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Global Communications Manager (Washington, DC)

  • Reports to:  Director, Business Development and Strategy
  • Location: Washington, D.C. with occasional domestic and international travel
  • Deadline to apply:  Applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis
  • Desired start date: As soon as possible
  • Length of Commitment: Open-ended
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) has played in important role incubating Evidence Action’s programs and continues to be a partner of Evidence Action. IPA is an international non-profit research organization that works with development partners and academic researchers to create and evaluate approaches to solving development problems, to communicate “what works” in development and to scale up successful projects in a variety of fields, including health, education, microfinance, governance and agriculture.
About Evidence Action

Evidence Action’s mission is to fill the gap between what has been identified as effective in global health and development and what is implemented at scale in practice. We begin from the premise that achieving scale across sectors and contexts is a solvable challenge, and that expertise in meeting this challenge comes with experience and sustained commitment. We have a specific goal to crafting resilient business models for 3-5 proven interventions over the next five years, with each program reaching over ten million people. We begin with two flagship programs, Dispensers for Safe Water and the Deworm the World Initiative.
Summary and Responsibilities

You are a motivated individual who is passionate about promoting Evidence Action and its programs in mass communications efforts. What you write in thought leadership pieces and social media posts, how you shape the website to portray timely programmatic data, and materials you prepare for senior leadership will, among other things, be the basis for how the world gets to know about Evidence Action. Your work will be the basis for whether we are seen to “walk the talk” on our brand principles of transparency, commitment to rigor, and cost-effective impact. You will also play an important role keeping our geographically dispersed staff up-to-date about program milestones, and promoting the Evidence Action brand identity internally.
You aren’t savvy just at telling our story; you can also use these stories to garner support for Evidence Action. You are creative, compelling and strategic about planning and executing retail fundraising plans and corporate engagements. “What new ways can brands align and passions be stirred?” is a question that gets you excited – you have the skills and proactive ability to answer it. 
Areas of responsibility will include:
  • Thought leadership: You will lead the development of thought leadership pieces, working in conjunction with the Executive Director and other colleagues to develop timely and robust pieces aligned with Evidence Action’s work and brand for external publication (e.g. collaborate with Deputy Director of Africa to pen an article on the challenges of government institutionalization to be published on the CGD blog)

     
  • Media / external communications: You will both be the main point of contact for engaging journalists on the global level, as well as mentoring our staff on media and external communications. In particular, you will:
  • Proactively engage journalists for on-going productive reporting relationships
  • Create guidelines for staff on engaging with press, and 1:1 media engagement trainings
  • Keep abreast of media mentions of Evidence Action and drive appropriate follow-up

     
  • Evidence Action website and social media:
  • In 2014, you will drive the creation of Evidence Action’s website 2.0 to transparently share timely program data and information. You will lead the process in collaboration with external designers, web developers, and colleagues.
  • Create processes and templates for sourcing stories and blogs from the field
  • You will curate (at times writing yourself, at times pulling stories from field) at least 2 blogs / month for our website
  • Your postings will drive basic social media engagement on Facebook and Twitter

     
  • Program and brand materials: As a new organization, Evidence Action and its programs still require the creation of a number of foundational materials, such as the program materials that can be shared with government stakeholders and business cards for staff. You will work with our external designers and printers to develop needed materials.

     
  • Retail donor engagement: You will manage individual donor engagement, including:
  • Collaborate with colleagues on developing and executing fundraising strategies that engage individual donors
  • Launch a quarterly e-newsletter for donors and other supporters
  • Manage standard retail donor engagement
  • Give input on long-term donor relationship management database in coordination with the Director of Finance & Administration

     
  • Corporate partnerships: You will cultivate and nurture relationships with firms including:
  • Develop “pitches” and proposals and engage CSR teams
  • Develop a network of like-minded friends in the private sector
  • Manage and develop these relationships and increase our ability to find synergies

     
  • Purveyor of insights and communications recommendations: You will be responsible for keeping leadership up-to-date on our communications, including, for example, sending monthly updates to leadership summarizing 1) web and social media engagement, 2) external publications, 3) in-person engagement/presentations by various colleagues, and 4) retail fundraising analysis.
Knowledge, skills and attributes
  • Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years’ experience, including direct experience in communications / fundraising / corporate social responsibility. Advanced degree preferred.
  • Keen grasp of global development / health and alignment with Evidence Action values
  • Detail-oriented, hard-working, motivated and organized for strong project management
  • Collaborative relationship builder with a professional client orientation
  • Willing to dive into a project, be proactive, and flexible with the evolving needs of a start-up and projects that often involve multiple inputters
  • Strong and clear writer for knowledgeable peer audiences as well as more general ones
  • Quick learner who can voraciously read and grasp program information and be able to explain often jargon-laced work in accurate but non-academic language
  • High level of computer literacy including MS Office Suite. Familiarity with social media channels and best practices desired.
  • Eager to be part of a fast-paced, growing program and nimble team with a start-up atmosphere
  • Sense of humor
Application Instructions:
1. To apply, please click here
2. Complete the J-PAL/IPA common application. Please select the position(s) you are interested in applying for on the 'Submit Application' page. Include two letters of recommendation, statement of purpose (cover letter), CV, and transcripts. We will consider your application even if you are unable to obtain reference letters before the deadline, but please be advised that we will be requiring them should you be invited for an interview.
DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work to be performed by the Global Communications Manager.  The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant. Applicants are encouraged to confirm the information listed above with IPA prior to releasing any extensive personal information to the organization. Please direct questions to jobs@poverty-action.org.