International Business & Technical Consultants USAID Ethiopia- Development Outreach and Communications Specialist Jobs in Ethiopia
Overview:
Ethiopia is the second largest country in Africa and is ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries, creating immense development challenges. Its rapidly growing and young population is mostly engaged in subsistence farming and nearly 10 percent of Ethiopians are chronically food insecure. Overcoming an approximate 33 percent extreme poverty rate is difficult.
This situation is exacerbated by a recent history of conflict, and Ethiopia being located in a troubled region, including shared borders with Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya and Somalia.
USAID/Ethiopia’s 2019-2024 Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) addresses development challenges in the areas of Democracy, Demographics, and Disasters at both the levels of systems and institutions, as well as citizens and communities. The CDCS and ongoing programs firmly support the reform efforts underway in Ethiopia, and the USG priorities in the country.
Responsibilities
Essential Duties/Tasks and Responsibilities:
The DOC Specialist (hereafter referred to as “DOC”) will service the needs of USAID/Ethiopia and its area of responsibility, to include Djibouti, per the requirements below.
Strategic Communications
The DOC is the expert authority on all communication and outreach strategies, policies, tools, and approaches for the USAID/Ethiopia and Djibouti portfolios. This expert authority extends to all technical and program staff in both countries (approximately 300 staff), thereby affecting a large number of technical staff and having a direct effect on the scope, manner and effectiveness with which USAID translates high level decisions, initiatives, programs and activities into clear and direct messaging.
The DOC is delegated this expert authority in concert with the Bureau for Legislative and Policy Affairs to advise and reflect their interests within the region on outreach and communications related to several Presidential, joint State-USAID and USAID Initiatives, as well as activities implemented within the region, but managed from AID/Washington.
Additionally and relatedly, the DOC:
Counsels and advises the USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director and frequently directs USAID staff in both countries on all communication and outreach efforts;
Advises the Mission’s development, outreach and communications team, ensuring overall quality and coherence of the team’s communications and outreach products and initiatives covering the entire USAID/Ethiopia area of responsibility;
Guides all USAID staff and contractors in developing appropriate public information programs, oversees all USAID branding, provides guidance to USAID staff and partners in their direct contacts with the media, and ensures a targeted, coherent, and consistent message from all USAID staff and partners;
Substantially increases the effective and creative use of multimedia to enhance the message of development throughout Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the region, through written and visual means; and
Oversees all internal communications functions, including quality assurance of annual required and ad-hoc reports and communications with internal USAID and USG stakeholders.
Development Outreach and Media Activities
The DOC monitors local and international press coverage for awareness of, and attitudes toward USAID and USG writ large, and provides continuous feedback to inform USAID staff on ongoing activities and future programming.
For media events, the DOC and his or her team are responsible for:
Drafting of speeches, talking points, and background briefings for media engagements, including the development of materials and preparation of speakers for radio, video and television sessions;
Compilation and dissemination of press packets, handling of protocol issues, site selection, staging, and on-site coordination of all media issues;
Identification and scheduling of speakers and liaising with U.S. and local government officials as needed;
Writing and/or editing of USAID programmatic and strategic fact sheets and briefing materials for public consumption;
Writing and/or editing of Briefing Checklists (BCLs), scene setters, briefing materials and memoranda for the Ambassador, the USAID Mission Director or his/her designees when their participation in events is warranted; and
Coordination of updates to USAID websites.
Coordination of Communication Strategies and Activities
The DOC must continuously access and interpret often-nuanced
information as it is made available or accessible. He or she must use expert judgment to create or adjust policy statements and messages for use by various levels of the U.S. Mission in Ethiopia and the region.
Key Deliverables: (SMART – tangible outcomes)
Prepare remarks, talking points, and speeches, as requested by Mission principals;
Provide strategic and technical guidance on communications and outreach to most impactfully reach the largest possible local and U.S. audience, including documentation and presentation of the achievements of the Mission in supporting Ethiopia and Djibouti’s progress in sustainably addressing its major development challenges;
Collaboration with the DOC team, advising team members and other Mission staff in need of DOC services.
Advises, trains, and equips other DOC staff with the tools necessary to successfully support a high-functioning DOC team.
Qualifications
Writing Sample:
Note: If selected for an interview, applicants will also be asked to provide at least two writing samples. The samples should be 350 to 1,500 words. They can be excerpts from larger articles or papers, and do not have to concern development or be written specifically for this solicitation. The samples should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to clearly, lucidly and succinctly communicate complex ideas to the public. The samples must be written exclusively by the applicant. Co-written articles are not accepted. Final applicant(s) may be asked to take a written test.
Minimum Requirements:
A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in public relations in an international setting such as in an international organization, corporation, donor, foreign government, or NGO.
Demonstrated ability to develop and establish multi-pronged communication policies and strategies, and to craft information messages in various media formats (press releases, websites, stories, etc.), and targeting a variety of audiences.
Demonstrate ability in coordination and organizational skills within multi-cultural work environments; demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and to work effectively under pressure; and, demonstrated initiative and creativity.
Demonstrated past experience in performing successfully at high levels, with minimal supervision and direction.
Demonstrated experience with international aid projects, especially in critical priority countries. Demonstrated ability of initiative in media campaigns, special programs, press conferences, etc.
Demonstrated ability in analyzing complex programmatic information and understanding USG national interests and diplomatic priorities in order to craft information messages in various media formats, targeting a variety of audiences to meet numerous objectives simultaneously.
Demonstrated ability of initiative and proactive engagement with colleagues to complete assigned tasks in accordance with agreed upon timetables.
The successful candidate must be a native English speaker, with the highest level of written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to work effectively as a member of a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural team. Demonstrated ability to make cogent arguments clearly and succinctly in written and oral presentations. Demonstrated ability in computer skills, sophisticated media and multimedia tools (including online platforms and social media) and the ability to work in all appropriate Microsoft Office Suite applications and Google Suite, use desktop publishing software and one or more website development applications, and be familiar with Adobe Photoshop. Knowledge of Amharic and/or French is a plus.
Education: A bachelor’s degree in the field of journalism, communications, international relations, international development, public administration, development/area studies, social studies, public relations.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; International Business & Technical Consultants USAID Ethiopia- Development Outreach and Communications Specialist Jobs in Ethiopia
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