The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization that carries out high quality, policy-relevant research on population, health and education issues facing sub-Saharan Africa. Our goal is to generate evidence for meaningful action to improve the lives of all Africans.
APHRC is looking for dynamic, motivated and creative individuals to join its Policy Engagement and Communications (PEC) division. The right candidates have laser-sharp attention to detail, are engaging and competent writers, innovative users of new media, videography and social media platforms, and are disciplined adherents to deadlines.
Whether it’s a blog, a press release, a short film or an annual report, the right candidate will use his or her communications skills to support APHRC efforts in bridging the evidence to policy gap, to ensure that our research in population dynamics, health, education, aging and urbanization has maximum impact at the national, sub-regional and global levels.
These positions report to the PEC Director and are based in Nairobi. A portfolio of 3-5 samples of relevant written work must accompany every application. Those applications that do not include writing samples will not be considered.
1. Communications Manager:**
The role requires a strong editing background and capacity to mentor and lead a team of three Communications Officers in the creation and dissemination of an array of communications products for both internal and external use. The Communications Manager will be a nimble multitasker, with a wide network of contacts in local and international media. The right candidate is calmly able to handle a complex workload, is responsive as well as proactive, and meets deadlines with ease.
The right candidate will also be able to provide training and impart best practices to researchers in how to improve their public speaking, presentation and use of lay language to make their highly technical research accessible to a wider audience that includes media as well as policymakers.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as institutional editor-in-chief, supporting copy and content editing for a variety of products across five research programs as well as for Center-wide promotional and visibility products
- Mentor and guide a team of communications officers
- Lead media outreach including development and implementation of media strategy that includes pitches, field visits and responding to ad hoc media requests
- Direct in-house training on public speaking and presentations for research staff
- Oversee development of visibility products including promotional brochures, website content, newsletters and annual report
- Contribute to development of innovative multimedia products including infographics, short films and animations.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing or a related field
- At least seven (7) years of post-qualification work experience in communications, writing and content creation, preferably at an international organization
- Excellent editing and writing skills as well as ability to translate complex scientific facts into accessible messages for general audiences
- Visual media skills including use of still and video camera; ability to develop video storyboards and basic editing to a professional standard
- Some knowledge of graphic design and desktop publishing, including Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe or Corel suites
- Experience in using social media channels and extending their reach
- Experience of creating and editing digital media and publishing across a variety of platforms including but not limited to Storify, Prezi, Slideshare and YouTube
- Familiarity with approaches for planning, executing, and monitoring communications strategies
- Excellent existing network of media contacts at sub-regional level
- Excellent verbal communication and ability to train and mentor
- Demonstrated willingness to work as part of a team
- Networking, interpersonal, analytical and organizational skills coupled with resourcefulness initiative and maturity of judgment
- French language skills highly desirable.
2. Communications and Policy Officer:
This is a role best-suited to a seasoned communications professional who is interested in branching out into the world of advocacy and policy engagement, translating evidence into action in support of two of our cross-cutting research programs: Urbanization and Wellbeing and Aging and Development.
This role affords a unique opportunity to drive both the communications and policy engagement strategies for these small but pan-African programs. Using an ecosystem approach to policy engagement, this person will play an integral role in maximizing opportunities for research uptake within and beyond national government offices. An ability to contribute to resource mobilization is required.
Knowledge management will also be a critical component of the responsibilities carried by this officer.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement communications and policy engagement strategies for cross-cutting, pan-African research programs
- Generate print and multimedia content to support visibility of programs including blogs, policy briefs, infographics and short films
- Landscape policy opportunities at regional and sub-regional levels; develop stakeholder map for future engagement
- Contribute to resource mobilization efforts
- Manage and inventory repository of knowledge management tools at Center level.
Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Policy or related field; Master’s degree desirable but not necessary
- At least five (5) years of post-qualification work experience in communications, writing and content creation, preferably at an international organization
- Excellent editing and writing skills as well as ability to translate complex scientific facts into accessible messages for general audiences
- Visual media skills including use of still and video camera
- Experience in using social media channels and extending their reach
- Experience of creating and editing digital media and publishing across a variety of platforms including but not limited to Storify, Prezi, Slideshare and YouTube
- Familiarity with approaches for planning, executing, and monitoring communications strategies
- Demonstrated willingness to work as part of a team
- Networking, interpersonal, analytical and organizational skills coupled with resourcefulness initiative and maturity of judgment
- Experience of using email distribution systems such as Mailchimp, Salesforce, Pure360
- Experience of using a contact database
- Experience of using website CMS.
3. Communications Officer
The best candidate for this position will be committed to developing research leadership and excellence in Africa by providing communications and strategic support to APHRC’s Research Capacity Strengthening division, including our signature doctoral fellowship program: the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA).
This role is a communications incubator, with virtually unlimited, self-directed opportunities for growth and development in print, web-based multimedia and social media communications. Marketing and training skills are essential for this position.
Responsibilities:
- Content production for the CARTA website
- Produce biannual CARTA newsletter
- Drive multimedia innovations to showcase CARTA fellows
- Support marketing and visibility of short-course programs
- Engage in strategy development to improve research leadership across Africa
- Contribute to resource mobilization efforts for capital campaign
- Conduct trainings in communications and knowledge translation for doctoral fellows.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing or related field; Master’s degree desirable but not necessary
- At least four (4) years of post-qualification work experience in communications, marketing, writing and content creation, preferably at an international organization
- Excellent editing and writing skills
- Visual media skills including use of still and video camera
- Experience in using social media channels and extending their reach
- Experience of creating and editing digital media and publishing across a variety of platforms including but not limited to Storify, Prezi, Slideshare and YouTube
- Experience with web-based publishing platforms including WordPress
- Demonstrated willingness to work as part of a team
- Networking, interpersonal, analytical and organizational skills coupled with resourcefulness initiative and maturity of judgment
- Experience of using email distribution systems such as Mailchimp, Salesforce, Pure360
- Experience of using a contact database
- Experience working with academics or researchers
- French language skills desirable.
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply and include their letter of application, portfolio of their work and CV, through our recruitment portal http://hrs.aphrc.org by June 27, 2016. No CV will be considered without a portfolio of writing samples. We regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Cover letters should be addressed to:
The Human Resources Officer
African Population and Health Research Center, Inc
APHRC Campus, Manga Close, off Kirawa Road, Kitisuru
P. O. Box 10787-GPO, Nairobi
Website: www.aphrc.org
APHRC is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the protection of children l
