Strategic Communications Manager, Inspiring Good Nutrition Initiatives Through Enterprise (IGNITE) Program

About TechnoServe:

At TechnoServe, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better life. For over 50 years, we have given smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs the skills, connections, and confidence to lift themselves out of poverty. We leverage the power of markets and the private sector to create sustainable economic growth to benefit people and the planet. Our unique mix of business solutions, deep knowledge of local contexts, and data-driven insights is helping to fight poverty across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

TechnoServe staff are local-95% are from the countries in which they work. We put a high premium on collaboration and entrepreneurship. We hold ourselves and each other to the highest standards of integrity and transparency. And we focus on delivering lasting impact for our mission.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Program Director, the Strategic Communications Manager will coordinate with a range of stakeholders including the program team and global Strategic Fortification Partners (SFPs), manage communication channels, and ensure mutual understanding of program objectives and activities among broader external stakeholders. They will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic communication plans and initiatives to enhance the global visibility, reputation, and engagement for the IGNITE Program. They will also be tasked with working closely with other global management team members, such as the Monitoring & Evaluation,Partner Liaison Managers and TechnoServe's corporate communications team, to extract key themes and incorporate ongoing observations and data into communication materials.

Program Overview:

The Inspiring Good Nutrition Initiatives Through Enterprise (IGNITE) will aim to achieve increased motivation and fortification capability of millers leading to increased proportion of fortified staple foods and conversion of a critical mass of millers to improved FF practices across at least eight countries.

IGNITE will facilitate the activation and expansion of a catalytic collective impact initiative - the Millers 4 Nutrition (M4N) coalition - to globally coordinate and locally implement an ultimately sustainable model for delivery of technical assistance (TA) and other services to millers in collaboration with corporate partners- Strategic Fortification Partners (SFPs). These TA services, and associated engagement platforms, will establish business cases and motivate and develop capabilities of food processors to improve their performance in the fortification of selected staple foods and condiments, and thereby to achieve large-scale and relevant (contributing to the diets of large proportions of populations in countries where staple FF has been identified as part of national nutrition strategies) coverage on a sustained basis. The IGNITE program will be implemented in eight priority countries namely Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Tanzania with India, Kenya, and Nigeria serving as the operational hubs.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Strategic Communications Planning

• Develop and execute comprehensive global communication strategies aligned with the program's objectives, and in coordination with Strategic Fortification Partners (SFPs).
• Identify target audiences and tailor communication approaches to effectively reach and engage them- including food processors, development partners, academia, and public institutions.
• Assist IGNITE team with capturing and disseminating stories that demonstrate program impact through increased accountability, cross-sectoral collaboration, fostered trust with industry partners, and sustainability. (Focusing on key stakeholders such as food processors, input suppliers, development partners, and the public sector).
• Maintain a communications calendar with key events, dates, and deadlines throughout the duration of the program
• Provide input to donor reports by gathering and organizing information, analyzing data, and collaborating with country teams to present a compelling narrative that showcases IGNITE's impact and accomplishments to donors and other stakeholders.

Content Creation and Management

• Oversee the creation and production of compelling content across various platforms, including social media, digital engagement portals, newsletters, and annual reports.
• Ensure consistent messaging and brand guidelines are followed to maintain a cohesive and recognizable image for the program.
• Develop and implement a robust digital and social media strategy to increase online presence, engagement, and drive advocacy efforts.
• Analyze and utilize data to optimize digital communication efforts and adapt strategies for maximum impact.
• Support with copyediting and graphics design for use in program update presentations and web development platforms

Internal and External Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate relationships with media outlets, journalists, and ecosystem influencers to enhance the program's coverage and visibility.
• Draft press releases, op-eds, and other media materials to disseminate key messages and program updates.
• Engage with various stakeholders, including donors, partners, volunteers, and communities, to enhance relationships and support the program's goals.
• Collaborate with internal teams, such as the Country Program Managers and Regional Communication Specialists, to ensure targeted audiences are being reached through consistent messaging and in alignment with stakeholders' expectations.
• Engage regularly with Strategic Fortification Partners (SFPs) to capture and disseminate key updates and learnings from the Millers for Nutrition initiative
• Support the Partner Liaison Manager with the coordination of any dedicated communication task force sessions amongst SFPs.
• Work closely with the communications team in TNS headquarters to ensure a coordinated approach to communication in alignment with organizational and broader food processing practice objectives.
• Oversee deliverables produced through related sub-agreements while coordinating work undertaken for digital platform (web developers, for example).

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree + 7 years relevant experience OR Master's Degree + 5 years relevant experience in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in other languages is a plus.
• Strong skills in synthesizing technical information and writing clearly for different audiences

Travel: Travel up to 15%

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency with Canva or Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Premiere). Graphic design experience a plus.
• Experience with marketing tools such as Constant Contact, MailChimp, and Salesforce.
• Advanced proficiency with relevant software packages, including Microsoft Excel.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated project management ability
• Strong program management and analytical skills
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-cultural, and remote team environment

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervises country based communications specialists

This is a remote position, with a preference for candidates who are located in a country where TechnoServe has operations. Candidates must have work authorization in the country from which they are applying. TechnoServe will not provide sponsorship for this position.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.