Communications Manager at Heifer International

Heifer International is an international development organization dedicated to improving food security and income opportunities for rural families while promoting sound stewardship of natural resources. As a private, non-governmental organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Heifer has created lasting change for farming households in over 125 countries across Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe for over 70 years.

Heifer International does so much more than put food in the mouths of hungry people. Heifer helps people feed themselves. The goal of every Heifer project is sustainability – project partners achieving self-reliance. And year after year, as partner families Pass on the Gift of knowledge and one or more of their animals’ offspring to others in need, they become links in a network of hope, dignity and self-reliance that helps hundreds of others care for themselves.

Job Position: Communications Manager

Job Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Job Description

1. Heifer International is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.

Function

1. The Communications Manager – Africa will be responsible for the development and implementation of Heifer Africa’s overall communications strategy, as well as the creation of and management of communications plans designed towards engaging internal and external stakeholders, promoting key activities within African region, and promoting the Heifer brand.
2. S/he will be in charge of planning and managing the reputation, public relations, marketing, and communications for Heifer Africa, including emails, advertisements, manuals, letters, website content, events management, and other forms of communication.
3. S/he will position Heifer as a thought leader in driving integration between technology and climate-smart agriculture, as well as on youth and technology towards increasing incomes for smallholder farmers across Africa. S/he will promote access to innovative finance and elevate
4. Heifer’s voice attracts investors to partner on its innovative and accelerator programs.
5. The Communications Manager – Africa will also oversee the activities of communications consultants and vendors and lead communications projects and new initiatives.
6. Additionally, the position will handle events co-ordination and matters related to external engagements; assist with the discovery/development of communication and engagement platforms for a spokesperson(s) to articulate Heifer Africa’s point of view; develop relationships with media agencies, publications, editorial staff, and influential columnists; institute capacity building seminars and implement a protocol for official interaction for media inquiries, press conferences and media visits across the Region.
7. The Communications Manager – Africa will report to the Senior Vice President – Africa Programs.
8. The role may be located in any of the following countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Senegal, Uganda, Rwanda or Zambia.

Essential Character Traits:

1. Customer focus, drives results, nimble learning, decision quality, instils trust, collaborates, self-development, optimizes work processes, action-oriented, communicates effectively, cultivates innovation and values differences.

Job Responsibilities
Development and implementation of Heifer’s Communications Strategy for Africa (40%):

1. Custodian and gatekeeper of corporate narrative.
2. In liaison with Regional leadership, develop and implement a communications strategy for Heifer Africa.
3. Drive visibility and positioning of the Heifer brand across the region, in alignment with Regional leadership.
4. Ensure alignment on the organization’s brand and messaging strategies across the country offices.
5. Ensure adoption of all aspects of approved PR/Brand DNA in all content – documents, presentations, brochures, adverts, and speeches.
6. Ensure that corporate narrative is deeply entrenched in all internal and external communication and visual expression.
7. Direct Heifer Africa brand positioning business-wide through cross-functional and cross-team coordination and cooperation.
8. Serve as a champion for internal PR/corporate narrative.
9. Influence the tone, look, and feel of shared media platforms with close coordination with the Global Communications Team.
10. Receive strategic direction and manage relationships/information flow with retained PR consultants.
11. Provide feedback and observations towards refining or re-thinking strategies.
12. Leveraging data on Heifer past successes in Africa to position is as partners to co-design with development partners.

Position Heifer appropriately in the public domain. (20%):

1. Key media interface.
2. Key event organizer.
3. Identifies suitable positioning opportunities.
4. Mitigates reputation risk.
5. Ensure top-of-the-mind awareness for Heifer and achieve the highest visibility in the development sector in key media, by ensuring 80% positive media mention.
6. Leveraging media partnerships to position Heifer as a thought leader on youth & technology to increase incomes for smallholder farmers.
7. Promote access to innovative finance and elevate Heifer’s voice to attract investors to partner on our innovative and accelerator programs.
8. Showcase Heifer’s partnership with the private sector and governments.
9. Identify suitable programs, events, and initiatives for media leveraging and positioning.
10. Position Heifer as a thought leader in driving integration between technology and climate-smart agriculture.
11. Assist with developing the business case for Heifer and ensure visibility with key business media, government, and the local donor community.
12. Ghosts write opinion pieces positioning Heifer Africa experts as thought leaders.

Responsible for Heifer Africa content development – content, look and feel across all media and engagements (20%):

1. Assist with the development of speeches/presentations/brochures/ infomercials/ short clip videos.
2. Assist with responses to media inquiries.
3. Manages all executive external and internal communication.
4. Provide high-quality, consistent program and thematic content based on approved communication and brand DNA in multiple media channels including press, web, and social media.
5. Create, maintain and conduct analytics reporting and extract key insights for future communications plans, complete with formal proposals and recommendations on tactics.

Ensures that content, look and feel positions Africa as aspirational and Heifer as:

1. A partner in progress – an organization that prioritizes Africa because of the abundant opportunities in Africa.
2. An organization that desires local collaboration with farmers, government, local donors, and the international community.
3. Competing for big-ticket funds.
4. Implementing signature projects which enhance local food security and know Africans can help themselves.
5. Interested in climate change impact and issues of water in the Sahel region.
6. Deep understanding of Africa after 45 years.
7. Collaborate with Global Communications Team on the production of high-quality audiovisual context.

Coordinate interaction with critical stakeholders (15%):

1. Assist Regional leadership to prioritize and manage engagement with critical stakeholders in media, donor community, partnerships, government, and regulators.
2. Coordinates critical stakeholder management.
3. Assists corporate spokesperson(s).
4. Minimize friction with critical stakeholders.
5. Scans the environment from time to time and identifies future or perceived challenges for Heifer.
6. Develop a critical stakeholder matrix and expectation management document to be revised from time to time (as needed).
7. Develop reputation risk register – identify key reputation risk and advice executive management on how to mitigate the same.
8. Work with retained consultants and Global Communications Team and Regional leadership to implement crisis management document – scenario planning and shelf-ready responses.
9. Develop a quarterly schedule of interactions between identified critical stakeholders and Regional leadership.

May perform other job-related duties as assigned (5%):

Job Requirements

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Humanities, or related Degree plus a minimum of 15 years experience in a reputable PR/Brand consulting firm, or Corporate Communications in a large corporate organization preferably multi-national. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Requirements:

1. Master’s Degree in Social Sciences, Humanities, or related degree, plus a minimum of 5 years experience in a senior management position leading PR/Brand Management or Corporate Communications.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

1. Knowledge of public relations work applied across all forms of media.
2. Strong writing, editing and presentation skills.
3. Demonstrated knowledge and skills of building networks, partners and collaborations for media and positioning.
4. Negotiation skills including ability to listen and persuade.
5. Work with a global mindset preferably with demonstrated experience in working at local, and global levels.
6. Demonstrated experience of working with diverse cultural groups, and gender equity approach.
7. Experience in taking complex ideas and capturing in accessible ways and multiple formats – briefing papers, positioning pieces, publications, press releases, and social media.
8. Experienced in identifying and managing sensitive media issues and crisis communications.
9. Ability to collaborate and build positive working relationships with multiple internal and external partners.
10. Experience with the design and implementation of results-oriented communication strategies.
11. Demonstrated experience managing and/or facilitating events, small convenings, and forums of experts preferred.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Ability to inspire and support the team and give expression to Heifer’s mission through word, media, and public relations activities.
2. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public.
3. Ability to confidently give oral presentations and impromptu speeches to a wide range of audiences.
4. May require constant sitting and moving, working at a computer for extended periods of time, as well as occasional bending and lifting.
5. Ability to effectively plan, prepare, and present material and speeches for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
6. Outstanding English writing skills and oral communication skills are essential.
7. Willingness and ability to travel as needed.
8. Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours.
9. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online