Communications Manager PCI-Media Impact Freetown

Status: Full Time
Reports to: Programs Director – PCI Media Impact, New York
Office: Based in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Travel required: Approximately 40%
Length of Position: Until September, 2015

Project Background:
The United States Government, as represented by a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) West Africa and the United States Forest Service, International Programs (USFS/IP), is funding the regional Sustainable and Thriving Environments for West African Regional Development Program Phase III (STEWARD III). STEWARD III is a forest conservation, climate change and sustainable livelihoods program focusing on trans-boundary priority zones in the Upper Guinean Forest Ecosystem in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast. The USAID and USFS/IP partnership began conserving this ecosystem under STEWARD Phase I (October 2007 – June 2009). Work was expanded under a second phase of STEWARD (July 2009 - February 2011) to address regional threats to biodiversity and to capitalize on opportunities to support peace building, biodiversity conservation, knowledge dissemination and policy harmonization. The program is now transitioning into Phase III, a four-year program through September 2015.

About Media Impact:
Media Impact empowers communities worldwide to inspire enduring change through creative storytelling. Media Impact is a leader in Entertainment- Education and social change communications. For 25 years, we have worked with local partners to produce programs that address the most pressing social and environmental issues. Using our unique My Community methodology, we engage and empower audiences around the world to improve their own lives. Working with local partners, we have produced more than 3,000 episodes of 100 TV and radio productions. Together, these programs have reached more than 1 billion people in 34 countries.

About the Position:
Media Impact has been selected by USFS/IP, to lead the STEWARD III Communications Program. The STEWARD Communications Manager will work with the USFS/IP STEWARD Director and technical advisors, Media Impact New York staff, a STEWARD Communications Team, other STEWARD partners, implementers and stakeholders to guide the successful development, implementation, and monitoring of a Communications and Outreach Strategy for STEWARD, including an Entertainment-Education component. The Communications Manager will have direct management and supervision responsibilities for an Entertainment – Education (E-E) Coordinator and a Communications Coordinator, both of whom will also be based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Represent Media Impact as a STEWARD partner (and for other related projects in Sierra Leone and Liberia) in the region on a day-to-day basis, including maintaining regular communication with the STEWARD Director and Media Impact NY to ensure agreement on work plans and overall coordination.
• Manage the STEWARD Communications Team consisting of the Entertainment-Education Coordinator and the Communications Coordinator to ensure effective implementation of an integrated work plan, including regular work planning, supervision and evaluation of performance and coordination of HR issues with STEWARD/USFS and Media Impact.
• Supervise or coordinate communications personnel (either staff or partners) in the three STEWARD priority zones.
• Provide day-to-day project management, in consultation with Media Impact NY, of the Media Impact STEWARD grant, including completion of all project reports and work plans and budget preparation and management.
• Work with all STEWARD partners to develop and implement a STEWARD Strategic Communications and Outreach Plan, including an Entertainment-Education component.
• Based on an agreed strategy, build and deepen the audience and “footprint” for STEWARD communications; grow awareness and trust of the STEWARD brand, the program’s activities, objectives etc.; support knowledge, attitude and behavior change objectives; and optimize internal and external learning around project success and failure.
• Lead the drafting, editing, and management of creative and impactful written work and digital products targeted at multiple audiences and across multiple platforms.
• Perform day-to-day management and oversight of the (proposed) STEWARD Communications Coordinating Group, and lead internal communications and learning across all partners, in all countries/priority zones.
• Serve as the lead media contact for the STEWARD program.
• Lead other communications/outreach activities as needed, including event planning and management, publicity, social media, and graphic design.
• Work with the STEWARD Communications Team to plan and organize communications related training activities. Support other regional training, as relevant for STEWARD.
• Work with STEWARD partners to design and produce training materials for a variety of audiences.
• Design and coordinate implementation of Learning Exchanges for stakeholders within and between STEWARD Priority Zones, as well as decision-makers from regional centers.
• Work with other STEWARD partners to design and implement an M&E process to measure impacts of the communication program.
• Support other regional E-E training, as relevant for STEWARD.
• When appropriate, represent Media Impact at universities, Entertainment-Education and communication conferences, forums, etc.
• Additional tasks may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge Requirements:
• Fluency in spoken and written English and French.
• Education and/or experience equivalent to a Master’s Degree in communications for development (C4D), branding, international development, journalism, Entertainment-Education, social marketing or a field relevant to media/communications and development.
• Strong understanding of issues impacting developing countries, particularly around, biodiversity conservation, climate change, natural resource management, sustainable livelihoods, water and sanitation, and sustainable development.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in international development or conservation, communications for social change, journalism, public relations, with at least 2 years project management experience.
• Experience using communications strategies and tools to advance local, regional and international program objectives, including media relations, web/mobile/social media, print and events.
• Experience developing and successfully implementing a complex communications strategy, particularly for a new or growing program.
• Experience implementing international/multi-country communications efforts and adapting communication strategies for a variety of international audiences and media markets.
• Ability to work and communicate with a range of stakeholders including policymakers and government officials, NGOs, the media, community representatives.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and communications skills in English and French and in a variety of formats (i.e. web, print publications, briefing papers, press releases).
• Ability to thrive in team environments, with a strong understanding of diversity and other cultures.
• Immediately available to work in Sierra Leone; able to travel without restrictions to the other 3 countries in the STEWARD program and the US.

Please send cover letter and CV to jobs@mediaimpact.org; all materials due by March 27, 2012.