Manager, Field Communications, Storytelling & Production at African Wildlife Foundation

Position Summary

The Manager, Field Communications, Storytelling & Production will be a strategic storyteller who can deliver character-driven, emotionally engaging audio-visual content tailored to different audiences and organizational goals. The position holder will work the storytelling spectrum – from gathering stories in the field to packaging them for various strategic purposes in different media.

The successful candidate will be responsible for producing audio-visual content across all AWF channels, conducting photography and video production shoots locally and in the field, coordinating with outside production vendors, and providing creative and technical support for organization teams and partners. They will bring to life through storytelling dynamic and compelling character-driven stories that move our audiences to engage more deeply and communicate our mission effectively.

Responsibilities

• Working with the Director, Strategic Communications, and Country Directors to maintain and implement AWF’s Strategic Communication Plan across various media.
• Working with the Director, Strategic Communications, to lead the African Conservation Voices, Media Lab initiative on behalf of AWF. This will include managing consultants supporting the initiative and working with all the stakeholders and teams to ensure the initiative's success.
• Working with the Director, Strategic Communications, to coordinate with field staff, to build treatments, conduct interviews, and direct external production crews to produce audio-visual content on major projects that support departmental priorities.
• Identify and manage a team of AWF photographers, videographers, and editors. Aligning them with the vision of the Strategic Communications team.
• Provide creative and technical direction for AWF-led events and programs in regard to Design and Production to ensure high-quality execution.
• Identify opportunities to gather content from the field in support of AWF’s editorial content strategy and plans trips in partnership with the Communications, Programs, and Partnerships teams.
• Works with the Director, Strategic Communications and internal partners to lead/execute photography initiatives that aims to build African photographers across key countries in Africa.
• Helping to create, manage, and update the AWF’S content calendar in collaboration with key marketing, fundraising, and communications team
• Effectively manage relationships with the Field teams by working closely with Field Communications Assistants, Country Directors, and Field Staff.
• Paired with a photographer or videographer, travels to the field 2-3 times annually to gather stories that bring our brand to life and accomplish pre-determined communications goals.
• Delivers packaged content and stories for pre-determined communications tactics.
• Sets up, organizes, manages, and maintains story and image “asset bank” via digital asset management software to ensure all content is appropriately tagged, archived and that all staff know where to find key stories and images.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Production Design or related field with 5+ year(s) of experience
• Demonstrated ability to create a wide variety of audio-visual content, including social media content, short-form video series, and other related video projects.
• Proven production experience with a portfolio comprising a wide range of content and media use cases.
• Experience Directing and Producing multi-camera shoots, live streams, and off-site teams
• Video editing experience and media output and encoding for different platforms
• Excellent skill in pre-production, including treatment writing, scripting, and production planning
• In-depth knowledge of post-production tools and skills, i.e., proficiency with Adobe CC’s suite of video products, including Premiere and After Effects.
• Experience with motion graphics, using After Effects, Animate, or similar applications
• Experience with video production equipment is a plus (camera operation, lighting, and sound recording).
• Professionalism regarding time, costs, and deadlines
• Audience-first mindset and the ability to ensure we live out our brand promise and communicate our work consistently across channels
• Ability to manage multiple projects while adhering to deadlines
• Keen interest or experience in Africa’s wildlife/land/people