Communication Associate - FON Project

Countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya

Organization: International Planned Parenthood Federation

Closing date: 26 Jul 2023

Background

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service provider and one of the leading advocates for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for all. IPPF is a worldwide movement of 120 national organizations, referred to as Member Associations, working with and for communities and individuals. These member associations are the leading civil society providers of contraception in 89 of 120 countries. And in 64 of those 89 countries, IPPF is the only largescale international provider. Collectively, member associations delivered more than 1 billion cumulative services between 2016 and 2022.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men, and women in sub-Saharan Africa. To reach this goal, IPPFAR works with local civil-society organizations, governments, the African Union (AU), regional economic commissions (RECs), the United Nations, among others, to expand political and financial commitments to SRHR in Africa. IPPFAR tackles the continent’s growing SRH challenges through a network of Member Associations (MAs), strategic partners and volunteers in 42 countries. For more information, please read our 2022 profile (in English and French) here.

Project Overview

The International Planned Parenthood Federation Africa Region (IPPFAR), in collaboration with CREA, Empow'Her, the International Federation on Human Rights, and Médecins du Monde France (MdM-FR), lead the delivery of a new project called Feminist Opportunities Now (FON). Funded by the Agence Francaise de Développement (AFD), FON’s overarching goal is to strengthen the capacity of feminist movements to address gender-based violence (GBV) through sub-grants to feminist organizations, with a focus on reaching small, often unregistered, feminist organizations. The project is implemented across ten countries in three regions: Mexico and Colombia (led by MdM), Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (led by CREA), and Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Niger (led by IPPFAR).

Championing an ecological-based model that integrates the use of multi-disciplinary gender transformative approaches and direct sub-granting, FON will provide longer-term mentorship and support to feminist organizations in their overall development, by designing specific trainings tailored to their needs and helping them identify additional sources of funding. FON also includes a research-action component that will deepen our understanding of how these approaches can

be scaled up and sustained, ensuring linking, learning, and knowledge sharing among the organizations and across regions.

More specifically, the project seeks to:

1. Ensure and improve the sustainability of feminist organizations at the organizational and technical levels by proposing an inclusive approach to capacity strengthening.


2. Reinforce the resilience and diversity of feminist civil society organizations (CSOs) through access to sustainable, flexible and adapted financing for small and/or informal and/or structurally excluded groups.


3. Enhance the networking abilities of feminist CSOs from the South, bringing them closer to networks at national, regional, and international levels, in order to bring their voice to the public arena.

Position Overview:

The postholder will support the FON team and the grantee partners (subgranted local CSOs in the 6 African countries) to implement the FON Communication Plan, making sure the African grantee partners, as well the IPPFAR FON team, give visibility to the FON Project. This will involve the tasks of, but not limited to:

• Drafting media statements, success stories, case studies, preparing communication messaging about the FON Project and the work of the grantee partners, preparing external communications papers and internal bulletins, editing and publishing information about the FON Project and supporting CSOs with their public information to increase their visibility.


• Make sure that the Branding Guidelines of the Project are well understood and implemented by the grantee partners and by the FON team in all the communications.


• Make sure the grantee partners regularly collect communication material, such as photos, videos, written articles, blog stories, case studies, and support them when needed in doing so.


• Archive all the FON Project-related communication material.


• Regularly conceive and prepare communications for the FON Landing Page and for social media on the progress and successes of the FON Project and the CSOs’ work. This will involve copywriting and social media visual production taking into account FON branding.


• Communicate closely with all stakeholders to identify story ideas and other communication products such as social media content.


• Contribute to the conception and implementation communication campaign, with an external consultant, that will be put in place for the FON Project.

The Communication Officer will work closely with the FON team (based in Abidjan and Nairobi), IPPFAR Communication Team, and will report to the FON Programme Manager Global. They will additionally interact closely with grantee partners and their communication staff.

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies:

• Recently graduated with a degree (bachelor’s or masters) in the communication field, and with interest and ideally some experience in content developing and writing, media, social media, social media campaigns, etc.


• Have an interest and understanding of issues relating to feminist politics, gender-based violence, human rights, disability justice and the sexual and reproductive rights of all people, including members of the LGBTIQ+ community, along with a commitment to advancing these rights.


• Interest and good skills in taking photos and making simple videos and creating visuals for social media to support the projects’ storytelling.


• Excellent communication in either English or French (both would be an advantage) and be able to communicate well with both internal and external audiences orally and in writing.


• Some knowledge or experience in web development and content production is an advantage.


• Detail oriented and thorough, with an ability to self-motivate and produce high-quality work.


• Experience in and/or willingness to learn and adapt work to online/virtual platforms keeping accessibility needs in mind.


• Committed to ongoing professional learning.


• Have excellent analytical skills, fair judgment, and a proactive, energetic approach to problem solving.


• Have excellent interpersonal skills.


• Team player and comfortable with working with a wide range of multilingual and multicultural teams.


• We particularly welcome applications from persons with experience working with or as part of feminist movements, with intersectional and decolonial approaches, and/or working at intersections of youth and gender, or gender and disability with a global South perspective.

Competencies:

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of (related field). Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

• PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

How to apply

Interested individuals should submit an application form in the IPPFARO CV form and a 1-page cover letter to: hroffice@ippfaro.org with the job position you are applying for as the subject of the email by 26 July 2023. Please note that IPPFAR will not consider applications that are not done in the requested format.

Get all details and files by clicking here.

IPPF is an equal-opportunity employer. As a leading global human rights organization focused on equality, empowerment, ending discrimination, and poverty eradication, we internally reflect social justice principles. We, as IPPF, strongly oppose racism in all its forms and resolutely go for a cultural change that will shift the existing imbalances in power and process.

Applications are particularly encouraged from women, persons living with disability, and candidates openly living with HIV.

IPPF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers, contractors and partners to share this commitment. Anyone employed with IPPF agrees to sign and adhere to IPPF’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding (Children and Vulnerable Adults) Policy.

IPPF has been made aware of various fraudulent vacancy announcements circulated via e-mail from websites falsely stating that they are issued by or in association with IPPF. These correspondences, which may seek to obtain money from the recipients of such correspondence are fraudulent and IPPF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees).