Communications Advisor

Communications Advisor

Mpika or Shiwa Ng'andu, Zambia

9 Months | Start Date between Jun - Aug 2018

Location Mpika or Shiwa Ng'andu, Zambia

Start Date Jun - Aug 2018 (flexible)

Length of Placement 9 Months

Language Requirements English

English Reading: Level 5, Writing: Level 5, Speaking: Level 5

Language Scale: http://www.cusointernational.org/languageratingscale

Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

Due to funder restrictions, support for accompanying partners/dependents is not available for this placement.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to contribute to a regional nutrition project led by CARE Canada! The Southern Africa Nutrition Initiative (SANI) is working to improve the nutrition of women of reproductive age and children under five years old in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.

As Communications Advisor, you bring the right mix of experience and technical skills to produce quality communication materials to tell the story of the SANI project in Zambia. Working alongside SANI staff and partners, you will support the development of a range of communication materials for both domestic and Canadian audiences. This includes field visits to collect photos, stories and reports that document the SANI project activities, progress and beneficiaries. Your storytelling skills and experience will ensure that you have an eye to capture and convey the human side of the project, and to translate your field observations into high quality, relevant resources that can be re-used in various mediums (e.g. newsletters, Facebook, CARE Canada communications, etc.).

You will also lend your strong writing skills to both the Zambia Country Office and to CARE Canada’s SANI Public Engagement Officer to support opportunities to engage local and Canadian audiences in the SANI project and its impact/effectiveness. At the same time, your brand identity management expertise will enable you to ensure that the CARE brand, and the associated SANI Campaign brand, are effectively, consistently and accurately maintained and promoted across all media.

Moreover, your strategic communications skills will help you to identify, suggest, plan and undertake a variety of communications objectives, to ensure that they meet the singular goal of increasing awareness of the CARE nutrition program in Zambia.

Position Summary:

The main purpose of the Communications Advisor role is creating, curating and implementing content in order to educate and inform. S/he will be part of a team and will also work independently to meet ongoing deadlines – as such, the ability to balance multiple projects and prioritize deliverables will be important. In particular, this role includes:

• Identifying and creating compelling content (including photos and video if possible)
• Using emerging digital strategies, including social media tools
• Supporting the CARE Canada SANI Pubic Engagement campaign

As a volunteer, you will:

-Take the lead in executing daily communications needs.

-Create and execute a communications calendar.

-Visit the project in the field regularly, to obtain resources (photos, stories, videos) and to respond to communications needs of CARE Canada SANI PE Officer.

-Create a variety of communications products; including reports, summaries, flyers, PowerPoint presentations, and more.

-Ensure brand consistency of message, tone, and design across all communications.

-Work with program and project staff to identify and cultivate testimonials and stories from participants, staff, and partners.

-Other activities, as requested.

Essential Academic Qualifications:

- University Degree or college diploma in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or other relevant field

Essential Professional Background:

-3+ years’ experience in communications / marketing / public relations

-Familiar with the latest trends in marketing, communications, and social media in the nonprofit and for-profit worlds, and creatively incorporates this knowledge into all responsibilities

-Demonstrated team and project leadership

-Extensive experience (minimum 4 years) writing and editing impactful print, online, and social media copy

-Experience producing printed collateral, including marketing literature, annual reports, brochures, appeal letters, newsletters, etc.

-Innovative thinker who can translate strategy into action plans and output

-Excels when working independently, and as an effective member of a team

-Proven ability to work efficiently, quickly, and accurately on diverse assignments

-Superior attention to detail

-Self-reliant, results-oriented problem solver

-Excellent and persuasive communicator

-Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills

-Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with a variety of audiences

-Proven competency in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, and Publisher)

CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.

CARE works with the poorest communities in 95 countries to:

• Improve basic health and education
• Enhance rural livelihoods and food security
• Increase access to clean water and sanitation
• Expand economic opportunity
• Help vulnerable people adapt to climate change
• Provide lifesaving assistance during emergencies

CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls living in poverty because, equipped with the proper resources, women and girls have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty.

Cuso International terms and conditions allow you to lead a modest and healthy lifestyle while being effective in your placement. This support package will cover basic living expenses for one volunteer and is not intended to cover home-based expenses (ex. loans, support payments, etc.) or luxury items such as imported items in placement or international personal travel.

Support Package

- Modest monthly living allowance (varies depending country)

- Accommodation while in placement

- Return airfare and visa/work permit costs

- Cost of required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and health insurance

- Pre-departure training and in-country orientation

- Travel and accommodation for reintegration debriefing weekend

- Access to Employee Assistance Program while in placement and upon return

- Cuso International assessment day (Candidates must cover the first $200 of the most cost-effective travel expenses and all accommodation costs).

- Travel and accommodation for the five-day pre-departure training course and for in-country orientation

- Bonus: Additional return flight home or cash in lieu after 12 months of service for volunteers who extend for another 6 months

Residency

The majority of Cuso International volunteer applicants are residing in Canada at the time of application and during the pre-departure process. Occasionally we received applications from volunteer applicants who are residing outside of Canada at the time of application. In both instances, between your application date and placement start date, we must be able to contact you and you must be able to contact us easily and promptly throughout the process.

We may require your passport and would need to be aware of your current place of residence and any travel plans you may have during this time. You will also require unrestricted access to Canada during this time for assessment and training, as applicable.

Citizenship

Leaving your country of residence can have significant effects on your citizenship status in that country. It is your responsibility to research the consequences of travelling to Canada during the pre-departure process if you are living outside of Canada and of leaving your country of residence for a placement with the immigration authority where you live.

By applying to this placement, you accept full responsibility for any consequences related to your citizenship, residency and immigration status or penalties as a result of travel to an assessment day, training course, international placement or other Cuso International related travel.

You must check the implications that apply to you, but examples include:

• Canadian permanent residents may need to make arrangements with immigration authorities before travelling. These arrangements allow them to travel without risk to their status in Canada. Without them, residency status may be withdrawn.
• Citizens of other countries, including those visiting Canada on a visa, may have travel restrictions.