Senior Strategic Communications Manager (Remote)

Chemonics International seeks a Senior Strategic Communications Manager for the anticipated five-year $25-$50 million USAID-funded Zambia Sustainable Water and Sanitation Partnerships Activity. The activity will focus on WASH governance and finance mechanisms, sustainable service delivery, and enhancing resiliency of the water system in Lusaka City and the Copperbelt, Central and Eastern provinces of Zambia. The activity aims to improve governance and management capacity for WASH at the subnational level; increase access to sustainable water and sanitation services, including in institutional settings; and increase the resilience of water supply to climate change, disaster and public health emergencies.

The Senior Strategic Communications Manager is responsible for developing and implementing an effective communications strategy that will advance programmatic objectives and help early adapters share their stories to accelerate the update and replication of innovative and effective WASH practices. The Senior Strategic Communications Manager will ensure that the Government of Zambia, the Zambian public, development stakeholders, and those involved in WASH outputs, products, and deliverables are aware of the impacts being achieved. The Senior Manager will support project knowledge creation, sharing and management internally to USAID and externally with stakeholders. and develop. The Senior Manager will develop, refine, curate, and amplify internal and external communications for WASH to maximize impact and visibility while ensuring culturally appropriate messaging. The Senior Manager will report directly to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Director. Zambian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a communications strategy that will advance programmatic objectives.
• Provide strategic and programmatic advice on communication strategies and products for project partners.
• Support capacity building to public and private sector institutions (such as water utilities and sanitation service providers), community organizations, and other key WASH counterparts in outreach, public communications, communications strategy development, climate change resilience, disaster resilience, public health epidemics.
• Support media relations, story development, social media content development, audiovisual storytelling and documentation, knowledge management and learning as well as branded communication materials.
• Develop content and design of communications products in accordance with the branding, marking, and marketing standards of USAID and Chemonics International.
• Review and provide feedback for strategic communications partners (subcontractors, or other partners) to enhance communication products and outcomes.
• As requested, represent the project at meetings and events.
• Deliver trainings and capacity building support to project partners.
• Design or provide input into scopes of work for strategic communications procurements, such as media product development for campaigns focusing on WASH services.
• Provide input into work plans for communications asset production, dissemination, and monitoring, reports, and key technical deliverables.
• Develop a social media strategy and create and manage content for a variety of social media channels (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Instagram, etc.) with USAID, the Chief of Party, local partners, project staff, and relevant stakeholders.

Qualifications

• University degree in communications or related field required.
• Minimum 7 years of experience working in communications, public relations, knowledge management, international development, or other relevant field.
• 3-5 years of experience in strategic communications, social media, or public relations. Experience leading or supporting communications efforts on USAID or donor-funded projects preferred.
• Experience developing and executing strategic communications plans within the international development arena.
• Experience writing donor reports and providing input for key technical deliverables
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to prepare succinct and effective executive communications products and social media content.
• English fluency, with excellent presentation skills and strong ability to communicate clearly and concisely in writing.
• Language proficiency in Nyanja and Bemba preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proficiency in social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Proficiency in Canva, Visio, Adobe, InDesign, or other graphic design software preferred.

To apply for this position, please use this link. Applications must be submitted by October 2nd, 2024. Early applications are strongly encouraged and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No telephone inquires please.

EEO Statement

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.