Employment Type: Full-Time
Minimum Experience: Manager/Supervisor
Compensation: Indicate total annual salary in USD
POST TITLE: Communications Manager
HOURS OF WORK: Full-time, 5 days per week
PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT: 5 Years
LOCATION: Kenya or Ghana
Applicants must have the right to work in their location.
REPORTING TO: Head of Communications
SALARY: Competitive - dependent on experience
We support research that generates actionable insights to inform decisions, policies and practice and strengthen education systems. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small but passionate and driven team based in Africa and Europe, to play a key role in advancing our work, impact and partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
ESSA’s values are at the heart of everything we do, and they are:
- Evidence-driven: We are driven by data and evidence to find what works best, building an evidence alliance for education in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Solutions-focused: We seek the highest impact for young people and educators in sub-Saharan Africa with the cost-effective funds we invest.
- Strengthening Trust: We strive to create supportive environments, building trust with the communities we work with.
- Always learning: Everyone’s opinion is valuable; we develop solutions through teamwork.
This is an exciting opportunity to join ESSA as our Communications Manager. In this role, you will lead the way in shaping how we communicate about our projects, with a strong focus on research communications, policy, impact and fostering a vibrant research community. You will oversee content creation, lead engaging events, and build meaningful relationships with researchers, implementing partners, and the wider community. If you are a strategic thinker with exceptional communication skills, a passion for research for action/impact, and a talent for bringing people together, this is your chance to step into a role where you can shape the future of knowledge sharing and build thriving research communities.
1. Project Communications (30%)
- Develop and implement tailored communication plans for multiple ESSA’s projects, ensuring alignment with project goals and messaging.
- Collaborate with implementing partners to coordinate communication efforts and maintain consistency across projects.
- Collaborate with project managers and partners to distil research reports into clear, digestible and audience-specific messages.
- Lead the development of multimedia project storytelling to enhance engagement and visibility.
2. Community Engagement Strategy (25%)
- Design and implement a comprehensive organisation strategy for community engagement across all projects.
- Organise and deliver activities that foster collaboration, participation, and knowledge-sharing among researchers.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with researchers and partners to ensure effective dissemination of findings.
- Facilitate platforms (e.g., webinars, workshops, forums) to connect researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
3. Research (and Impact) Communications (20%)
- Translate research findings into clear, accessible, and compelling messages for diverse audiences, including researchers, educators, policymakers, and funders.
- Work with the other members of the communications team to create targeted and innovative strategies that increase the visibility and impact of ESSA’s research.
- Collaborate with researchers to identify key insights and craft engaging narratives that highlight their work.
- Produce research-driven content, such as articles, blogs, and opinion pieces, to showcase ESSA’s contributions to the field.
4. Content Management (10%)
- Lead the development and management of organisation-wide content calendars, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality materials across projects.
- Create and curate content, including emails, newsletters, social media posts, blogs, and event materials.
- Ensure all communications meet our quality benchmarks—guiding teams through reviews and flagging inconsistencies.
5. Event Management (5%)
- Oversee the planning and execution of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, defining goals, target audiences, and key messages in line with organisational objectives.
- Oversee the development of event content to drive attendance and engagement.
6. Media Strategy (5%)
- Develop and implement media strategies to enhance the visibility of ESSA’s projects and research.
- Secure media coverage in country-level, regional, and global outlets, including TV, radio, newspapers, and journals.
7. Internal Communications (5%)
- Organise and manage internal communication processes, including weekly team meetings with clear agendas and follow-up actions.
- Ensure smooth information flow within the organisation to support collaboration and decision-making.
Experience
- A minimum of seven years of experience in strategic communications, ideally within the education or NGO sectors.
- A proven track record in communicating research, managing project communications, and delivering campaigns that have influenced policymakers, researchers, or donors. Candidates must submit a portfolio demonstrating this experience.
- Experience in building and engaging research communities is essential.
Education
- A bachelors degree in communications or a related social science field.
Skills
- Exceptional writing and editing skills in English, with the ability to simplify complex research for diverse audiences.
- Proficiency in using digital tools such as Mailchimp, Zoom, Drupal, and Hootsuite.
- A strong track record of securing media coverage and engaging diverse audiences.
- Experience with Adobe Suite or Canva, and familiarity with data analytics tools.
- Proven ability to create and deliver communication strategies for diverse audiences.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, prioritise tasks, and meet deadlines effectively.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with a talent for building and maintaining relationships with researchers, project partners, and other stakeholders.
- Skilled in content creation, editing, and copy-editing, with a keen eye for detail.
- Experience in event planning and media relations.
- A genuine passion for research, policy, education, and community engagement.
Attributes
- Highly organised, detail-oriented, and proactive.
- An excellent communicator with the ability to craft compelling messages.
- A collaborative team player who thrives in an international, culturally diverse, and remote environment.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office.
DESIRABLE:
- French proficiency (written and spoken).
The importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) underpins our mission and values at ESSA. We prioritise inclusion and celebrate the breadth of knowledge and experience working across diverse cultures brings to the organisation.
EDI at ESSA is embodied in the current composition of our Board of Trustees and our workforce, which strongly reflects the communities we work in, and we actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures.
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