SEND-GHANA Vacancies 2012: Communication Officer

SEND-GHANA, an affiliate of SEND Foundation of West Africa, is a research and advocacy organisation operational in the 50 poorest districts in Ghana (Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Region).

 

Job Description

Job Location: Head Office (Accra)
Reporting to: Director of Programme and Advocacy
Associates: Programmes Officers and Senior Project Officers

Objectives of Position:
The Communication Officer manages the production of a full range of advocacy materials to effectively support the advancement of the goals of SEND-GHANA and to convey the Institution’s mission to diverse constituencies.

Duties, Roles and Responsibilities:
Management Roles:

• The incumbent is responsible for co-ordinating and managing the development and production of communications materials for all advocacy initiatives;
• Manages the publication of the Citizens Watch Newsletter;
• Day-to-day management of the SEND’s website, including updating and ongoing monitoring, gaining input from other SEND staff as necessary
• In charge of organising media/communication events such as press conferences, press soirees etc;
• Responsible for the dissemination of communication and advocacy materials;
• Ensuring that website structure and content meets the needs of users;
• Develop, promote and adhere to best practices and to agreed systems and procedures across all of SEND’s work

Preparation of advocacy materials:

• Oversees, writes and edits advocacy documents and communication materials including; research publications, policy briefs, fact sheet, press releases, press statements etc;
• Co-ordinates the publication of annual reports;
• Develops content for information brochures and supervise distribution;
• Drafts articles and reports on the status of major initiatives for distribution to the general public and special interest groups/targeted audience;

Representational roles:

• Represent SEND-GHANA at relevant meetings and events;
• Present the position of the organisation to media houses including responding to interviews;

Networking roles:

• Build a network of and sustain partnership with key media houses;
• Create and manage media contact list;
• Create and use communication tools as well as manage communication equipment;
• Develop and manage an email-alert system;
• To remain informed of issues affecting the operation of SEND-GHANA and the Ghana PM&E Network in the context of wider pro poor policy areas;

Others:

• To undertake other duties as required and commensurate with the level of this post as may be assigned by supervision;

 

Required Skills or Experience

Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience:

• Advanced university degree (Masters in Communication/Public Relations) or equivalent professional qualification, with at least two years’ experience in communications, information-based and/or advocacy-related communication work
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of communication as well as good written and oral communication skills to convey messages to diverse audiences;
• Experience in editing and proofreading communication documents for public dissemination;
• Professional level skills in graphics and knowledge of desktop publishing for in-house graphics design and production;
• Professional level skills in publications development;
• The ability to translate complex technical language easily comprehensible to non-specialists;
• Skills in interviewing variety of people and to analyze complex information from different sources and to synthesise this information into coherent briefs and communication documents;
• Proactive approach to meeting deadlines and delivering results with limited supervision;
• Flexibility, creativity and effectiveness in working collaboratively in a multicultural team;
• Ability to deal with discretion on sensitive issues and to respond positively to challenges;
• Experience working with or for coalitions of non-profit organisations;
• Web-design knowledge and proven ability to solve IT problems will be prioritised;
• Media and awareness-raising experience;
• Ability to handle large volume of work and have excellent organisation skills;
• Commitment to creating positive environmental, social and cultural change;
• Ability to take initiatives and flexible and adaptable in a changing environment

 

How To Apply

Interested applicants should submit a resume and a cover letter to

Closing date: 24 Jan, 2012