Job Vacancy: Communications Officer, African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is an African-led and Africa-based international research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. APHRC conducts policy-relevant research on population, health, education, urbanization and related development issues in sub-Saharan Africa.

APHRC seeks to recruit a Communications Officer to join its Visibility Unit- the team responsible for the Center’s internal and external communications.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Digital Communications

• Work with the Communications Manager to develop and deliver the Center’s social media strategy.
• Manage APHRC’s social media account, with the support and input of the Communications Manager.
• Create interactive and engaging content that is tailored to a range of audiences.
• Write compelling copy for the website and social media, complying with APHRC’s editorial standards.
• With the support of the Communications Manager, ensure the APHRC website is regularly updated. S/he will be responsible for consistency and quality control.
• Maintain a high standard for copy and content, meeting brand and style guidelines.
• Lead multimedia productions including video, photography and design.
• Supervise digital communications interns working in the Visibility unit.
• Coordinate visibility and online campaigns with other APHRC regional offices and implementing partners.

Media Relations

• Facilitate engagement with media for profiling of the Center’s work through media pitches.
• Monitor social media for any press / journalist requests APHRC might respond to.
• Respond in a timely manner to queries from local and national media.
• Package stories and information enabling us to pitch to print and online media.
• Arrange interviews and / or connect journalists with spokespeople from across the APHRC family.
• Manage APHRC media database.
• Conduct media monitoring and produce quarterly reports.

Content Generation

• Write, edit and distribute content, including publications, press releases, website content, op-eds, annual reports, speeches, newsletters and other marketing materials that communicate APHRC’s activities.
• Ensure that all published content is delivered to high standards, within budget and is in compliance with the agreed curation guidelines.
• Support the Communications Manager to ensure the APHRC brand is understood and complied with by all staff in all external communications.

Supportive Functions

• Support the Communications Manager with wider partner stakeholder management and engagement, as well as mapping external audiences for APHRC content.
• Support the development of new branded assets to meet the needs of the Center. Liaise with designers and external suppliers to ensure assets are produced on time, in budget, and to the required standard.
• Support the Communications Manager to commission design work and asset production: complete order forms and process invoices / expense claims, according to APHRC procedure.
• Manage APHRC’s digital photo library, and ensure the correct details are included (proof of consent, photographer credit, etc.) when they are uploaded.
• Monitor press coverage and social media metrics using Amref-specific tools.
• Support the coordination of specific events and represent the organization externally when relevant.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism or related field.
• 3-5 years’ relevant experience in a communications role.
• Strong writing and editing skills; excellent attention to detail; experience of writing for the web.
• Experience of social media and community management, and of adapting a message to different audiences.
• Experience of website management.
• Good time management and organizational skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, content management systems and social media platforms.
• Experience in graphic design and audio-visual production is an added advantage.

The ideal candidate should be able to think creatively, and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

This position is classified under Nationally Recruited Positions (NRP), Grade V in our scales.