Director Of Strategic Communications at DAI

Job description

Project Background:

The Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub seeks to enable regional integration, economic growth and food security through enhanced trade and investment.

The delivery of targeted assistance under this contract will help Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states, the private sector, and civil society organizations strengthen regional and global trade linkages and business practices, building opportunities to increase exports to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Purpose:

The Director of Strategic Communications will oversee the Hub’s communication strategy portfolio and provide leadership and day‐to‐day management of the Hub’s strategic communications, reporting, knowledge management, and outreach to inform the Hub’s stakeholders, beneficiaries and partners—it is central to managing the strategic relationships for the project in the region.

S/he will design and operationalize a communications strategy for the Hub and ensure external communications and information platforms comply with USAID branding and contractual requirements; and ensure the project team generates relevant, value-added information products, based on data gathering, lessons learned and best practices to support a learning agenda.

The Director of Strategic Communications will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following detailed tasks:

Responsibilities and Key Tasks:

Communications

• Develop the Hub’s Communication Strategy, including utilization of the website and social media platforms, for internal and external communications.
• Develop innovative communication products to inform and engage the Hub’s diverse set of stakeholders across the SADC region, including institutional and private sector partners. Products include a comprehensive suite of communications/information materials complementary to those utilized by the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub in Annex A.
• Oversee Hub deliverables for reporting, including establishing Hub reporting schedules and drafting reporting templates.
• Collect and organize data and information from the relevant programmatic teams on progress of project activities and service delivery.
• Integrate, edit, and finalize Hub communications products, including draft written materials, fact sheets, success stories, press releases, and regular reporting requirements (USAID weekly, quarterly, annual reports, etc.).
• Manage the uploading and storage of all documents in DAI’s management information system (TAMIS).
• Oversee content development for the project’s website in coordination with the IT team.
• Work with Hub staff to develop and produce communications, knowledge management and outreach materials.
• Serve as the point of contact for local media inquiries.
• Event management (as needed) for Hub trade shows, ceremonies, openings, milestones, etc.
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders, including institutional and private sector partners, to increase visibility and maximize coordination.
• Monitor press coverage—including news wires, local newspapers, television and radio.
• Coordinate on-demand information requested by USAID or other stakeholders.
• Provide quality assurance on USAID branding and marking.
• Represent the Hub at large-scale events and meetings as required and liaise with relevant stakeholders, including institutional and private sector partners, to increase visibility and maximize coordination.

Knowledge Management

• Operationalize the Hub communications and KM strategy, including proactive development and dissemination of communications and knowledge management materials to actively engage stakeholders.
• Lead project-wide initiatives to foster continual collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA) of the KM strategy to ensure quality and improvement.
• Identify high-value secondary source materials related to Hub work and distill those into usable forms for wider dissemination and internal use.
• Oversea the management and storage of all documents in DAI’s management information system (TAMIS) and as appropriate, on the SATIH website.
• Be a thought leader – contribute to program design, suggest resources, and ensure that gender, communications, and M&E feature prominently in all project activities and strategies.
• Participate in the design and implementation of critical learning tools.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

The Director of Strategic Communications will assemble and supervise a communications team as well as short-term technical consultants or sub-contractors contributing to the communications and knowledge management strategies on the project, such as graphic designers, videographers, etc.

Reporting:

The Strategic Communications Director will report to the Chief of Party.