Communication and Advocacy Manager

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Addis Ababa Availability: As Soon As Possible

Salary Scale: EMS09

Salary: 1,117 USD

 Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Summary of position

The  Communications and Advocacy Manager will closely work with Deputy Program Director, and technical and support departments to ensure robust Country office Communication and Advocacy.

The incumbent will be based in Addis Ababa with frequent travels to Action Against Hunger operational areas. He/she will work in collaboration with all capital and base program, operation, and support departments.

The Communications and Advocacy Manager role’s purpose, engagement, and delivery are:

Purpose

• Working under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Program Director, the Communications and Advocacy Manager designs, manages, and implements  Action Against Hunger communications and advocacy strategy with the objective of increasing the visibility and promoting the work of Action Against Hunger in the country; as well as increasing awareness for Action Against Hunger mandate and programs among its partners, donors, the media and the general public.

Engagement

• The Communications and Advocacy Manager works in close collaboration with the Senior Management team,  Program team, grant management and reporting team,  MEAL team, business development team, support and operation team, right-to-grow project manager and staff, Government officials, and media representatives.

Delivery

• The Communications and advocacy manager will be responsible for managing the mission-level advocacy and communication tasks. He/She will ensure evidence-based advocacy and communication including capacitating the base program team about generating success stories, case stories, and evidence for advocacy and engagement of different stakeholders. Identify opportunities for engagement combined with the effective use of media to improve program awareness; Build effective networks of collaboration to showcase organization capacities; coordinate communication campaigns with programming and funding cycle.  

Essential job duties

Communication

• Communications strategy-in liaison with Action Against Hunger grant management and reporting team and Senior Management team coordinate development and implementation of the mission communications strategy. Take lead and facilitate the drafting of communication materials, including talking points, briefs, speeches, background/position papers, reports, correspondence, press releases, and digital content( both in Amharic and English);

• Branding and visibility - ensure that all communication products and project deliverables for the external audience are appropriately branded(in line with Action Against Hunger and donor compliance guidelines). Proactively seek out interesting stories from programs, initiating or accompanying field visits to collect high-quality photos, case and success stores - quotes and possibly audio and video material suitable for use in media and communication products

• External and Internal Communications-in collaboration with Senior Management Team (SMT) develop clear and effective guidelines and protocols for internal and external communications. Ensure coordination between different departments of Action Against Hunger on the tasks that involve internal and external communications and media-related works

• Targeted Public messaging and media outreach- advise SMT and program staff on public messaging and media outreach. Supporting in drafting officials briefing materials, strategic presentations, talking points, speeches, statements, etc. Set up mechanisms and take a lead to systematically collect and produce case studies, success stories, photos, videos, and other communication materials in a regular manner on the basis of the program’s activities, scale, reach, and impact of interventions.

• Local strategic partner relations- develop and manage partnership strategy and communication guidelines that support and nurture effective relations with Action Against Hunger local partners.

• Multi-media campaign-develop structured approach and procedures including relations with mainstream media. Lead and coordinate the preparation of communication publications for both internal and external purposes;

• Reporting- mainstream communication in Action Against Hunger’s programs and support effective process documentation and technical monthly/quarterly and annual reporting.

• Regularly publish and communicate mission updates in liaison with the program team, lead development and dissemination of newsletters/bulletins, flyers/brushers, factsheets, and success/case stories. Be in regular contact with the communication and advocacy team based at regional and headquarters and provide relevant information for Action Against Hunger global communications products; Provide Periodical reports and updates on different visibility and communication activities carried out. Accompany guests and the management during the field visit and relevant reports and communications.

• Website, social media, and networking-in collaboration with the regional and HQ communication teams manage the active website and social media presence. Lead the development of content and updates for the organizational website and other media platforms and outlets with up-to-date information on humanitarian needs and project responses/interventions and data on outputs and outcomes. Develop networks of contacts among humanitarian organizations, coordination bodies, and donor organizations (and, as necessary, national and international media) for more effective information sharing and communication of the organization’s activities and interests.

• Event coordination- take leadership in coordinating key events ensuring high-level professionalism(annual organization meetings/workshops); Minute taking, proceeding preparation, and communication.

• Capacity building- provide training to program staff and local partners on communication and advocacy. Train and coach program staff on external communications and how to spot and share relevant information, data, and human interest stories from their work to convey the project’s success and impact on clients’ lives.

Advocacy

• Advocacy strategy-in liaison with Action Against Hunger Regional and HQ advocacy team and Ethiopia Mision Senior Management team, coordinate development and implementation of National Organization advocacy strategy. Address the policy, strategy, and guideline implementation gaps through community-led accountability mechanisms and engagement of stakeholders and potential influential allies

• Local advocacy efforts-in collaborate with Senior Management Team (SMT), program, and project managers, to develop clear and effective guidelines and protocols for sector-wide advocacy efforts in the country. Closely work and support projects that have advocacy activities(like Right to grow, GFFO project, and others).

• Generate evidence, communicate, and advocate to address Hunger: Work with regional and HQ teams on media campaigns and advocacy efforts to raise global awareness of humanitarian needs and Action Against Hunger’s core program activities in Ethiopia

• Sector representation- in liaison with SMT, represent Action Against Hunger in national, regional, and international relevant Forums.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Functional supervision:  None 

Gender Equality Commitments 

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.

• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, or religion. Race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 

• Value and respect all cultures. 

Fiscal Responsibility

• The post holder will manage the organizational visibility and communication budget in all active portfolios under the guidance and leadership of the program director and field coordinators and in coordination with the Grant team and respective grant holder-field coordinators at the base and capital officer levels.

• The post holder will be responsible for smooth budget management and reporting of the visibility and communication of budget lines of active grants of the mission portfolio. S/he will be responsible for the planning, management, and implementation of these budget lines. 

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions.

• Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis. In addition, the employee is expected to travel frequently to the operational areas of the organization to collect, first-hand information and stories of communication materials that are to be systematically documented, organized, and crafted for various communication materials. This role also requires frequent yet, pre-planned and coordinated traveling to organizational remote operational areas to fetch first-hand information and materials to synthesize standard communication materials. 

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

• The responsibilities of this post require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism,

• Development Studies, or other related fields (Master’s degree will be a plus).

• Training in advocacy and/or behavior change communications will be a strong asset.

• 3 -5 years of previous work experience in communications in the field of Development and Humanitarian contexts is an asset

• Good knowledge and experience in applied photography and audio-visual communication tools  

• Experience in report writing, and storytelling write-ups with good command of the English language.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Ability to work independently, suggest practical solutions, and follow up effectively on management decisions.

• Good knowledge of visual design and layout development for information materials

• Good planning skills, proactivity, creativity, and ability to meet established deadlines.

• Skills in photography and image processing.

• Ability to conceptualize, design and implement major information campaigns

• Communication, presentation, networking, and advocacy skills

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills and ability to work under tight deadlines.

• Good research and analytical skills; Strong verbal and written communication skills, fluent in English both in writing and in speech.

• Emotional intelligence: Remains calm in stressful situations

• Ability to travel to program areas on duty frequently. Computer literate: good command of Microsoft Office (MS. Word, MS. Excel, and MS Power point) in addition to Strong skills in audio-visual computer software applications and web pages navigation and management.

• Interpersonal skills: communication, autonomy, organizational skill, creative and innovative thinking (, thinking out of the box mindset).          

How to Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

• If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, a Covering Letter with “Communication and Advocacy Manager” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following address: Through THIS LINK

• NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be, communicated on and the selection process includes technical tests and an interview.

• Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment