Advocacy & Communications Assistant

Overall purpose of the role:  

The position holder will lead the Supporting Displacement Affected Communities in Kenya with Entrepreneurship Development (SDACKED) project’s advocacy and communication efforts to effect positive change for communities through influencing decision-makers, individuals to change their policies and practices, attitudes or behaviour to address their needs. The role will also contribute to strategically amplifying DRC’s work in line with respective donor projects and the organizational advocacy, visibility & communications strategy/or guidelines

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead to develop and manage Mandera projects’ communication plans (internal and external) and activities, according to DRC’s policy and guidelines while promoting DRC’s work in Mandera.
• Work closely with project leads on the development and implementation of the DRC advocacy strategy and ensure high quality communication products that speaks to the organization’s work especially in Mandera.
• Provide technical support and advice to project staff/partners on advocacy and communication deliverables.
• Lead and support the communication of visits to the programme so as to highlight work being done on the ground and at urban level.
• Maintain a high-quality photo repository of DRC’s work in Mandera for amplifying the organization’s efforts to impact the lives of communities.
• Lead and support in developing Mandera Field Office social media content and support the Advocacy & Communication Officer in Urban and the Advocacy & Communication Coordinator at the Country office in administering DRC’s social media platforms.
• Conduct regular field visits to areas of operation in Mandera to document human interest stories, successes and impact of DRC’s work.
• Develop project information sheets, donor briefs, key messaging and other relevant material for use at strategic events to promote and showcase impact of DRC’s work.
• Conduct advocacy & communication capacity development or training for Mandera field office staff and partners and come up with an action plan for follow up.
• Ensure that DRC brand, donor branding and visibility guidelines are adhered to during project implementation, procurement and external communication.
• Support SDACKED Project Manager during external representation when required to do so, budget management and donor reporting aligned to advocacy and communication deliverables.
• Support in fundraising efforts by contributing in developing concept notes and proposals in advocacy and communication framework designs including budgetary requirement elements.

Experience and technical competencies:  

• Minimum 2 years + working on advocacy campaigns or communications. 
• Experience with building constructive working relationship with diverse stakeholders or working with networks or coalitions (work with northern Kenya communities desirable). 
• Demonstrable understanding of how change occurs and of effective advocacy and campaigning strategies including familiarity with online and social media use.
• Strong planning, organizational and problem-solving skills with ability to work both independently and within a team in a demanding work environment.
• Good analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas simply, both verbally and through writing.
• Excellent computer skills with MS applications Word, Excel & PowerPoint

Education

• Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Development Studies. Degree in Social Science with relevant 2 years’ experience in Advocacy and Communication work can be considered.

Language: 

• Excellent written and spoken English, Swahili and Kisomali
• Fluency in the local language (Kisomali) is an asset