Communications Officer

Position: Voice Communications Officer

Reporting To: Linking & Learning Coordinator

Location: Hivos East Africa Office in Nairobi

Start Date: Starting date will be ASAP

About Hivos

Hivos is an international development organization guided by humanist values. Together with citizens and their organizations, we aim to contribute towards just, inclusive and life sustaining societies where people have equal access to opportunities, rights and resources. We work in partnership with others in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America on three impact areas: civic rights; gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice. Our approach is solution driven, and we build wider movements for change by amplifying and connecting voices.

What is Voice?

Voice is an innovative grant facility to support rightsholders and groups facing marginalization or discrimination in their efforts to exert influence in accessing productive and social services and political participation. Voice operates in a context where civic space and power is shifting at a fast pace, and often closing rather than opening; where the narrative is negative and underlining marginalization and vulnerability, rather than the dreams and successful steps made towards a better, more inclusive world. Voice is implemented in ten countries in Africa and Asia and is an initiative of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implemented by a consortium between Hivos and Oxfam Novib.

For more information on Voice please visit www.voice.global

Voice is currently at an interesting juncture as it is entering its final year of implementation and bringing together all relevant stakeholders to strategise on how to move on responsibly after the closure of the extension phase of Voice in 2024. All ten Voice country teams are staffed with full-time Linking, Learning and Amplification Officers increasing our communications capacity enormously at the national level. Additionally, we also have a decentralised Global Coordination Team that currently includes one Communications Officer. We are seeking to strengthen the Communications function within Voice further and align it with our aspirations on the strategic positioning of Voice post-2024.

What is your responsibility?

Reporting to the Linking and Learning Coordinator within the Coordination Team, the Voice Communications Officer will work together with a counterpart to co-create and implement the Voice communications strategy and lead on Voice’s external presence, including on (social) media. This includes -but is not limited to - the visibility of Voice and Voice grantee partners to external audiences and linking and connecting them to existing campaigns. You will be responsible for the strategic direction on social and other types of media, as well as looking for further synergies to connect Voice (and its grantee partners) to a wider audience and/or community (i.e., through media exposure, publications, radio guesting). You will also be responsible for the co-development and editing of the Voice Annual Report and other publications and products where necessary as well as producing regular statistics on our online presence and visibility. Lastly, you will lead in strengthening our presence in French. This includes, but is not limited to, the French side of the website and the monthly newsletter.

You will closely collaborate with the Voice Country Teams and Coordination Team in all your tasks to support their communication needs.

Result areas

• Creativity and innovation in media and publications
• Close coordination with colleagues at the country and global level
• Timeliness and efficiency

Main tasks

• Ensure regular and solid French and English presence of Voice in digital media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and SoundCloud
• Co-lead on further developing and implementing the Voice Communications strategy, working closely with the counterpart Communications Officer based in Asia, Voice coordination team, country teams and stakeholders for inputs and ownership.
• Lead on editing the monthly Newletter in French called “BoiteVoice” and liaise with your counterpart on the English VoiceMail.
• Assess and seize opportunities for Voice grantee partners and Voice itself to amplify voices by linking them to (existing) campaigns and/or programmes within Oxfam, Hivos and external partners, creating strategic communication opportunities at conferences and other events.
• Collaborate closely with the Linking, Learning and Amplification community to amplify shared experiences and learning.
• Collaborate with the Linking and Learning Coordinator and the counterpart Communications Officer on a capacity strengthening trajectory for all Linking, Learning and Amplifier Officers, among others, based on needs and interests.
• Lead on the provision and sharing of (social) media statistics using Google Analytics and other tools applicable. This is also important for our Management Information System and donor reporting.
• Co-lead on the Voice Annual report, in close collaboration with the Roving Regional M&E Officers and counterpart Communications Officer to report against the global results framework.
• Ensure efficient delivery of French translated materials and proof-read before posting. You may be required to translate short texts yourself in case of timebound materials.
• Co-assess the need for consultants, such as product designers and French translators, etc. and develop Terms of References to guide their work and ensure compliance with their contract.
• Ensure Voice branding and logo guidelines are used and adhered to by all stakeholders.
• Support to national Voice country teams on communication needs, including as related to needs of grantee partners.

The key competencies for this position are:

• Leadership
• Creativity
• Attention to detail

What is your profile?

• You are a pro-active and innovative communicator with at least 5 years of working experience in this field.
• You have affinity with the objectives of Voice and aligned with the values and principles we adhere to.
• You have knowledge of and experience with strategic communications, campaigns and campaigning, developing synergies and seizing opportunities to increase visibility.
• You are a well-organized, independent, decisive and energetic person who can work flexibly.
• You are a great writer and presenter both in English and French.
• You have a desire to learn and immerse yourself in different contexts.
• Finally, we expect you to have great social interaction skills and will not be hesitant to make new connections.

What do we offer?

We offer a stimulating work environment within a professional international organization with very dedicated staff. You will be employed by and based in the Hivos East Africa Hub. We particularly welcome applications from women, trans and/or intersex people (in the broadest sense of each of these terms). We offer a contract based on Hivos East Africa local labor conditions, with a remuneration commensurate with the experience and expertise requested.

Voice implements in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Keywords

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