Regional Communications Officer at We Effect

We Effect is recruiting a Regional Communications Officer, Lusaka
We Effect, Regional Office of Southern Africa (ROSA), is looking for an experienced Regional Communication Officer. The preferred candidate has an extensive network, in-depth understanding and skills in operational and strategic communications and will contribute to increased brand awareness of We Effect in the Southern African region.

We Effect is a development organisation founded in 1958 by the cooperative movement in Sweden. We work in more than 20 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and collaborate mainly with member-based organisations consisting of women and men who live in poverty. We work in the thematic fields of sustainable rural development and adequate housing. Our values are respect, transparency, and together.

We Effect in Southern Africa is present in and implements country development programmes in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Regional Office is based in Lusaka, Zambia. For more information, see www.weeffect.org .

Main Responsibilities

As Regional Communications Officer you are responsible for communicating about We Effect’s work in the region to key stakeholders. Key stakeholder are institutional donors partner organisations in the region, and the Swedish public. The role involves independent, proactive operational and strategic communication aimed at increased brand awareness raising and knowledge of We Effects work among target audiences. The purpose is to contribute to an increased and diversified funding base, visibility of our work and results, and to effective advocacy in the region and in Sweden.

As Regional Communication Officer your duty station is the Regional Office while you at the same time are part of the Marketing Department and responsible for developing information material and other deliverables requested by the Marketing Department. In the region you have the responsibility to support staff and partner organisations with communication activities. The role requires the ability to work autonomously and flexibility to ensure that all communication work is in line with the budget, strategies, regulations and project-specific requirements. The role also requires close collaboration with the Regional Resource Mobilisation Coordinator and Regional Planning Monitoring &Evaluation Officer.
Examples of tasks

• Initiate and coordinate efforts to increase local/regional awareness of We Effect’s and partner organisations’ work.
• Ensure that communication activities are adapted to the relevant channels as well as the information needs of partner organisations and institutional donors in the region.
• Provide guidance on branding requirements for the region and reinforce application and consistency of We Effect communications brand policy across all internal and external products and materials.
• Support the Regional Director with the proactive and operational crisis communication work as need arises.
• Strengthen the competence and capacity of staff in the region as well as partner organisations by offering communication trainings tailored to the region’s specific needs.
• Actively work with the media and programme team to promote We Effects visibility via local and regional media platforms.
• Provide support to resource acquisition and policy change efforts by stronger sector positioning through mapping visibility needs and donor communications needs.
• Review, update and implement the communication strategy for the region.
• Maintain and update the regional part of the organisation’s global web.
• Continuously produce publications, activity newsletters, case studies, results, testimonies, photos and films that highlight and explain We Effects programme successes and contributions to target audiences, stakeholders and partners in accordance with the guidelines for regional communication deliveries, for channels in Sweden.
• Continuously contribute with news from the region for relevant channels in Sweden.

About you
As Regional Communications Officer you are independent and mature in your profession. As your tasks are divided between the regional and the Swedish context it is of great importance that you are responsive and able to adapt your approach and priorites. You need to have the ability to communicate to different target groups and understand the wants and needs of the same. You need to have excellent organisational, scheduling and planning skills and the ablility to meet deadlines. As a person you are positive and curious, you enjoy new challenges and working in a dynamic and always changing environment. You are interested in current affairs and share We Effect’s vision of a sustainable and just world free from poverty.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in communication, journalism, media studies, public relations, marketing or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years’ professional experience working with communications, public relations, marketing, events promotion, journalism trades, media or similar.
• Membership or affiliation to a relevant professional network.
• Experience working with communication for an NGO/INGO or similar.
• Experience adapting your communication for international target groups.
• Experience working with different media platforms, digital, social media, printed etc.
• Experience in photography and filming with smart phone.
• Experience of conducting interviews.
• Excellent computer skills and experience working with MS Office applications.
• Advanced written and spoken knowledge in professional English.
• Awareness of current political and social affairs in the region.

Desired qualifications

• Master’s degree in communication, journalism, media studies, public relations, marketing or related field.
• Experience in working with fundraising.
• Experience working with Adobe Creative Suit.
• Experience working with WordPress
• Established network and capacity to maintain strategic relationships with media and development cooperation actors.
• Experience producing content for the Swedish audience.
• Knowledge of the Swedish context and development cooperation.
• Ability to work independently with high level of confidence and confidentiality
• Knowledge in Swedish.
• Knowledge in Portuguese.

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