PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
As the voice of the organisation, the Senior Communications Manager is a pivotal leadership role responsible for directing and executing comprehensive communication strategies that align with the organisation’s objectives. This position involves overseeing day-to-day internal and external communication activities, collaborating with senior executives, and ensuring consistent messaging across various channels. The Senior Communications Manager plays a key role in serving as the organisation’s information hub, disseminating critical updates, and fostering positive relationships with stakeholders. Reputation management is a central focus, involving proactive measures to safeguard and enhance the organisation’s standing. Building trust and awareness around the brand and mission are integral components, requiring strategic thinking, effective leadership, and a keen understanding of communication trends and best practices. This role is instrumental in maintaining a positive public image, promoting brand visibility, and contributing to the overall success of the organisation.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. LMA (Leadership, Management and Accountability)
• Lead and manage the communications team, keeping them accountable and in turn being accountable for the delivery of your department’s delivery.
• Establish and maintain a culture of accountability by providing clear expectations, and setting performance standards in line with our core values (Deep Love for Africa, Dependability, Compassion, Initiative, Discipline).
• Manage and lead third-party contractors (e.g. PR agency).
2. Global Communications Strategy• Develop and implement an effective communication strategy.
• This strategy will be shared with affiliate fundraising offices and country programmes offices to be used to inform and align their own localised communications strategies.
• Serve as the mouthpiece for the CEO and leadership team to communicate the organisation’s strategy so staff knows the strategy and importantly, know how they support it.
• Provide guidance on communication strategies to various teams within the organisation.
3. Day-to-day internal and external communications and marketing activities• Develop and manage day-to-day internal communications activities, including internal campaigns and newsletters to drive strategic alignment across the organisation so we’re communicating with one vision and purpose.
• Develop, implement, and manage day-to-day external communications activity for branding and PR purposes including press releases, blogs, social media, publications, and other media platform opportunities.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with media outlets to maximize positive coverage.
• Create talking points and key messages for events, conferences, and leadership speaking engagements.
• Ensure all communications content is on brand and message aligns with our organisation’s vision, mission, purpose, objectives, and core values.
• Create communications strategy for new products, events and launches.
• Copy Editing.
• Forecasting and managing the communications department budget.
4. Organisations Information Hub• Support the organisation and its fundraisers with content, materials and services like fact sheets, capacity statements, case studies, and stories from our programmes to assist in communications, fundraising, and content creation efforts.
• Act as the conduit of information transfer between the Group Service Office, Development/Fundraising, and Programme Countries.
5. Safeguarding and enhancement the organisation’s reputation• Monitoring and addressing potential risks and issues.
• Public relations, thought leadership, crisis communication.
• Build leaders’ profiles and gain followers.
• Support CEO and leaders with key messaging for respective engagements and public interactions.
• Ensure the organizations’ use of professional and ethical images.
• Develop and Manage implementation of communications policies and practices – best practices for social media, media spokesperson’s policy and ethical image policy etc.
• Conduct regular audits across the organisation to assess adherence to communication standards and implement improvements as needed.
6. Build Trust towards and awareness of the organization and brand.
• Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders, fostering trust and credibility.
• Coordinate media and public affairs activities to promote the organisation’s legal and policy positions.
• Leverage emergencies and crises to gain international exposure.
• Public relations thought leadership.
• Serve as the organization’s spokesperson when required.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
• Bachelors or advanced degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or a related field or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in developing and executing successful communications strategies within the nonprofit sector.
• Strong understanding of brand management, reputation protection, and trust-building techniques.
• Excellent senior leadership and team management skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities; able to communicate and negotiate with a wide range of people.
• Ability to manage a complex workload and meet deadlines.
• Experience in crisis communication and media relations.
• Understanding of and commitment to ForAfrika values and work.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong planning, organisational, and project management skills with exceptional follow through.
• Diplomatic, analytical, trustworthy, and of the highest personal and professional integrity.
• Adaptable and able to thrive in a dynamic and changing environment.
• A unique mix of being both a strategic thinker and a doer.
• Foresight to predict relevant and timely communications.
• Ability to work calmly under pressure and within a small, dynamic team.
Founded 40 years ago, ForAfrika is the largest African humanitarian and development organisation working for an Africa that thrives. Partnering closely with our communities, we bring resources and implement locally-led programmes that address the barriers people face, leading to equitable growth and transformation.
With approximately 600 staff globally, many of whom live in the communities we serve, we have operational presence in eight African countries with affiliate fundraising offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and South Africa.
ForAfrika facilitates a continuum of transformation from emergency aid towards self-sufficient communities. We achieve this through an integrated programming approach that is rooted in collaborative partnerships and capability transfers. Our proven process model has been developed over four decades of working closely with local communities, listening to grassroots voices to direct localised solutions tailored to contexts.
Programmes
Emergency Response
We respond quickly in emergencies to offer vital support and resources to our communities when they need us most
Water
We work with communities to provide access to clean water and better hygiene
Food
We help create food security and more sustainable livelihoods for our people
Health
We provide health and nutritional support for healthier, stronger communities
Education
We support quality education by enabling a strong and stable educational environment
Economic Empowerment
We equip our communities with the right skills and access to grow Africa’s economy
