YEFFA Communications and Engagement Officer at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

The Position

• The YEFFA Communications and Engagement Officer is responsible for leading the communications, branding, and storytelling functions for the Youth Employment for Food and Agriculture (YEFFA) Program. The role ensures consistent, compelling, and aligned communication of AGRA’s youth employment narrative, successes, and impact across the 10 YEFFA countries.
• The ideal candidate will be embedded within the Portfolio Management Hub (PMH) and matrixed to the Communications, Innovation, and External Affairs (CIEA) Division. S/he will manage YEFFA-specific communications, visibility, and partner engagement, curate success stories, coordinate media relations, and strengthen AGRA’s youth employment brand presence across digital, national, and continental platforms. The incumbent will work closely with AGRA’s CIEA team to ensure strategic alignment with AGRA’s institutional communication & brand objectives while ensuring YEFFA maintains a distinct, youth-centered voice, agency, and visibility.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implement a YEFFA-specific communications and visibility plan in alignment with AGRA’s brand architecture and Mastercard Foundation guidelines.
• Ensure consistent messaging and strategic visibility for YEFFA’s objectives, milestones, and results across 10 countries and the continental pillar.
• Support the Director – GYI and Program Leads in developing communication briefs, talking points, and presentations for high-level engagements.
• Lead the production of the YEFFA annual impact communication package, including the YEFFA Employment Impact Report, policy briefs, and success stories.
• Curate and document YEFFA’s youth impact stories, partner highlights, and grantee case studies showcasing innovation, gender inclusion, and decent work outcomes.
• Coordinate design, branding, and multimedia content development for events, publications, and digital campaigns.
• Work with the Knowledge and Learning team to translate program results and lessons into compelling, accessible communication materials.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with media partners, creative agencies, and donor communication teams to amplify YEFFA’s impact.
• Serve as the communications focal point for Mastercard Foundation under YEFFA, ensuring all messaging meets brand and compliance standards.
• Coordinate youth-centered visibility campaigns, social media storytelling, and content showcasing YEFFA’s contributions to inclusive job creation.
• Support AGRA’s Country Teams in developing localized communication materials and partner engagement assets.
• Represent YEFFA in key external engagements, communications forums, and partnership events.
• Manage timelines, deliverables, and budgets for all YEFFA communications and visibility activities.
• Maintain a YEFFA communications tracker and visibility log to capture partner acknowledgments and public engagements.
• Produce monthly and quarterly communications reports summarizing visibility activities, media mentions, and engagement analytics.
• Ensure that communication outputs are archived and accessible through AGRA’s knowledge management systems.
• Support event organization and documentation of YEFFA milestones, including the Annual Learning Summit and Regional Showcases.

Key Qualifications and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications, Journalism, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Certification in Digital Communications or Strategic Brand Management will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of 7–10 years’ experience in communications, public affairs, or stakeholder engagement within international development, agriculture, or youth programs.
• Proven ability to develop and execute high-quality communication strategies for multi-country donor-funded programs.
• Experience in donor reporting and branding compliance, preferably with Mastercard Foundation, Gates Foundation, or equivalent partners.
• Strong content development skills, including writing, storytelling, and multimedia coordination (photo/video).
• Experience managing media relations and coordinating communications for large-scale partnerships.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and digital engagement skills with a strong understanding of Africa’s agrifood and youth employment context.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement comprehensive communications strategies that align with organizational objectives and program priorities.
• Able to effectively integrate messaging across platforms and channels to enhance visibility, influence stakeholder perception, and support program delivery and advocacy goals.
• Should exhibit strong capability in building and managing productive relationships with media houses, journalists, and public-facing partners.
• Capable of leading press engagement efforts, including media briefings, interviews, press releases, and digital outreach, ensuring accurate representation and sustained public interest in organizational initiatives.
• Possess advanced expertise in developing compelling content that translates complex programmatic work into clear, engaging narratives.
• Experienced in utilizing visual and written storytelling techniques to strengthen brand identity and resonate with diverse audiences, including policymakers, partners, donors, and the public.
• Ability to analyze media coverage, digital engagement, and audience reach using relevant analytics tools and translate insights into actionable recommendations to improve messaging effectiveness and audience targeting.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of key development themes, including youth employment, gender inclusion, and agricultural and food systems transformation in Africa.
• Ability to effectively incorporate contextual knowledge and development narratives into communications products to ensure relevance, credibility, and impact.