senior‑level external relationships. 
• Represent CIFF Africa in relevant funder collaboratives, multi‑donor platforms, and partnership forums, ensuring clear value‑add and outcomes. 
• Engage strategically with priority governments, regional bodies (e.g. African Union, AUDA‑NEPAD, WHO AFRO), and multilateral institutions in partnership with programme teams. 
• Track policy, geopolitical, and regulatory developments relevant to philanthropy and partnerships in Africa, advising leadership on risks and opportunities. 
• Institutionalise best practices in partnership development, contributing to organisational learning and capability‑building across the Africa team. 

Strategic Communications & Thought Leadership 

• Set and lead CIFF Africa’s strategic communications agenda to strengthen visibility, influence, and coherence across countries and missions. 
• Develop integrated communications and positioning strategies aligned with CIFF’s values, priorities, and risk appetite. 
• Lead the creation of high‑quality external communications including speeches, talking points, briefs, op‑eds, reports, and presentations. 
• Shape and deliver CIFF Africa’s thought leadership and advocacy approach, in close collaboration with programme and policy teams. 
• Oversee digital and media engagement for CIFF Africa, coordinating with central communications teams on social media, media relations, and performance tracking. 
• Ensure consistency of messaging across external engagements, governance materials, and public‑facing platforms.   

Reputation and Crisis Communications 

• Develop and maintain crisis communications and reputation management plans for CIFF Africa 
• Monitor emerging reputational risks and sensitive issues, preparing proactive messaging and escalation pathways. 
• Advise the Executive Director and senior leadership on reputational risk mitigation and response strategies. 
• Coordinate external advisors and communications consultants during high‑risk or crisis situations. 

Leadership & Management 

• Provide strategic leadership to any staff or consultants working on partnerships and communications portfolios. 
• Work collaboratively with Africa Directors, programme teams, and global support functions (Communications, Legal, Finance, HR) to deliver integrated external engagement. 
• Contribute as a senior member of the Africa leadership cohort, modelling CIFF’s values and ways of working. 

Requirements

Skills & Experience  

• Significant senior‑level experience in partnership development, external relations, and/or strategic communications in Africa 
• Proven track record of building and managing high‑value partnerships across philanthropy, government, and multilateral systems. 
• Strong experience leading strategic communications, thought leadership, or advocacy in complex and sensitive contexts. 
• Demonstrated ability to operate credibly with senior stakeholders, including government officials, funders, and institutional leaders. 
• Experience managing reputational risk and crisis communications. 
• Strong political, institutional, and contextual understanding of African development landscapes. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distil complex issues clearly and persuasively. 
• Strategic, judgement‑driven thinker with a pragmatic and solutions‑oriented mindset. 
• High levels of integrity, discretion, and professionalism.