Communications Manager – Kenya Primary Literacy Program

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.

Project Description

The USAID Kenya Primary Literacy Program (USAID KPLP) is a five-year initiative that supports the Kenyan Ministry of Education to deliver interventions at scale as well as pilot and expand innovations that address the language and literacy needs of primary grade learners while building more inclusive, accountable, and resilient education institutions and systems.

USAID KPLP has three broad objectives:

1. Improving education services and student learning outcomes, including for vulnerable populations;

2. Strengthening education institutions and systems to become more accountable, self-sustaining, and resilient; and

3. Empowering local youth organizations to strengthen and sustain community and family support for student learning and wellbeing.

Position Description

The KPLP Communications Manager will be responsible for all project communications. The Communications Manager will lead project communications, including social media, success stories, short videos, press releases, etc., and lead the design and implementation of the KPLP communications strategy. The Communications Manager will disseminate key project achievements to the funder, stakeholders, and the public. The successful candidate will possess outstanding technical skills and knowledge of USAID branding and communications strategy, as well as the ability to collaborate in a highly effective manner with technical and operational counterparts within the project team, with MOE and government agencies, and other project stakeholders. The Communications Manager will report to the Chief of Party. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Communication Manager’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Designing and implementing a communications strategy for the life of the project, to include creative product ideas and dissemination channels (may include working closely with local artists to develop communications for a diversity of audiences).
• Sourcing storylines and developing communications such as fact sheets, success stories, press releases, social media content, narratives for short videos, speeches, and other communications as requested.
• Developing and maintaining continuous engagement with local, national, and international media as needed.
• Take photos and identifying and working with high-quality photographers and videographers in Kenya to build visual assets.
• Supporting the development of quarterly and annual project reports.
• Supporting the planning, development, and organization of content and messaging for events.
• Manage usage of style and editorial rules, as well as keep abreast of changes in tools, methods, and techniques.
• Collaborate with EDC Home Office Communications Team to adapt social media posts and success stories for international audiences and build out key products.
• Collaborate with project staff and EDC Home Office Communications Team for development of slide deck presentations.
• Building and maintaining a social media presence.
• Coordinating with Chief of Party and EDC Home Office and the USAID Communications Officer to ensure materials are approved in accordance with USAID’s branding and marking guidance.
• Coordinating with stakeholders and partners to ensure fidelity of all project communications.

The candidate for the position of Communications Manager shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Master’s degree in communications, digital media studies, public relations, or a related field.

Skills and Experience:

• 7 to 8 years of progressively responsible and directly relevant experience.
• Proven experience coordinating, managing, and collaborating with a range of individuals in diverse contexts, including working with various artists, event coordinators, monitoring and evaluation teams, and partner communications staff.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English required.
• Strong creative skills; relationships with high-quality artists in a variety of mediums a plus.
• Strong proficiency in the use of MS Word and PowerPoint required, proficiency in the Adobe Creative Cloud or other graphic design and video tools a plus.
• Experience in developing content (including visual assets) and messaging for social media, including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, required.
• Experience taking professional photographs a plus
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, ability to work under pressure and with a team, negotiate diplomatically, and the ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary work environment, including experience working with underserved populations.
• Demonstrated experience with and understanding of USAID communications strategies and approaches.
• Ability to prepare and conduct presentations.
• Event planning experience.

Language:

Fluency in oral and written English and proficiency in Kiswahili is required.

Other:

Applicants must be Kenyan nationals or hold current work authorization.