JOB DETAILS
Job title: Communication Manager [Nairobi]
Line Manager title: Communication Director
Grade: JG 5
Direct reports: Communications Officer
Department: CEO’s Office
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
JOB SUMMARY
1. The Communications Manager will support the development and implementation of communications strategies that help TMA regional teams and country programmes contribute to building TMA reputation.
2. The role is key to helping build support and advocacy for TMA’s projects, articulate TMA’s view on Aid for Trade projects as a pathway out of poverty and management of reputational risk.
3. Hence, the Manager will lead in engagement with key stakeholders, including media, civil society, private sector, donor countries, and international organisations, as well as staff.
4. The Manager will provide cross cutting communication needs through review of programme messages to ensure strategic alignment to and with donor interests.
5. Additionally, the incumbent will be a key partner to the TMA Regional and Country Directors, providing strategic communications counsel, executing high impact integrated campaigns and media outreach, partnerships and events and proactively seeking opportunities to articulate messages.
6. Therefore, he/she will be expected to participate in project reviews and planning to identify priority visibility opportunities, map out appropriate channels of communication and guide in engagement of public institutions and donors.
7. The manager will guide quality assure content production for all platforms. This is a senior manager role that deputises the Communication Director.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy planning & Reporting
1. Provide support to Director of Communication in developing the Corporate Communications Strategy, including:
1) annual communication plans and budgeting, results tracking and reporting with a focus on corporate and stakeholder communication of results.
2) advise the senior TMA team, programme partners and agencies in implementation of the agreed strategy and in dealing with identified crisis issues.
3) develop and maintain consistent messaging for the organisation, impact areas, countries/clusters, and key issue and campaigns. o help shape issues management o crisis communication
4) operate as a trusted communication leader in the organisation, providing insightful, thoughtful, and relevant counsel to the Senior Leadership Team, regional, country and functional-cross cutting teams.
CEO's Office Support
1. Support the CEOs office in creating, collating, and packaging marketing and communications information about TMAs key results and impacts to support fundraising.
2. Under the direction of the Communications Director, manage the CEO’s corporate communications requirements to increase TMA’s visibility among key stakeholders. To include identify and target audiences and stakeholders to effectively position TMA as a key aid-for-trade organisation and advocate on the topics central to our work, raise the profile of these and our points of view, position the relevant members of TMA as experts on these topics, and highlight the successes and impact of the organisations whom we are funding.
3. Focal Point with Board, Donor institutions and Senior Leadership Team to develop partnership opportunities in close collaboration with Communication Director and Programme teams. In this role, the incumbent will represent the unit in partner convened processes relating to brand positioning.
4. Prepare periodic reports to the CEO and prepare briefings to meetings of the Council and Board of Directors.
5. Create and execute action-oriented experiences for CEO and board members such as mission visits to identified programmes and partners, media engagements, participation in global convenings and campaigns. Coordinate such identified engagements.
6. Share lessons learned from the field and TMA’s research based technical approaches to Aid for Trade issues in Eastern Africa and provide insights to the program teams to position TMA for future collaborations and funding opportunities.
Expert Support in Programme Communications: Partner with TMA Regional Directors and Country leads to build strategic communication into programmes
1. Review portfolio work with regional and country directors to explore, design and undertake strategic communications initiatives for TMA supported programmes and grantees; prioritise on quick win efforts to build awareness and push agendas.
2. Advise and coach regional and country directors as well as communication focal points on communications objectives, strategy and tactics and advise on maximising visibility opportunities sustainably.
3. Mainstream programme communication principles within programme management cycle through collaboration with teams to tailor-made communication solutions for individual programmes in consideration of social political climate. Includes: Work plans, budgets and implementation plans.
4. Develop and execute integrated communication campaigns and standalone tactics to support programmatic goals and fuel positive change.
5. Support country teams remotely and in country to develop and execute strategic communications projects, provide quality assurance and dotted line support to in-country based communication focal points which report into the country team.
Content Development & Dissemination
1. Review, develop and re-purpose information and messages for TMAs audiences using a variety of media including TMAs owned media (Website, Intranet, Extranet, Social Media Platforms).
2. Lead continuous innovation to ensure the organisation and department taps into evolving and emerging tools and technologies of communication.
Media Relations & Management
1. Refine and strengthen TMA’s approach to media relations and storytelling, proactively positioning its work and points of view with key media and ensuring we are effectively leveraging research, announcements, and partner stories to build our profile.
2. Drive editorial story planning and documentation to both national, regional and pan-African press, including collaboration with senior editors, reporter follow-up (fact-finding, pitching, messaging, quote development/approval, executive interview coordination, etc.).
3. Effectively build and manage relationships with TMA programme teams, donors, grantees, public partner institutions, communication agencies, vendors and media for symbiotic storytelling and topic amplification.
Brand Management
Responsible for managing the TMA brand by working with the Communication Officer to reinforce use of the graphics manual standard with regards to the TMA logo application, events management and branding.
Internal Communications
Responsible for improving communication among staff on TMAs programmes, projects, results and impacts leveraging the TMA intranet. Promote, facilitate and build a results focus, learning and information sharing across TMA.
Publications
Lead in developing TMA’s Annual Report, Impact Stories and Results Compendia, Newsletters and other programmatic publications.
Consultants and Procurement Management
1. Manage vendors providing communication services to ensure efficient delivery of quality services that meet TMA standards.
2. Develop TORs and related procurement requirements.
Talent Management
Ensure the planning and delivery of clear and realistic work plans for direct reports; mentor direct reports and support learning and development. To include: Work in close partnership with the Communication Officer in development of the TMA brand, on story telling and content development, design and packaging, on social media, events, partnerships and sponsorships and internal communications.
Social media & Digital platforms
1. Develop content, ensure social media tactics are embedded and deployed in all communication plans, train staff in use of social media. Participate and advise on innovation of TMA digital platforms.
2. Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the Communications Director.
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ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Communications, International Relations/Public Affairs, Journalism, Marketing, Political Science or related disciplines.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Postgraduate degree holders will have 8 years and undergraduate degree holders will have 10 years of substantial professional experience in positions of increasing complexity and responsibility largely in a communications function and working in multiple countries for an international development organisation, International NGO or private sector.
Technical skills and behavioural competencies
1. A team player with high EQ and ability to navigate ambiguous and matrixed environments, comfortable at managing up and beyond hierarchy.
2. Strong knowledge and ability in media relations, digital communications, marketing communications, events management and narrative development
3. Digitally savvy and experience in electronic media production
4. Exceptional oral and written communication skills in English is required, French is desirable.
5. Knowledge of media landscape in East Africa, West Africa, and the Horn is required.
6. Track record of delivering strategic communication, business development for communication, people management, relationship management and knowledge management.
7. In-depth understanding of audience mapping and expertise in high-impact messaging to strategic audience.
8. Knowledge of national/international political trends impacting trade and ability to diplomatically handle sensitive situations with target audiences and cultivate effective, productive client relationships/partnerships.
9. Strong initiative and follow through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically
10. Functional proficiency in leading the planning, development, and execution of a communication strategy in support of defined objectives.
11. Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills - Has the ability to rapidly analyse and integrate information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations.
12. Content Development - Must have functional proficiency to create story maps, define document concepts, write, rewrite, or edit complex communications products for purposeful structure, clarity of ideas, and the logical, persuasive presentation.
13. Results and outcome focused
14. Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
15. Proven experience in working as both a leader and a member of a team.
16. Knowledge, Learning, and Communication - Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares information in a clear and organized manner.
17. Business Judgment and Analytical Decision Making - Analyses facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.
18. Self-motivated, creative, excellent organizational skills, proven ability to perform multiple tasks, and ability to work with both internal and external constituencies.
Risks associated with the position
1. The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 40% of the time.
2. This position demands responsiveness to context, openness to working flexibly, and willingness to adjust according to operational realities.
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English 
FRENCH
