Senior Communications Director, Ethiopia

Since 1963 and in 145 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. ACDI/VOCA currently has 84 projects in 40 countries and revenues of approximately $168 million.

Senior Communications Director, Ethiopia

We are currently seeking a Senior Communications Director for our current 5-year, $50 million AGP-AMDe project based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The project aims to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger by improving the productivity and competitiveness of value chains that offer job and income opportunities for rural households. The goal aligns with the Feed the Future Initiative (FtF) goal, “to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger. USG’s FtF Initiative for Ethiopia builds on considerable USAID and other USG partners’ experience and knowledge of the key constraints – structural, human capacity, regulatory, attitudinal, and institutional – that continue to limit Ethiopia’s ability to reach its economic potential and aggressively and effectively advance a robust, high-impact hunger and food security initiative.  The Initiative has been framed in the context of Ethiopia’s articulated priorities and emphasizes effective coordination across the agricultural, food security, nutrition, and health sectors.

Responsibilities:

• Manage all communication requirements of the project, including creation of a communications strategy and branding and marking of project activities as per USAID branding guidelines.
• Develop and implement information dissemination strategy that promotes project activities and learning to both internal (ACDI/VOCA and donor) and external (GoE, general Ethiopian public) audiences
• Review and/or create all public information and learning materials, including the development and maintenance of public relations materials and dissemination of project information, scene setters, reports, success stories, lessons learned and other communication materials to the project's various audiences and constituencies.
• Oversee the quality and frequency of all program messaging to the donor, project beneficiaries and Ethiopian public.
• Liaise with project partners for a consistent communications approach, as well as with the donor and Government of Ethiopia on appropriate communications strategies within USAID guidelines.
• Facilitate information access and sharing within the project and strengthen project reporting and knowledge management functions to USAID and ACDI/VOCA.
• Serve as the principal contact for local and international press and media.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in communications, business, journalism or other related fields.
• 10 years or more of work experience as key communications officer in an institution such as a ministry, international organization, NGO or private sector firm. Direct experience with USAID a plus.
• Prior and proven performance as point-of-contact with local and regional media in Ethiopia is a must.
• 5 years or more experience in drafting, translation, interpretation, editing of public relations materials.
• Must demonstrate an attention to detail, particularly in the formatting and editing of documents in English, and writing on message and for project learning.
• Excellent computer skills (MS Word and Outlook, MS Access, MS Project).
• Excellent reading and writing skills in English (5S/5R). Writing sample required for consideration.

Please apply online at ethiopiaagp-amde@joinav.org No phone calls please. Only finalists contacted. Women and minorities encouraged to apply. EOE.