Responsible
• Communications Lead
Conditions of service
• The annual salary for the position is £30,000, but it is a 0.6 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent), resulting in a pro-rated annual salary of £18,000.
• 3 days a week
• 25 days annual leave per annum and public holidays - Pro-rated
• 12% pension contribution by Orchid Project, 2% WIBA contributed by Orchid Project 4%pension contribution by the employee
• Permanent contract
• Part-time role
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Main working contacts: Staff team, supporters, volunteers
Application requirements:
● Closing date: December 7, 2023
● Interview Schedule: Week of December 11, 2023
● Application Review: we will be reviewing applications as we receive them. We highly recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.
● Kindly submit your applications, comprising of a resume and cover letter, to HR@orchidproject.org
Key responsibilities:
● Monitor our social media channels and contribute to the monthly content calendar.
● Support the Communications Lead with time-sensitive media tasks including (but not limited to) media requests and press releases.
● Assist with the management of the Orchid project and fgmcri websites both with content and general platform admin.
● Work with the communications Lead to create printed and digital promotional materials.
● Provide support as we need it with communications Lead, programmes, research, and advocacy team for upcoming country report launches/webinars/events/campaigns.
● Identify opportunities for media coverage for Orchid Project’s work, including liaising with press to secure interviews for the CEO and other members of staff.
● Assist the Communications Lead with the redevelopment of the website and its content.
General duties:
● Contribute to the development of the Orchid Project’s social media strategy and take a role in its execution in line with our overall communications goals and plan.
● Coordinate our social channels, including Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube and monitor its success using Hootsuite & other relevant analytical tools.
● Produce engaging assets for use across our channels, including compelling content and videos using design tools such as Canva and Adobe to elevate our visual content and case studies.
● Grow our existing channels, identifying optimal posting times to increase engagement and amplify our brand.
● Use social media to build upon existing relationships with our stakeholders and reach out to new audiences.
● Assess whether it would be useful for Orchid to utilise any other social media platforms e.g., TikTok, and if so, incorporate this into the social media strategy.
● Keep up to date with the latest trends on social platforms and within the FGM and associated communities. Be proactive in using these trends to highlight our work.
● Contribute to producing quarterly reports showing key highlights and growth.
● Contribute to the creation of a bank of content to use across our social media platforms including evergreen research content.
● Contribute to collecting and editing content for our regular newsletters and use MailChimp to support sending these out.
● Work with other teams to collect and highlight the outcomes and impact of their work i.e. workshops, research reports and findings.
● Establish and maintain relationships with key partners and organisations and conduct interviews to contribute towards case studies and communications outputs.
● Establish contacts for the stakeholder and journalist’s database with an emphasis on Africa.
● Possible travel to other countries to support events from a communications perspective including taking photos, collecting and creating content.
● Write or update content with the aim of engaging our target audiences with relevant calls to action where appropriate.
● Support the Communications Lead in the development and editing of the impact report.
● Provide communications support to events in Kenya.
Knowledge, Experience and Skills
● Between 1-2 years’ experience in a communications role at an international NGO or public sector.
● Education requirement of a degree, preferably a master’s degree.
● Good knowledge of and strong interest in female genital mutilation/cutting and gender equality and an understanding of the sensitivities around this sector.
● Excellent writing skills, and creative approach to communications.
● Ability to conceptualise and develop visual media products, an advantage.
● Strong organisational skills.
● Dynamic self-starter; highly motivated, comfortable in taking initiative and able to work with minimum supervision.
● Good time management skills and strong ability to prioritise.
● The ability to speak French would be an asset.
Every year, 4.1 million girls undergo female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in which their genitals are removed or injured for non-medical purposes. FGM/C is a global issue, which occurs in America and Europe, but it is more common in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Even though the prevalence of the practice is on the whole declining, progress is uneven and owing to population growth the actual number of girls being cut will increase. COVID-19 is making this worse as initiatives to reduce cutting are hampered by restrictions on movement, loss of employment and access to education. UNFPA has reported that an additional two million cases of FGM/C will need to be averted to meet Agenda 2030 as a result of COVID-19’s delays to FGM/C programming.
Orchid Project partners with pioneering grassroots organisations around the world and share knowledge and best practice to accelerate change. Our approach is centred on working with grassroots partners to provide communities with the tools they need to make long-lasting and systemic changes to abandon cutting for themselves.
Through concerted advocacy, we have also witnessed great success in encouraging global governments to resource work to end FGM/C and helped to secure the first-ever governmental commitment to ending FGM/C through the UK’s Development Department. We have also successfully advocated for the inclusion of indicator 5.3.2 under the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which focuses on gender equality and the elimination of all harmful practices including female genital cutting.
To help support our advocacy and communications function and wider organisational work, Orchid Project is seeking support from a Communications Officer role.
The appointed candidate will be situated in Nairobi, Kenya, and will report to the Communications Lead. Key responsibilities will encompass a broad spectrum of deliverables, including:
