Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, August 23 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
About the role
We are seeking an experienced communications professional with a proven track record in developing and disseminating effective, compelling communications to join our friendly Partnerships and Communications team and support our global strategy and the achievement of our ambitious goals. This role is international in scope and is located in our Nairobi office.

Overall purpose
The overall purpose of the Communications Manager is to develop and manage WSUP’s external communications activities, working with colleagues around the world – and our partners – to create and disseminate compelling and effective communications in pursuit of our strategic goals.

Main responsibilities & tasks
1. Content creation
• Case studies: Ensure the collection of accurate and compelling case studies and necessary communications assets to support fundraising with coaching, guidance and technical support, ensuring consent of participants is secured and recorded.
• Video & photos: Commission audiovisual content with clear purpose and audience. Lead collection of audiovisual content in programme countries, liaising with external agencies to ensure clear messaging, value for money, and that consent is secured.
• Stories for media: Prepare press releases and information packs to interest journalists and other key stakeholders.
• Newsletter: Prepare content and design of regular email newsletter.
2. Dissemination of communications
• Media relations: Maintain and develop relationships with journalists and producers of external platforms e.g. podcasts. Maintain and expand database of media contacts. Identify opportunities for stories looking both internally and externally via media monitoring.
• Website: Update content regularly, review analytics and engagement. Work with external agency to ensure website content is optimised for search results (SEO).
• Events: Organise and promote events where WSUP is present, including conferences, donor events and webinars.
• Social Media: Develop and/or commission content for WSUP’s social media channels, including LinkedIn and YouTube, ensuring content is regularly updated. Respond to any queries received on our social channels, referring them to colleagues where necessary. Review and analyse performance and engagement on social channels, using data insights to improve engagement.
• Newsletter: Send out WSUP’s external email newsletter (frequency 6-8 weeks), using the mailchimp platform, using data insights to improve engagement rates.
3. Partnerships
• Partnership communications: Manage the communications elements of partnerships with donors and collaborators and together with programme and fundraising colleagues, develop comms plan and assets to support projects and shared policy goals.
• Engage with comms leads in partner organisations to develop and disseminate content.
• Identify and develop opportunities for partners to profile WSUP’s work.
4. Capacity-building
• Internal communications: Work closely with HR and the senior leadership team to develop internal communications initiatives.
• Country teams: Work with country teams to support their communications initiatives including media outreach, events, fundraising materials and marketing. Provide support to the comms leads in each country.
• Website: Provide support and guidance to colleagues (country teams, HR, Advisory) to maintain their pages on the website
• Digital communications: Support local efforts to improve digital communications with key target audiences e.g. Facebook promotions.
• Training: Identify training needs and capacity-building opportunities within wider WSUP team, and work with Head of Partnership & Communications and Head of People & Support to address them in line with our Learning & Development strategy.

5. Other
• Brand: Act as brand guardian, ensuring consistency of brand across all WSUP outputs, from business cards to email footers (noting that responsibility for printed publications sits elsewhere). Liaise with external designers and agencies.
• Planning & reporting: Keep an updated calendar of comms events and outputs and provide Head of Partnerships & Communications with regular reports of communications initiatives to inform decision-making.
• Asset database: Manage WSUP’s asset database of photos, videos and case studies, ensuring it is accurate and up-to-date, and manage the licensing of any footage.

Also
• Adherence to WSUP policies regarding safeguarding and Business Ethics
• Willingness to travel within Kenya and internationally
• Any additional duties as may be reasonably required within the scope of the above

This document is not an exhaustive list of core elements of the role. This job description is a working document and may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement.

Person specification
Evidence that applicants meet the essential criteria will be assessed by the following methods: Application (A) Interview (I), test (T) as indicated below.

Essential
Qualifications and experience
• Experience working in communications within the international development sector (A)
• Experience in securing media interest and in managing media relations (A & I)
• Experience in working with geographically remote colleagues to develop and deliver communications (A)
• Experience in communicating complex ideas in engaging ways
(A, I & T)
• Experience of working with partners, including funders, to develop communications (A)
• Experience of identifying communications opportunities at the country level (A & I)
• Experience of managing a website (A)
• Experience of managing social media channels on behalf of an organisation (A)

Knowledge
• Knowledge of issues in international development, particularly as relates to consent and representation of beneficiaries (I)
• Knowledge of cultural dimensions to working and communicating internationally (I)
• Knowledge and understanding of modern media landscape as relates to international development stories (I & T)

Skills and abilities
• Excellent written and spoken English (I & T)
Ability to persuade colleagues, and to build their capacity (I)
• Ability to listen, and to interview (I)
• Ability to build strong working relationships across all levels and geographies in an organisation (I)
• Ability to meet deadlines and balance competing priorities (I)
• Familiarity with social media platforms including using data insights to improve engagement and performance (A)
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills - Word, Teams, PowerPoint (A)
• Comfortable with a wide range of IT software including WordPress, social media scheduling tools, google analytics (A & I)

Other
• Commitment to the vision & aims of WSUP
• Comfortable and interested in working in low-income communities

Desirable
Qualifications, experience, knowledge & skills
• Knowledge of the private sector and understand of the role it can play in development (A & I)
• Experience managing communications with UN agencies and other large institutional donors (A)
• Experience of Adobe and/or basic design skills (A)
• Language skills – ability to speak any of the languages of our project countries e.g. Portuguese, French, Bengali or Swahili would be particularly useful. (A)


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 48

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
To apply for this position, go to https://www.wsup.com/vacancies/ to upload your resume and cover letter, and to answer the application questions.

Please note: This job is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Applicants must have the right to work in Kenya at the time of application. Please do not apply if this is not the case.


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