Communications Officer

Solidaridad is an international solution-oriented civil society organization with over 50 years of experience in developing solutions to make communities more resilient and create more sustainable supply chains. We work throughout the entire value chain to make sustainability the norm. Our innovative solutions support the transition to an inclusive economy that provides sustainable livelihoods with fair and profitable business oppor-tunities. This includes decent working conditions, a fair living wage and production in balance with nature so that all people can thrive now and for generations to come. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Solidaridad East and Central Africa has country offices and programmes in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda, and outreaches in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, and Cameroon.

Solidaridad is implementing a 3.5-year project titled Passport to Coffee Export (PACE). The project is targeting approximately 22,500 smallholder coffee farmers, with 52% being youth aged (18-35 years) and women, in Mbeya, Songwe and Ruvuma regions. Tanzania. The overall objective of the project is to promote a sustainable and inclusive sector development through a robust export oriented coffee value chain by 2024. Solidaridad is therefore seeking to recruit a dynamic and innovative professional for the position of Communication Officer to support this project and all the other projects being implemented within the country.

SUMMARY OF POSITION
The primary role of the Communications Officer is to support Solidaridad East and Central Africa in Tanzania in its internal and external communications efforts. The individual will be responsible directly for the timely delivery of a variety of communication materials and activities. The individual will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Communications and Knowledge Management Manager and Country Manager – Tanzania and the and will be based in Mbeya, Tanzania with up to 50% field travel.

PURPOSE
The Communications Officer will support communication and visibility efforts through the implementation of communication plans. Specifically, the individual will lead or provide support in the documentation of impact & success stories, photography & videography, social media & media engagement, packaging, and designing communication materials/messaging for internal and external audiences in line with Solidaridad’s communication and visibility guidelines.

The individual will collaborate with the project and support teams internally, key partners and stakeholders, media, and contribute to Solidaridad’s positioning to key audiences. The individual will work with various teams to collect or tailor and package information for use in different platforms to increase visibility and credibility and build the profile of the organization.

JOB DESCRIPTION
●Provide communications and media support to the Solidaridad office in Tanzania, including staff and project partners.
●Communication Strategy – In collaboration with the Solidaridad Country Manager and Project Leads, oversee annual communication planning and budgeting, and implementation of planned activities to ensure brand and messaging coherence.
●Adherence to branding guidelines – Coordinate Solidaridad and project branding and visibility efforts in line with inhouse and donor guidelines. In close coordination with Solidaridad Staff and Project Partners, ensure that communications and visibility are executed in line with the donor communications and visibility strategy.
●Strategic media relations – Establish relationships, and coordinate field visits with media/press. Contribute to, and regularly update the Solidaridad and Project press database. Respond to inquiries and support development of pitches, Op-Eds and stories to the media for placement.
●Media monitoring – Conduct quarterly media monitoring (on social and traditional media) for references to Solidaridad and project activities.
●Analytics & reporting – Generate quarterly analytics reports, for all social media platforms and/or newsletters.
●Content Calendar Management – Write and edit web articles, social media posts, press releases and other outreach content as necessary. Coordinate timely content development of project impact/milestone stories with project colleagues and manage a quarterly editorial calendar for the proposed content and themes.
●Digital Content – Lead/oversee development/gathering of multimedia content (photos, videos, infographics and other digital assets for use online and in presentations.
●Capacity Building – Provide regular training to internal collaborators, including programming teams, and partners to facilitate and support dynamic communications tactics, including innovative media outreach, photography, Op Eds, digital content and dynamic, engaging social media outputs. Strengthen and develop internal systems and processes to deliver on communications objectives.
●Other responsibilities assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
●A Bachelor Degree in Mass communication, Journalism and related disciplines from a reputable university.
●3+ years of professional experience in communications. Experience in development communications is a plus.
●Experience in graphic design and the use of graphic design software is a must. Demonstrable skills/experience in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop required.
●Excellent analytical skills to translate complex ideas into aesthetically pleasing, understandable, attention-grabbing information.
●Experience in multimedia, digital marketing, graphics design, journalism, media, and/or communication industry. A sharp sense of graphic design and digital media trends.
●Strong English writing skills with demonstrable experience.
●Proactive self-starter and strategic thinker.
●Good people skills and ability to work with a dynamic team.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

●Excellent written communication with the ability to write on various topics for different audiences.
●Support in monitoring and analyzing engagement on social media and drafting engagement reports.
●Able to identify and document strong, impact stories.
●Skills in the documentation of projects’ best practices and learned lessons are an advantage.
●Working knowledge of social media and online communications (including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn).
●Passion and interest in rural development.
●Flexible, willing to grow professionally and to learn new skills.
●Ability to work collaboratively with diverse team members.
Enthusiasm to learn and develop new skills within the role.