Director, Communications, CATALYZE

Job Description

Project Overview and Role:

The CATALYZE Portfolio based out of Palladium’s Washington, D.C. office is currently seeking a Director of Communications to lead the implementation of the ambitious communication strategy for the CATALYZE program.

CATALYZE is a $250 million 8-year program, designed to mobilize $2 billion in private capital, especially to underfinanced social sectors (such as education) and higher risk countries (especially low-income and post-conflict countries) around the globe, complemented by a cross-cutting inclusion of gender-lens investing. CATALYZE serves as a “platform of platforms” that provides services to many missions and bureaus that “buy in” to tap the CATALYZE investment and pay-for-results project management expertise. Our aim is for investors to explore and find commercially viable opportunities and approaches to creating jobs, developing sustainable social services, tightening, and rationalizing supply chains, and advancing inclusive growth – ultimately, reducing the need for development institutions to provide donor funding. CATALYZE incorporates three primary focus areas: a Blended Finance Innovation Incubator, a Community of Practice, and an Investment Platform.

Global CATALYZE teams and USAID missions have spent the last two years co-designing and implementing a series of activities to significantly mobilize private capital for development that make up the CATALYZE portfolio, including the following Activities (also known as Buy-Ins):

1. Asia Social Protection: Improving access to financial and social protection for vulnerable women in Asia. Focus countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines. Partners: TBD.
   
2. CATALYZE Peru: Catalyzing investment and access to finance for SMEs in the Peruvian Amazon. Focus country: Peru. Partners: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs), Financial Intermediaries, Private Sector Anchor Firms.
   
3. EduFinance: Mobilizing capital for non-state education and improving and sustaining learning outcomes for children and youth, particularly those who are the most marginalized and vulnerable. Focus countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Latin America and the Caribbean. Partners: Kaizenvest, UBS Optimus Foundation, PEAS, EPG, Opportunity International.
   
4. Ethiopia Market Systems for Growth (MS4G): Fostering private enterprise growth primarily in agricultural markets to create jobs and increase incomes. Focus country: Ethiopia. Partners: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs), Transaction Advisory Service Providers (TASPs), Government of Ethiopia (GoE), Consultants, Associations.
   
5. Sahel Finance for Resilience (F4R): Increasing financing to support capital investment in the agricultural sector and in youth-led enterprises. Focus countries: Burkina Faso, Niger. Partners: ICDE (Burkina Faso) and SINERGI SA (Niger). Financial Facilitators/Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs), Financial Intermediaries, USAID Implementing Partners Yalwa, Yidgiri, Bridge Youth Connect, Sahel Collaboration and Communication Activity.
   
6. Sri Lanka Private Sector Development (PSD): Promoting economic diversification and employment opportunities for SMEs, principally women. Focus country: Sri Lanka. Partners: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs), Financial Intermediaries, Consultants, Business Associations.
   
7. Western Balkans Engine of Growth: Increasing SME access to private capital and using finance to drive enterprise growth. Focus countries: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia. Partners: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs), Financial Intermediaries.
   
8. Women’s Economic Empowerment: Mobilizing private capital to create economic opportunities for women. Global focus. Partners: U.S. Development Finance Corporation, BAC El Salvador, Banco LAFISE Dominican Republic.
   

You and Your Career

If you are looking to be part of a dynamic, growing team, are looking to make immediate, measurable contributions; and you have expertise as a strategic communications leader within international development, we are interested in hearing from you.

We are a learning organization and provide growth opportunities from the start. We pride ourselves on giving you the freedom, resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The Director of Communications will be based in Washington DC and will be responsible for developing and overseeing implementation of the CATALYZE communications strategy, overseeing the three-person, new CATALYZE communications team, and ensuring quality delivery of all internal and external communications materials and events.

• Develops and implements an innovative and proactive communications strategy for the overall CATALYZE program, with prolific and targeted messaging for public and private, internal, and external stakeholders

• Serves as “Managing editor” for all communications content produced by the CATALYZE communications team, ensuring quality control, and a consistent “voice” for all materials produced
  
• Liaises with CATALYZE Activity communications staff based in field offices and Activity team leads based in the U.S. to support the development of communication strategies and field communications support based on needs; liaises with the CATALYZE Monitoring and Evaluation team as required on content development and Smartsheets implementation.
  Maintains relationships with industry contacts, proactively develops opportunities for speaking engagements and development of thought leadership pieces for CATALYZE team members and suggests participation for CATALYZE team members in relevant events
  
• Supports CATALYZE Activity teams to identify and shape lessons learned and impact stories to advance industry learning, scale the impact of CATALYZE interventions, and increase awareness of blended finance opportunities. Conducts interviews with technical teams, USAID staff, and CATALYZE partners. Creates, oversees production of, and disseminates internal and external facing learning tools and thought leadership pieces, including feature articles, blog posts, videos, interviews, newsletters, and op-eds, with compelling graphics and visual content
  
• Supports CATALYZE team members prepare for participation in events and interviews by developing talking points, speeches and other materials as required
  
• Oversees and ensures quality production of required internal and external communications deliverables, including contractual deliverables such as quarterly and annual reports
  
• Ensures quality production and regular updates of CATALYZE communications collateral, including presentations, fact sheets, website updates, and social media/digital content
  
• Ensures consistent messaging and compliant branding and marking for CATALYZE communications materials
  
• Oversees media relations efforts for CATALYZE as a whole
  
• Collaborates with subcontracted editors and creative firms, including graphic designers, videographers, and event logistics providers
  
• Identifies and tests new communications approaches and delivery channels for sharing impact stories and lessons learned, updating the CATALYZE communications strategy based on feedback and data analytics on reach
  
• Provides excellent, collaborative service to CATALYZE Activity Management Units (AMUs), USAID counterparts (USAID in DC and overseas missions), developing strong relationships and executing tasks with speed and quality
  
• Supervises the members of the CATALYZE Communications Team
  

Reporting Requirements

The role reports to the CATALYZE Chief of Party/Executive Director, Amanda Fernandez. Reporting requirements include:

• Attendance at required CATALYZE team meetings
  
• Provision of regular updates to the Director of Communications, including status of Key Result Areas (KRAs), and any other material matters and/or areas of concern
  
• Other reporting as requested by the line manager
  

Relationships

• The role is part of the new, four-person CATALYZE Communications Team and will work under the guidance of CATALYZE leadership
  
• The role liaises closely with CATALYZE clients (USAID in DC and overseas missions), CATALYZE Activity Management Units (AMUs), the CATALYZE Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, CATALYZE field teams and key subcontractors in Washington, D.C. and abroad, technical area specialists, professional service providers, and others
  
• The role collaborates with the broader Palladium Communications teams for global or North America-specific initiatives, as well as other USAID Private Sector Engagement (PSE) Hub implementing partners, and members of relevant, blended finance and education finance communities of practice
  

Experience and Key Competencies Required

• Designing, managing, and overseeing the implementation of dynamic, communications programs and teams leading to behavior change
  
• Demonstrated experience in developing communications materials, tools, and strategies in the development community
• Experience in inclusive finance, blended finance and/or impact investing in developing and emerging markets a plus
  
• Experience engaging both international development and private sector communities in communications strategies
  
• Demonstrated track record of designing and implementing dynamic and proactive communications strategies including event design and management, and producing tools such as reports, blogs, articles, success stories, fact sheets, social media and website content, talking points, speeches, and press releases in English on tight deadlines in a dynamic environment
  
• Demonstrated ability to conduct effective interviews with technical experts, absorb information quickly, and package information into interesting and digestible content for audiences with different needs
  
• Demonstrated experience in conducting proactive media relations
  
• Proven experience leading teams and service providers to produce high quality reports and learning sessions for donors or private sector actors. Experience supporting USAID or donor-funded programs a plus
  
• Superior team building and staff management skills
  
• Demonstrated, superior client management skills, and the ability to manage multiple client priorities in a seamless manner
  
• Excellent English writing and editing skills with ability to tailor the tone, content, and form of written output in line with a range of different audiences and to suit a variety of formats
  
• Ability to communicate effectively in different creative mediums, including written pieces, videos, graphics, and presentations
  
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively and to find innovative ways to respond to emerging organizational and project needs
  
• Excellent attention to detail and track record of designing and implementing a dynamic communications strategy
  
• Detail-oriented and deadline-driven with strong organizational skills, and ability to work in a dynamic and agile environment with changing requirements and priorities
  
• Knowledge and understanding of the U.S. government development community, branding, communications style, and learning frameworks
  
• Advanced critical thinking, sound problem solving and decision-making skills
  
• Highly self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision
  
• Ability to meet tight deadlines in a dynamic environment
  
• Demonstrated competency in PowerPoint, Word and graphic design
  
• Demonstrated, superior verbal, written and presentation skills in English
  
• Strong cross-cultural, interpersonal, management and collaboration skills in highly complex structures involving multiple teams and stakeholders
  
• English fluency required; competency in other languages (French, Spanish) preferred
  
• Ability to travel to lower- and middle-income countries as needed
  

Position Location and other Requirements

• This is a project position on CATALYZE, based out of the Palladium offices of Washington, D.C.
  
• Applications for this role require submission of a CV and a cover letter

About the Organization

About Palladium

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

Palladium Americas

Our Americas’ business team has brilliant and passionate colleagues working in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America as well as the Caribbean, fulfilling projects and assignments for clients from institutions, corporations, governments, and foundations based in the Americas. We have offices in Washington, DC, New York City, and Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.