Advocacy and Communications Advisor at the Centre for Community Development and Research Network (CCDRN)

Centre for Community Development and Research Network (CCDRN) is a registered national Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with its head office in Kaduna. CCDRN partners with communities, philanthropists, government, and donors to provide sustainable community development services in the areas of conflict resolution, peacebuilding, economic empowerment, agriculture, health, education as well as governance.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Advocacy and Communications Advisor

Location: Kaduna (With frequent travels to project locations in northeast Nigeria)
Employment Type: Full-time
Role Type: Fixed Term – one year (With the possibility of renewal)

Role Purpose

Centre for Community Development and Research Network (CCDRN), a National Non-Governmental Organization seeks a highly experienced, dynamic individual with strong records in development communication to manage its advocacy and communications efforts.
As a senior team member at the organization’s headquarters, the Advocacy and Communications Advisor will be responsible to ensure effective communication with all program stakeholders, both internal and external.
He/she will be responsible to direct and coordinate the overall advocacy and communications efforts of the organization which involves building and maintaining effective working relationships with partners, donors, and communities in both emergency and development contexts.
The Advocacy and Communications Advisor will work with the program department to develop and implement advocacy strategies for the different projects implemented by the organization.

Scope of Role:

Reports to: Results and Technical Director
Staff directly reporting to this post: Communication Officer(s)

Key Areas of Accountability:

Lead in the development of Advocacy and Communications strategies in liaison with the Programme and Knowledge Management teams
Provide communications specific advice to Senior Management based on the routine risk assessments in the dynamic contexts
Guarantee that all required support related to Advocacy and Communications are provided promptly, at scale, and in line with best practices.

Media and Communications:

Develop and implement communications strategies & work-plans, campaigns, events, and other related initiatives
Maintain contact with donors and partners for the implementation of communication activities within the agreed protocols and in line with donor requirements
Lead on production of high-quality communication materials such as success stories, fliers, banners, etc for different projects
Support in building the capacity of CCDRN Staff and its partners on documentation and communication of CCDRN’s thematic areas.
Ensure that the branding and communication guidelines of the CCDRN are uniformly and consistently followed across projects and locations
Liaise with the state offices to ensure that all CCDRN communication materials are properly signed off, following specific guidelines before they are published for external use
Proactively produce high quality, well researched, and well-written products (in a variety of mediums) reflective of the dual mandate portfolio, responding quickly and appropriately to external requests for information, especially in emergencies
Develop and deliver a clear and effective system for internal communications including production and dissemination ofmonthly newslettersandotherpublications for internal stakeholders
Manage Media, Communications, and Advocacy teams; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate reports regularly
Manage organization’s social media handles in accordance with the specific guidelines
Host the organization’s website in accordance with the specific guidelines and upgrade contents regularly
Prepare and disseminate press releases, updates, photos features, or human-interest stories -primarily for distribution externally (e.g. donors, the media, or other agencies)
Maintain an up-to-date database of journalists and media organizations, respond to media inquiries on deadline, and build dialogue with individual journalists, editors, and newsdesks.
Oversee production of digital and multimedia communication contents to promote different projects and activities.

Advocacy:

Lead on the development and implementation of CCDRN’s advocacy strategy.
Support program leadership to articulate top priority advocacy objectives in line with new partnerships or projects
Undertake a wide range of lobbying, communications, and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of the CCDRN’s policy recommendations.
Lead the process of development and implementation of advocacy objectives and initiatives, both short and long term, encompassing a wide range of issues and audiences
Develop advocacy materials such as fact sheets, policy briefs, and position papers targeting policymakers and other relevant stakeholders
Support program leadership and other program staff to achieve advocacy objectives. This should include guidelines on the meaningful and safe participation of women and children in advocacy
Ensure that advocacy priorities are integrated into appropriate strategy documents and plans
Develop advocacy messages for stakeholders including policy-makers across CCDRN projects and programs
Act as CCDRN’s spokesperson on advocacy issues where appropriate and take part in relevant national and state-level policy/advocacy fora
Develop policy positions and advocacy messages to reach decision-makers in targeted communities.
Any other responsibilities as assigned by the line manager.

Qualifications and Experience

Master’s Degree in communication, social sciences, development communication, journalism, information management, or a similar field
5 years experience in advocacy, communications, and dissemination in the development setting with a good understanding of the current development and humanitarian trends and issues
Proven experience in communicating information and advocacy with a wide range of different audiences
Ability to review and edit reports and other written documentation for dissemination and publication
Ability to collect information and undertake research under potentially difficult and constraining conditions
Ability to present information and communication products to a range of different audiences
Experience in handling social media platforms as well as other media tools e.g. photography, video, etc.
Willingness to work and travel regularly in difficult circumstances and adhere to agreed-upon security procedures
Substantial experience in an INGO environment, with experience in successfully leading the development and implementation of communication and advocacy strategies for a National or international humanitarian organization in Nigeria
Demonstrable track record of leading change which has led to significant results for the organization and their stakeholders
High interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, and coaching, and strong writing skills
Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work in an environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets
Experience insolving complex issues through analysis, the definition of a clear way forward, and ensuring buy-in.