Communications Advisor

The Position Summary

The Communication Advisor will be responsible leading communication and media efforts of the program in close collaboration with the Chief of Party (CoP). More specifically, the Communications Advisor will play a key role in ensuring that there is an effective communications strategy and campaign for civic engagement and civic awareness, including in relation to reforms; will support implementation of the Program Communication Strategy; develop local media contacts; and design media-related activities to build the identity of the program in Nairobi as well as the counties of Samburu and Turkana. The Communications Advisor will lead and advise on the production and dissemination of a broad range of communications for the NAWIRI Program. S/he will support program reporting and lead on communications to County Governments’ Media, USAID, and other institutional stakeholders. The Communications Advisor will fill a critical gap in developing internal and external communications through proactive responses to information requests, refining success stories to appeal to specific audiences, and production of relevant knowledge products including a monthly newsletter. S/he will support the NAWIRI Team in articulating programmatic impact in our communities to advance profile-raising, advocacy and learning goals. The Communications Advisor will actively elevate the program’s reputation as a reference point for an informed and meaningful voice on key issues related to persistent acute malnutrition in the Arid & Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).

Essential Job Responsibilities

STRATEGY & VISION

• In coordination with the CoP, develop and implement a NAWIRI communications and media engagement strategy inclusive of enhancing internal communication structures and streams.
• Contribute to the analysis of topics and events relevant to Mercy Corps’ work on NAWIRI.
• Serve as the primary point person for all communications related queries related to the Mercy Corps/USAID NAWIRI brand.

INTERNAL & PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

• Serve as the primary point person for media queries for Mercy Corps NAWIRI in coordination with the CoP and the Africa Media and Communications Manager.
• Forge strong, institutional linkages and maintain a productive working relationship with USAID, Government of Kenya, the NAWIRI consortium, PREG Partners, and other relevant partners in the communications and advocacy fields.Identify media trends that could constitute an opportunity for Mercy Corps NAWIRI team.
• Attend internal and external communication and media meetings and events.
• Liaise with press, promoting a positive image of the organization to the public.
• Resolve and mediate communications difficulties and crises.
• Develop internal and external communications strategies.
• Educate and advise employees and management in communication skills.
• Strengthen and expand Mercy Corps network of County contracts in traditional and social media domains.
• Provide support and guidance to ensure project and donor communications obligations are met.
• Act as the lead brand manager, maintaining standards across materials, events, and other media.
• Ensure that Mercy Corps NAWIRI’s work is accurately, regularly and compellingly represented on Mercy Corps Global internal and external communications platforms, including:
• Post to internal agency content platforms — Workplace pages, The Hub and The Globe as well as relevant donor media platforms
• Lead the development of a monthly country-level Mercy Corps NAWIRI newsletter.
• Provide editorial oversight and/or design, create, and maintain multi-sector programming updates, and cross-cutting theme factsheets.
• Coordinate closely with the Africa Media and Communications Manager and HQ communications focal points to develop key messages, press releases, and statements for external audiences, in response to evolving events.
• Support research and learning findings as well as program impact through the creation of summaries and factsheets for both internal and external dissemination.
• Provide technical and supervisory oversight to the development of protection-oriented digital and print communications (informational brochures, social media content, etc.)
• Draft final program reports
• Initiate and/or support the production of communication and media materials for NAWIRI, including talking points, news releases, and contributed pieces.

IMPLEMENTATION

• Coordinate with program staff to gather information for writing programmatic communications including manuals, graphics, articles, success, and impact stories that offer analytical storytelling
• Support the development of project deliverables, including coordinating information gathering for quarterly, annual reports and annual work plans, one-pagers, reports, etc.
• Ensure appropriate branding and marking as per USAID regulations.
• Ensure that the project team, including USAID, has access to relevant information about project progress and impact.
• Respond in a timely manner to USAID requests for information on project progress, monitoring and evaluation progress, and other queries.
• Build the capacity of and provide communications support
• Develop newsletters, fact sheets, success stories, case studies, and other communications and knowledge products.
• Maintain a close and collaborative relationship with USAID teams on all outreach and communications efforts
• Lead development of project events and workshops in collaboration with project teams
• Manage Short - term technical assistance for communications efforts (i.e. editors, graphic designers, writers, layout artists, illustrators, videographers, photographers, investment mapping system etc.)
• Oversee external production team including designers, writers, layout artists, illustrators, videographers, photographers, and technical crews to ensure program staff needs and requirements are met

SECURITY

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are both abiding by and aware of policies.
• Represent Mercy Corps as required with local governments and authorities for security meetings/briefings.
• Assist the CoP and Technical Director in developing strategies to continue work in times of heightened security.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Minimum Qualifications & Transferrable skills

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in media and communications, journalism, social studies, or relevant field. Masters preferred.
• A minimum of 6 years of experience in coordinating and producing written and audiovisual content for donor engagement, public advocacy, media, and community relations.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in required, including supporting report writing, editing, and proofreading program documents.
• Experience coordinating internal and external communications
• Excellent computer skills, including experience with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher.
• Experience with Adobe’s design suite a plus.
• Proven experience in international development communications.
• Experience with representation and liaison with donors and peer organizations.
• Ability to deliver high quality products with short deadlines.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Willingness to learn and collaborate with others.