Partnerships and Communications Officer - Inspire Action

Job Description

Parent Position: Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Manager

About the Position

Inspire Action has a full-time role available for an energetic, committed and thoughtful professional to support the partnerships, advocacy and communications needs of our newly setup Accra Secretariat office. The position is open to nationals of Ghana ONLY.

The selected candidate will be based within the Accra Secretariat office and reporting to the Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications Manager.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will be an excellent team player, possess the required interpersonal skills and will be able to maintain flexibility in their role.

The key responsibilities are, though not limited to:

Partnerships:

• Scan partnerships opportunities (facilitate assessments of client needs, Inspire Action’s comparative advantages, and partner survey analysis, among others);
• Monitor and evaluate humanitarian and development trends and needs to identify areas of collaboration within Inspire Action’s mandate and existing capacity.
• Establish contacts with potential partners, organizing meetings and negotiations, and prepare subsequent records of meetings, plan of action and follow-up for potential partnership development opportunities;
• In coordination with the Programme team, lead on the identification, design, formulation, drafting and negotiation of new projects and programmes, including concept notes and project documents;
• Actively participate in the identification, design, formulation and negotiation of new projects and programmes;
• Draft concept notes and technical briefs for further discussion with partners and donors;
• Identify potential partners to pursue new partnership opportunities and ensure portfolio growth by promoting quality service to maintain a competitive edge;
• Prepare letters for Expression of Interest for potential partnerships when considered consistent with Inspire Action’s mandate, goals and development strategy;
• Liaise extensively with Government departments, local government and ministries at operational levels to promote Inspire Action engagement, visibility and operations in Ghana;
• Liaise with UN partner agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations for programme development and information dissemination purposes;
• Draft agreements and/or contractual documents required for the signature and implementation of new projects;
• On behalf of the Country Manager, participate in and report on the relevant inter-agency, donor and government coordination meetings including addressing project development issues in consultation with Inspire Action technical experts when required. Take part in Humanitarian planning and programming processes, including strategic country analysis, UNDAF, response plans, etc.;
• Ensure completion of periodic country-related updates such as Country Engagement Opportunity Updates, Newsletters, Monday boards, and SharePoint;
• Support hiring process of ad-hoc consultancies.
• Provide support in formulation and implementation of annual Partnerships work plans;
• Assist in the preparation of project proposals for tenders or donors’ requests.
• Review and comment on technical and progress reports prepared by projects and provision of advice as needed to improve content and quality;
• Perform other related duties as required.?

Communications:

• Lead the development of Inspire Action’s communications standards (corporate design, standards for content) and Processes and Rules;
• Lead the design of advocacy strategies and country engagement plans in collaboration with the project team;
• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive communication strategy for Inspire Action;
• Develop a communications plan and create a series of communications and advocacy tools showcasing Inspire Action’s strategic policy objectives;
• Generate, edit and share content in line with the communication strategy that builds meaningful connections and encourages social media community members to take action;
• Produce high quality visual communication elements for external and internal communication; such as fact sheets, infographics, presentations, newsletters, roll-up banners etc;
• Provide support to the country teams on the creation of PowerPoints, posters, business cards, document templates, etc and other materials;
• Engage with local partners to build and cultivate strategic partnerships to leverage advocacy opportunities with government leadership, Ministries, other implementing partners;
• Work with web developer to ensure that the Inspire Action’s website is regularly updated;
• Manage Inspire Action’s social media handles, marketing, events and ensure the organization’s website is updated regularly by developing content (for example showcasing current projects), helping to raise our profiles and reach new audiences;
• Expand Inspire Action’s networks through social media channels, in particular through engaging/creative story-telling and sharing impact;
• Act as the media focal point and spokesperson for Inspire Action in coordination with the

Required Skills or Experience

Education:

• Advanced Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in International relations, International Development, Social Science, Communication/Journalism, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in combination with additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 2 years (4 years for a bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in the area of international development, international cooperation, communications, partner or client relationships, business development and/or market analysis including demonstrated experience in one of the following:
• Developing and executing partnership and programme development plans;
• Project development and proposal writing;
• Establishing partnerships with Government agencies, UN agencies, international development organizations, governments, foundations, international NGOs or private sector organizations;
• Demonstrated excellent research and analysis skills related to partner/business development in a humanitarian setting;
• A basic understanding of social and political trends;
• Experience of marketing & creative storytelling (e.g using social media platforms in a professional context);
• Ability to work effectively with the media;
• Experience developing communications materials for a range of audiences;
• Self starter who is able to identify and complete tasks with minimum supervision.?

Desired:

• Experience with international or non-governmental organizations, or international development
• agencies or working with donors such as the United Nations, the World Bank or the US Government is considered as a strong asset.
• Experience in website content management;
• Graphic design skills;
• Photography and basic video making skills;
• Experience working with a diverse and global team.

Language Requirements:

• Excellent command of the English language is required;
• Working knowledge of the French language is desired but not an eliminatory criteria.

Personal Attributes:

• Self starter and team player who is willing to routinely collaborate and problem solve with colleagues in both Ghana, the rest of Africa, the United States, and Europe.
• Ability to problem solve and develop creative solutions to challenges encountered within a local office and help establish and implement new systems and processes.
• Detail oriented, with the ability to work on multiple tasks in an efficient manner.
• Strong time management skills – the ability to stick to deadlines and timetables.