Regional Communications Officer Job at World Vegetable Center Eastern and Southern Africa

• Develop and implement annual communication workplans.
• Produce periodic (country, regional, project-level) reports.
• Organize and manage the Center’s events including the activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of WorldVeg to be held throughout 2023.
• Share knowledge to inform and influence policy and programmes at national and regional level.
  Collaborate with other WorldVeg regional communications officers to enhance the visibility of WorldVeg’s at global level.
• Develop a good partnership with WorldVeg project managers to generate ideas and stories for dissemination to the public.
• Develop the ESA annual communication and outreach strategy and contribute to other WorldVeg communication plans as may be required from time to time.
• Support country or project offices in the region in communication related activities producing communication and visibility products and materials, as well as providing necessary guidance to the country/project teams etc.
• In collaboration with WorldVeg project managers and the Communications team at HQ. develop knowledge and communications products on on-going projects, initiatives and impacts for wider dissemination to regional economic communities, governments, resource partners, and other development partners with the goal of informing, raising awareness, and facilitating advocacy / resource mobilization.
• Be the regional focal point for information requests from outside actors and channel such requests to technical staff for effective response.
• Provide oversight and quality control of communication support for events organized by the Region.
• Participate in One CGIAR inter-agency communication and reporting efforts particularly in relationship to projects which are implemented jointly.
• Establishing standard information-sharing and clearance processes, in consultation with technical colleagues.
• Contribute to the development and production of communication and visibility products (e.g., success/beneficiary stories for print and web, leaflets, brochures, presentations, posters, etc.), including drafting/reviewing texts in English, and overseeing the design, printing and distribution process.
• Facilitating media relations for ESA, including organizing press conferences/briefings or field visits and producing media-style public information products, media speaking/talking points, press releases, human interest stories for use by WorldVeg. Liaise with relevant colleagues in headquarters, specifically the Communications Team at HQ and the Director Global Engagement to facilitate exposure of WorldVeg’s activities and ensure the accuracy/coherence of content developed.
• Providing information and advice to staff on communications-related matters.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Social Science, Business Management, Communication, Marketing, Public Relations or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of demonstrated experience in the communication industry.
• A good understanding of the media industry in terms of communication for development aspects.
• 5-10 years business/management experience
• Proven competence in written and spoken English, good writing and editorial skills.
• Fluency in French will be an added advantage.
• Proven skills in developing, writing, editing and dissemination of impactful communications pieces.
• Have high energy, confident person who is able to engage people and get them to buy-in to our mandate and/or to partnering with WorldVeg.
• Strong organizational and time management skills. Also, very strong networking skills and excellent interpersonal relationship skills
• Ability to work effectively across multiple functions, locations and cultures
• Strong team leadership skills.