Communications Specialist

Job Description

Background

The USAID/Zambia MEL Platform will provide USAID/Zambia, implementing partners (IPs), and local country stakeholders with demand-driven performance monitoring and evaluation technical assistance, analytical services, and logistical support services to ultimately improve and ease Mission burden to engage, analyze, and communicate the impact of USAID programming in Zambia. The activity includes a Learning Hub that will help USAID/Zambia disseminate and mainstream data-driven evidence, expand collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) opportunities among USAID and its IPs, and enhance local engagement through an easily accessible, collaborative, and supportive environment that fosters innovation.

The Communications Specialist reports to the Chief of Party. The position will be full-time and be based in Lusaka, Zambia with travel throughout the country. Only citizens and residents of Zambia will be considered.

Scope of Work

The Communications Specialist will provide development outreach and communications support to USAID/Zambia over the life of the MEL platform:

• Developing and managing communications plans and strategies to achieve specific goals, such as increasing awareness of USAID impact in Zambia, promoting key USAID activity achievements in Zambia, and promoting USAID and partner-generated data and evidence.
• Developing compelling communications and knowledge products in close coordination with the USAID/Zambia Mission that present USAID/Zambia’s development impact by extracting strategic insights from reports and datasets.
• Developing, in close coordination with the USAID/Zambia Mission, Mission-wide USAID specific communications material and content such as activity, provincial, and thematic fact sheets in addition to success stories and Learning Lab blog posts.
• Producing key external communications products (activity fact sheets, success stories, newsletters, etc.).
• Managing and curating engaging social media content across platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to achieve awareness, audience growth, and community engagement.
• Engaging IPs at the direction of USAID/Zambia to collect, curate, and share their photographs, videos, social media content, maps, success stories, and other content.
• Supporting the Mission’s development outreach and communications office to create summary videos that reinforce the Mission’s priority messages.
• Managing video, audio, web design and photography subcontracts.
• Overseeing two staff responsible for geographic information system (GIS) mapping and information management.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field; OR proven experience in a similar role demonstrating the skills below.
• At least five (5) years of work experience in communications, public relations, journalism, or international development with at least two (2) or more years of experience with external communications.
• Previous hands-on experience producing communications content for senior decision makers.
• Previous experience in drafting and creating communications strategies.
• Proven ability to manage professional social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram), including creating engaging content, scheduling posts, and monitoring post achievements sentiment.
• Exceptional English written and verbal communication skills with a keen attention to detail and the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences.
• Experience using graphics, design, and layout software like In Design.
• Experience storyboarding videos and overseeing their production.
• Experience with public relations and writing press releases preferred.
• Knowledge of USAID or US Department of State highly desirable.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills required.

About the Organization

SoCha (a portmanteau for Social Change) is an independent Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (ME&L) firm that provides bespoke solutions to social challenges. We are a veteran-owned small business, registered in the United States and headquartered in Mauritius, which is an IT hub for Southern Hemisphere international organizations. SoCha is structured to be nimble and flexible, where we can rapidly respond to evaluative and analytical requests globally and have a well-established network across Africa and Asia. Since our inception in 2010, we have grown from a consortium of globally recognized experts who specialize in evaluating the effectiveness of development assistance, to a full-fledged ME&L services firm that specializes in advancing innovative methodologies and changing the way donors find solutions to social problems.