Digital Content and Communications Assistant at Mpala

About the Position

• We are seeking a creative, organised, and curious Digital Content and Communications Assistant to help bring Mpala’s research, wildlife, conservation, and community stories to life.
• The successful candidate will support the development of engaging digital content for Mpala’s communication platforms. Working closely with the Mpala Live Programme Lead and the institutional Communications team, the role will involve gathering stories from researchers and staff, preparing written content, supporting social media activities, and capturing photographs and videos of life at Mpala.
• This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career communications professional who enjoys storytelling, has an interest in science and conservation, and wants to develop practical skills in digital communications and multimedia production.

Key Responsibilities

Content Development and Storytelling

• Identify and develop story ideas around research, wildlife, conservation, education, and community activities at Mpala.
• Interview researchers, students, and staff to gather information for stories and profiles.
• Draft website articles, newsletter contributions, social media captions, photo captions, and other communications materials.
• Verify basic facts, names, dates, and image credits to ensure accuracy.

Digital Media and Social Media Support

• Prepare engaging content for Mpala’s approved digital and social media platforms.
• Assist with maintaining the social media content calendar and scheduling approved posts.
• Select suitable photographs and video clips and prepare basic graphics and short video edits.
• Monitor basic social media performance metrics, including reach and engagement, and flag comments or enquiries requiring follow-up.

Photography and Multimedia Production

• Capture photographs and short video clips during assigned field activities, research visits, workshops, and events.
• Edit photographs and videos for use across digital platforms.
• Support Mpala Live productions, including Field Guide and Stories from the Bush, through footage selection, media preparation, and other assigned production tasks.

Digital Content Management

• Organise and catalogue photographs, videos, audio recordings, and other digital media using established procedures.
• Maintain accurate records of content, including available dates, locations, subjects, credits, and permissions.
• Retrieve media for approved research, education, and communications requests.
• Ensure published content and original media files are stored systematically and can be accessed when needed.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• A Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Digital Media, Multimedia Production, Information Science, or a related field.
• Open to recent graduates and candidates with relevant internship, volunteer, or entry-level experience of approximately 0–2 years.
• Good written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate information clearly and accurately.
• Familiarity with social media platforms and digital content creation.
• Basic photography, video editing, and digital publishing skills.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• An interest in science, wildlife, conservation, and environmental storytelling.
• The ability to work collaboratively with different teams and meet agreed deadlines.
• The ideal candidate is creative, curious, dependable, and eager to learn.
• They should enjoy engaging with people, asking questions, identifying interesting stories, and translating information into accessible content for different audiences.
• They should also be comfortable working in a research and field-based environment and able to balance creative thinking with accuracy, organisation, and attention to detail.
• Candidates may demonstrate their skills through academic projects, internships, volunteer work, or a portfolio of relevant content.