Communication Specialist

Job Description

Position Title: Communication Specialist

Number of positions: one

Reference: IGAD-CS

Organizational Unit: IGAD Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration Division

Duty station: Djibouti with frequent travel in the IGAD region

Duration: One-year contract, including a three-month probation period, with the possibility of extension subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds

Deadline for Applications: 31st August 2025

BACKGROUND

The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) is a Regional Economic Community (REC) that consists of eight Member States including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. IGAD’s vision is to create a resilient, peaceful, prosperous and integrated region where citizens enjoy high quality of life and its mission is Promote regional cooperation and integration to add value to Member States’ efforts in achieving peace, security, and prosperity.

In this context, as part of the World Bank Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (hereinafter or the Project), IGAD has been engaged to facilitate the regional digital integration agenda, The Phase I development objective of the regional Series of Projects (SOP), i.e. “advancing digital market integration in the Eastern Africa region by increasing affordable access to regional broadband connectivity and strengthening the enabling environment for cross-border digital services”. The rationale for engaging IGAD rests on its strategic significance in furthering digital integration, its expansive geographic coverage in Eastern Africa and the HoA. Recognizing the key roles RECs already play as facilitators of regional integration, such as in trade, health, and food security, and the need for more coordination on digital integration, IGAD is well positioned to play a central role in the implementation of EARDIP.

IGAD has also been engaging in several digital initiatives such as leveraging digital platforms for cross-border livestock marketing and the cross-border digitization of health records as part of its regional COVID-19 response program. However, IGAD requires significant capacity building to enhance its role in regional digital integration across its member states. Existing structures between IGAD and the EAC already provide a bridge for knowledge sharing and capacity building across the two sub-regions, reinforced by their overlapping member states.

Through EARDIP IGAD intends to promote good practices and regulatory harmonization in the regulation of digital markets. The primary project beneficiaries will be decision makers, civil servants and ICT-related professionals of regional and national institutions involved in the planning, development and management of digitalization and development of the ICT sector in the IGAD region through strengthened capacity, increased availability of relevant information, improved policies and strengthened regional collaboration. The project will also benefit scientists and experts of universities, professional institutions and companies in the region that work on services, applications, and devices at national, and regional levels and indirectly also the inhabitants of the IGAD region that will benefit from more improved access to ICT services and uses and creation of new sources of jobs and incomes and hence driving competitiveness, economic growth and social development.

To achieve the objectives and effectively deliver on the mandate of the project, IGAD seeks to recruit a Communication Specialist.

OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION

The Communications Specialist will work with the PIU team to design and manage all aspects of internal and external project communications. He/she will contribute to the development of high-quality knowledge products and learning content including data visualizations, success stories, and other reporting that informs learning activities and adaptive management decisions. He/she will also support the promotion of project activities through key communication channels and will engage critical partners and communities of practice through strategic outreach and innovative communication practices.

The Communication Specialist will report to the Project Coordinator and work with cross-functional teams to ensure effective communications strategies and operations. Based within the Division of Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration (ECRID) at the IGAD Secretariat in Djibouti, He/she will provide expert advice and guidance on information gathering and disseminations to ensure efficient and effective communications operations. He/she contributes to the development of project communications strategies and awareness raising campaigns.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the EARDIP Project Coordinator the Communication Specialist shall be responsible for the following tasks:

• Lead planning, design, creation, implementation, and monitoring of the EARDIP’s communication activities. The objective of this is to: i) raise the public profile of the EA-RDIP using proactive media outreach and a range of public relations activities, ii) encourage public participation in recovery activities, particularly vulnerable and marginalized communities through awareness campaigns in electronic, audio and print media.
• Develop project branding and messaging in English and other member states national languages for social media, printed statements, webpage, and media engagement.
• Establish and manage a website, including text, photographs, and other appropriate audio-visual material, with emphasis on project impact.
• Manage the project’s social media content and presence on appropriate platforms and other messaging services.
• Work closely with project-related staff to design project specific communications and outreach strategies, including identification of strategic channels; support to the use of locally appropriate communication tools for community-level information dissemination (e.g., community scorecards) and community feedback and project-level grievance redress mechanisms and/or World Bank Grievance Redress Systems. This feedback will be recorded in the database/computer log so that the project can take this into account during implementation and future messaging is adjusted to address concerns.
• Ensure accuracy, standardization and consistency in preparation of public information materials and knowledge products related to the EARDIP.
• Coordinate press and other media outreach, as appropriate, and including press releases, coordinating and supervising press conferences, media briefings and interview in cooperation with the IGAD communications unit.
• Ensure appropriate communication modalities are in place to communicate with internal and external project stakeholders.
• Monitor the effectiveness of project communication, including branding.
• Provide demand-driven trainings to build strategic communication capacity of the member state beneficiaries of the project.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: The applicant should possess a combination of general, leadership and technical competencies, including:

Academic Qualification

• Master’s degree in in Mass Media, Journalism, Public Relations, Multimedia or relevant Social Science fields.
• Relevant certifications in digital governance, project management, or IT service management will be considered as added advantage.

Professional Work Experience

• Minimum of 10 years working experience in developing and implementing communications strategy relevant to digital development.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant working experience in communications for a public-sector institution at national or international level especially in the IGAD Region.
• Experience in development and implementation of project or institutional branding and messaging in English.
• Proven experience in report writing and drafting Communications Strategy Documents.
• Experience in project management
• Experience in overseeing communication campaigns and awareness raising activities from initiation to completion.
• Experience of leading similar assignment(s) in either regional or similar contexts, with knowledge of public and private media houses in the region.
• Experience in developing project communications plans, establish timelines, allocate resources, and manage budgets
• Experience in coordinating with stakeholders and project beneficiaries to ensure smooth project execution and timely delivery.
• Experience in designing and implementing plans to address communication needs, including media content and presence on appropriate platforms and other messaging services.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Teamwork, ability to collaborate with clients or internal teams to develop communication strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills with ability to work effectively and harmoniously within a diverse work environment.
• Fluency in English is essential; knowledge of French is an added advantage.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT: The Communication Specialist shall be contracted for an initial 12 month period, including a three-month probation period, with the possibility for extension based on performance and availability of funds.

LOCATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT: The duty station is Djibouti City, Djibouti with frequent travels within the Horn of Africa region.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: The Communication Specialist will report to the Project Coordinator. Reports and other documents shall be submitted in English.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified applicants from IGAD Member States are eligible to apply.

Interested candidates should send their applications in PDF accompanied by cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, academic credentials, copy of passports/ ID cards biometric page and three reference persons including the last employer.

Applications should be sent by E-mail to the following addresses: recruitment@igad.int with subject line “IGAD-CS”

Closing date for application will be on 31st August 2025. Due to the large number of applications we expect to receive; only successful candidates who meet the required experience & qualifications for this position will be contacted. Contact: + 25321354050

IGAD is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Deadline for Applications: August 31, 2025

“While we try our best to keep our information updated, the closing date of the actual job source may be changed by the recruiter without prior notice. With this, please make sure to check the official job link when submitting your application. Thank you.”

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