Development Outreach and Communications Specialist

Job Description

Statement of Duties to be Performed:

Key duties and responsibilities of this position are asfollows:

I. Outreach and Communications: 60%

• Support IPO staff in development, maintenance, and refinement of key communications products, including, but not limited to, creating an IPO-communication strategy, preparing briefers, site visit catalog, developing and updating program one-pagers, and documenting and disseminating quarterly success stories.
• Produce the IPO contribution to routine, recurrent mission reporting products and meetings, collaborating with technical specialists and the MEL Specialist to ensure accuracy, strategic relevance of the content, and tailoring of content to the distinct audience for each product.
• Serve as primary liaison with Program Support (PS) Office communications staff, Embassy public affairs staff, the USAID/Regional Development Mission for Asia IndoPacific communications team, and Asia Bureau communications team to ensure accuracy and consistency of IPO information and messaging and respond to related communications requests.
• Coordinate across USAID/India technical offices to most effectively harmonize and disseminate communications regarding IPO programs, their synergies with other USAID and USG investments in the region, and IPO programs’ contributions to the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
• Coordinate and assist in the preparation of strategic briefing materials for diverse audiences, strategic reports and analyses, co-creation planning documents as they pertain to communication and external requests for information related to USAID/India’s IndoPacific programming.
• Organize periodic meetings with IPO implementing partner communications and related staff to build IP communications capacity and advance the delivery of consistent, harmonized IPO communications products across IPO teams.
• Keep programmatic briefers and one-pagers up-to-date and accessible.
• Develop and maintain systems, approaches and tools to enhance operational efficiency for IPO communications.
• Maintain and update IPO filing systems for all communications materials on the shared Google Drive.

II. Strategic Planning and Management: 30%

• Communicate regularly with implementing partners, in coordination with technical project managers, to strengthen program communications and identify and disseminate timely and success stories.
• Coordinate key communication items for weekly senior staff meetings, bi-weekly meetings with the USAID front office, cables highlighting programmatic outcomes, weekly reporting to the Embassy front office, night notes, and written wrap-ups for the Administrator.
• Support the IPO Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist in planning and preparing for program portfolio reviews, including tailoring presentations to best communicate results to diverse audiences, while analyzing submissions by program managers for accuracy and consistency with planned results, benchmarks, funding levels, meeting planned earmarks, and addressing cross-cutting themes.
• In collaboration with the Mission’s Gender Specialists, ensure that gender equity and women’s empowerment are highlighted within Indo-Pacific Programming.
• Lead the planning of field visits for high-level officials, in close coordination with technical program management specialists and other Mission and interagency stakeholders, to include arranging key logistics (including for participation of media and the coordination of security arrangements as needed), developing talking points, summarizing complex technical project information for diverse audiences, articulating strategic objectives, and writing all associated products for the participant(s).

III. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning: 10%

• In coordination with the IPO MEL Specialist, provide strategic guidance, capacity building and support to implementing partners and IPO technical program management specialists to better disseminate results and lessons learned.
• Coordinate with the IPO MEL specialist to ensure programmatic learning and adaptation is reflected in Indo-Pacific outreach and communications products.
• Support the IPO MEL Specialist to effectively communicate IPO impact in reporting and other internal USG communications products.
• Advance USAID knowledge management and learning opportunities to ensure the effective sharing and application of learning in areas of keen interest across the portfolio.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION

1. Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, international development, public health, public administration, journalism, political science, demography, sociology, organization development, English, teaching, psychology, development assistance or a relevant field is required.

2. Work Experience: Five years of progressively responsible experience involving areas such as international development, writing, outreach, journalism, communications, public administration, public relations or a related field is required.

3. Job Knowledge: The incumbent must speak and write English fluently, have excellent knowledge of English grammar and American word usage and spelling. The incumbent must demonstrate writing and editorial experience. The incumbent must have an understanding of how various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X. The incumbent must possess an understanding of and experience with international development issues. The incumbent must have mastery of, or ability to use, Google Drive, as well as diverse computer software to produce on-line and print communications materials, including MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, and a photo editor and graphic illustrator along with some understanding of a web content management application.

4. Skills and Abilities: The incumbent must be conversant with the important terminology, concepts and organizations associated with international development work. The incumbent must be a superb writer, skilled at editing, and possess solid research skills. The incumbent must be able to manage multiple tasks, be highly organized, and meet deadlines, have strong interpersonal skills, and be capable of working with multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment. The incumbent should be a self-starter, detail-oriented, and a creative problem solver. The incumbent must possess a strong ability to function in a diverse environment, requiring tact and sound judgment, and be sensitive to cultural norms. The incumbent must be able to work as an integral member of a fast-paced team, with a minimum of supervision and a keen ability to handle interactions with colleagues, media representatives, high-level visitors, and senior officials with maturity and confidence.

5. Language Proficiency: Fluency (Level IV) Reading/Writing/Speaking in English is required.

DEADLINE: AUGUST 16, 2024