Communications Officer at South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)

Join our communications team!

SAIIA is seeking a passionate and driven individual to join its Communications department. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to gain hands-on experience in digital communications and develop a career in research communications. The role entails supporting the Digital Communications Manager to implement and execute a range of communications activities. 

This position is based at SAIIA’s headquarters in Johannesburg, under a hybrid work arrangement. 

Responsibilities: 

• Responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of the SAIIA website, ensuring content is up to date, accurately categorised and optimised for high discoverability.  
• Assist the Digital Communications Manager with creating and scheduling content for various digital platforms, including social media channels, website, and email newsletters. 
• Support the Events team in maximising publicity for SAIIA’s events, webinars, and public engagements. 
• Assist with reporting on digital performance (collecting and analysing metrics from Google Analytics, media monitoring).  
• Manage media requests and help the Communications team to build the media database. 
• Contribute to amplifying the impact of SAIIA’s work by keeping abreast of industry trends and best practices to optimise digital communication strategies. 
• Support the execution of SAIIA’s overall media and communication objectives. 
• Administrative support to the Digital Communications Manager.  

Requirements: 

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Communications, Journalism or a related field. 
• A minimum of 2 years of work experience in a similar role. 
• Experience working with websites, including knowledge of content management systems, is essential. 
• Familiarity with social media platforms and digital marketing tools is advantageous. 
• Proficiency in MS Office. 
• Basic knowledge of graphic design tools (e.g. Canva) will be advantageous.  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment. 
• Detail-oriented with excellent organisational skills.