Policy LINK – Program and Communications Coordinator – DAI Global – Policy LINK Project

Economics, Communications, PR and Journalism

DAI Global – Policy LINK Project

Project Background

The five-year (2019 – 2024) Feed the Future Policy LINK project will strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes.

Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.

Policy LINK’s general approach is grounded in facilitative leadership and collaborative governance, which emphasize engaging stakeholders from civil society and public and private sectors in consensus-oriented decision making, collaborative problem solving, and adaptive learning 

Policy LINK in Ethiopia

USAID Ethiopia is developing a five-year activity with the overall objective of supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and other policy system actors as they transition to a more inclusive policy development process. Specifically, the activity will facilitate the transition from an almost exclusively government-led and implemented policy development paradigm to one driven by multiple stakeholders.

This new approach to policymaking will require strengthening the capacity of Ethiopia’s main agricultural policy system actors and institutions and supporting them to engage in a new collaborative environment. This approach will lead to significant improvements in the policy process and the resulting policy environment. For example, there will be greater clarity around roles and increased participation in policy processes by stakeholders traditionally excluded from decision-making, including academia, financial institutions, the judiciary, CSOs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector representations from the national, regional, and local levels. Under the new policy development paradigm, development partners will be expected to align their approaches to fit within this broader collaborative framework.

This approach will be underpinned by Policy LINK’s overarching theory of change focused on increasing human and social capital, engaging policy system actors in collaborative processes, and developing mechanisms for collaborative governance and dynamic learning systems and platforms to sustain collective action.

The activity will support the GoE objectives of inspiring sustainable agriculture-led economic growth, strengthening resilience among people and systems, and creating a well-nourished population, especially women and children.

Responsibilities

This position has program/activity coordination and communications coordination role.

Program Coordination

• The Program and Communications Coordinator is expected to support planning, execution and follow up of program activities to ensure tasks and deliverables are accomplished per the activity description, work plan, program policies, procedures, practices, and compliance requirements.
• As part of activity teams, support the overall conceptualization, development, and smooth implementation of LINK’s program activities.
• Coordinate with the operations and finance team to ensure necessary preparations, logistics and payments are made for successful implementation of program activities; Tasks may include obtaining venue, equipment, materials, travels and managing RSVPs, reconnaissance visits and on-site support.
• Under the guidance of Program lead(s), coordinate regular program and team meetings and debriefs to set targets, review progress, coordinate teams and draw lessons for successful implementation of program activities.
• Support in tracking and updating program activities, expenditures, contracts, and budgets including portfolio activity matrix and budget, activity description deliverables, implementation tracker and consultants’ tracker, in consultation with finance, procurement/contracts and activity teams.
• Support the recruitment, contracting, proper orientation, supervision and performance evaluation activities to ensure tasks and deliverables are being met as specified in the contracts (for successful delivery of their contracts) and performance records are compiled for future reference.
• Monitor the status and performance of projects activities and teams and report to the relevant program lead including issues that require urgent attention.
• Conduct periodic reviews and provide feedback to activity teams on use of TAMIS and other LINK, DAI and USAID systems.
• Undertake regular checks, reconnaissance and field visits to activity sites and venues as required, to ensure adequate preparations and provide support as needed.
• Coordinate with the Administration and Logistics Coordinator in the overall preparation and facilitation of project trainings, meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences and events.
• Support the preparation or review of draft documents (e.g., technical and workshop reports) to ensure quality and conformity with agreed templates, consistent with investor/donor/client requirements.
• Support and maintain good communication and relationships with program partners, consultants, and participants on matters regarding program activity, expectations, logistics, deliverables, timelines, and compliance requirements.
• Represent LINK in meetings and processes as required and appropriate.
• Ensure that program and activity team minutes, reports, resolutions, and action plans are compiled, shared and actions followed up.
• Liaise with activity team leaders, to identify areas of support and seek solutions to program challenges that would impede successful implementation of activities.
• Ensure that activity folders are well organized by working with activity teams and conducting regular audits.

Communications Coordination:

• Collaborate closely with the global Communications team to ensure that all components of communications plan are well implemented, including overseeing elements of the plan as the coordinator’s skill set develops. In this respect, s/he will interface with the broader communications team on behalf of the Ethiopia activity.
• Coordinate communications activities on the Ethiopia buy-in with the global Strategic Comms team
• Participate in regular meetings, trainings and ongoing coordination functions for the global comms team
• Think creatively to produce innovative ideas and concepts and support in the development of clear briefs and interactive design for communications products targeted at different audiences.
• In his/her role as an activity team member, support in the design and implementation of targeted communications mini strategies for reaching key people (e.g., government officials) as well as for reaching key audiences (community, CSOs, CBOs, etc.) which may involve a variety of communications mediums such as social/digital/mainstream broadcast and print/ community media etc.
• Work with the learning and knowledge management teams, and the IT and Knowledge Systems Manager to organize and manage production of digital events, including webinars and podcasts.
• Draft smart, engaging and relevant regular content such as updates, announcements and blogs on the Ethiopia activity for the Ethiopia landing page on the Policy LINK website and activity pages on key partner networks as well as monitoring engagement.
• Create dissemination toolkits for learning and communications events and products.
• Support the Ethiopia team to compile, prepare and edit reports and publications.
• Share relevant new trends, information, and insights with the broader project team to support the MEL functions.
• Support in managing all project-related communications events and trips, assisting to coordinate all logistics, and ensuring that everything runs smoothly (including with internal and external actors) to create a good name for the project and ensure project visibility.
• Regularly capture success stories, project statistics, data, news, updates, pictures etc.  in line with the LINK « newsroom approach » that can be used in reports and on digital platforms.
• Manage and regularly update a “media bank” of project activity photos, videos and texts, in line with existing guidelines.
• Master Feed the Future and USAID branding and work closely with the Strategic Communications Manager to ensure compliance with Feed the Future and USAID branding and marking guidelines for all communications products. including donor reports and project materials.
• Manage other tasks as assigned.

 Reporting

The Program and Communications coordinator will report to the LINK/Ethiopia Facilitation and Collaborative Governance Lead, with dotted line to the Strategic Communications Manager.

 Supervisory Responsibilities

The Program and Communications Coordinator will not have supervisory roles though may supervise consultants and intermittent employees and provide regular guidance to LINK/Ethiopia staff during the execution and implementation of consultant and sub-award agreements.

Status: Long Term Technical Assistance

Supervisor: LINK/Ethiopia Facilitation and Collaborative Governance Lead 

Contract Name: USAID/Feed the Future Policy LINK-Ethiopia – Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity”

Education and Work Experience:

• A minimum of BA/BSc degree in Communication, Economics, relevant field/s from a recognized university
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience and proven engagement in:
• management of long-term, strategic communication activities.
• design communications, press and marketing strategies.
• oversight and design of multi-media platforms, including content development, for a combination of video, print and social media inputs.
• designing and distributing marketing products.
• organizing, managing, and liaising with external organizations and press.
• Good understanding on, and work experience of Project Cycle Management (PCM) and Result Based Management Approach
• Demonstrated work experience as communications manager/specialist/coordinator in international development organizations
• Proven networking skills with broad spectrum of contacts with diverse target groups related to prior work experience.
• Proven program support and communications skills
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including high level of self-initiative and creativity; Able to work effectively on a team; Ability to synthesize large amounts of data and inputs from multiple sources into cohesive, strategic messages and products.
• Competent in graphic design software and skilled in designing and producing basic layouts and graphics.
• Competent in organizing, editing, and formatting reports
• Experience supporting fast-paced donor program, USAID experience will be an added advantage
• Professional proficiency in English and Amharic languages
• Ability to work with diverse and multi-disciplinary team
• Attention to detail, ability to prioritize and plan

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