Communications Advisor

GIZ-Internal/External Vacancy Announcement #072/2021

S2RAI / RGIL

The livelihood of a large part of the world's population directly depends on access to land and its secure long-term use. Many landowners and land users have only informal or traditional tenure rights, which are often not sufficiently recognized. Representative household surveys conducted by the World Bank in six African countries have shown that less than 20 % of small farmers are able to present a document identifying them as owners of their land.

Commercial investments in agriculture and forestry are increasingly exerting pressure on land as a resource. Due to a lack of safeguarding measures, these investments can lead to loss of access to land, conflicts and forced evictions, thereby restricting and preventing inclusive and sustainable development pathways. Many countries have committed themselves to good land governance, but there are still considerable challenges for its implementation. The rural population is highly dependent on political decision-makers and formal and informal power structures. Corruption in land transactions remains very high.

Therefore, the EU-cofunded project component on Responsible Governance of Investments in Land (RGIL) aims to contribute to increased agricultural productivity and development in Ethiopia. The specific objective of the project is that investments in land are productive, contribute to sustainable land management, and respect the rights and needs of local populations, vulnerable groups and women. The strategic approach aims at strengthening the capacities of key stakeholders and improving the regulatory framework for investment in land. The participation of civil society organizations in the formulation and implementation of responsible land policies is promoted, and private enterprises investing in agriculture and forestry are sensitized to follow acknowledged principles for responsible investments.

GIZ Ethiopia is recruiting a Communications Advisor in Addis Ababa for the RGIL component as specified below. The Communications Advisor will report to the Project Manager.

Contract duration: Until May 31, 2022  

Responsibilities

• Supporting the project in promoting and executing the communication strategy;
• Serving as the project’s point of contact with partner and development organizations, specific project communications deliverables and other stakeholders;
• Managing the project’s communications library, including specific communications, reports and other materials such as videos, photographs, and media clippings;
• Supervising the activities of short-term consultants and service providers, working for the project in the area of communications, graphic design, videography and photography, and printing of documents;
• Assuring the quality of communication and visibility products (e.g. brochures, factsheets, PowerPoint presentations);
• Implementing GIZ, EU and partner’s standards and guidelines for communication works;
• Communicating with GIZ’s Corporate Communications Unit for consultation and communication products’ quality check;
• Cooperating and participating in the corporate communication network, e.g. participating in corporate communication workshops, meetings, etc.

Tasks

Duties:

• Develop suitable communication and visibility products (e.g. brochures, factsheets, PowerPoint presentations, newsletters, information sheets, web descriptions);
• Collaborate with project staff members to produce effective communication and awareness raising materials;
• Ensure final graphics and layouts are visually appealing; and have followed GIZ, BMZ, EU and other partners’ standards and guidelines;
• Facilitate various physical and/or virtual events (e.g. workshops, conferences, training);
• Support the public dialogue between civil society and the private sector, i.e. Multi-Stakeholder-Platforms;
• Maintain and feed structured and standardized documentation systems (i.e. DMS), facilitate accessibility of knowledge products through online portals such as the Land Portal;
• Support the development and dissemination of knowledge and experience through enhanced communication, strengthened knowledge products and publications;
• Manage the necessary coordination processes and the production of publications and materials in accordance with GIZ standards (corporate design, standards for content);
• Assist in and/or carry out other tasks as assigned by the Project Manager

Communication/Networking with Partner Organizations:

• Supporting partner institutions in enhancing their communication with stakeholders;
• Networking with relevant communities of practice in land use planning and policy;
• Supporting partner institutions in updating web site;
• Assisting regional and local administrations to develop an effective implementation plan to carry out their communications strategies;
• Building capacity of local media to more effectively report on land, including print, radio, and TV;
• Maintaining good and effective communication between the project’s partner organizations, GIZ, other relevant public institutions and state organizations;

Job Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited institution in Journalism, Communications, Public relation Management, Information and communications technology or related fields.

Professional experience

• Minimum of 5 years in communications and learning or equivalent; ideally for an international development agency.

Additional competencies

• Demonstrated experience in producing information and visibility materials for different channels, including social media;
• Excellent communication skills, both in written and oral English and Amharic;
• Ability to give and receive constructive criticism;
• Advanced computer skills (MS Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Publishing Excel, and SharePoint and Teams, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator) with experience in graphic design and lay outing of publications;
• Ability to transform technical concepts into content that is relevant and will achieve strategic objectives;
• Good self-management and interpersonal skills, team spirit and to operate effectively and detail-oriented in a fast-paced environment;
• High degree of creativity, initiative, integrity and accountability;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality on work-related matters;
• Knowledge of the land governance system in Ethiopia is an asset;
• Working in GIZ in different position is an asset;
• Willingness to travel to various project regions (up to 30%).

How to Apply

Application procedure:

Interested and qualified candidates shall submit their motivation letter along with their non-returnable recent CV via Ethiojobs or Email: hreth@giz.de

NB: Please make sure you mention the Vacancy Number ‘Communications Advisor #072/2021’ in the subject line of your email application. Due to large number of applications we categorize applications with the vacancy numbers.  Applications without vacancy numbers in subject lines might not be categorized in the appropriate folder and could be disqualified.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted

We encourage persons with disabilities to apply for the position. In case of equal qualification, persons with disabilities will be given preference. Applications from qualified women are encouraged.

“Please refer to our brochure to learn more about GIZ’s attractive benefit package.”