Communications Manager Job at Sightsavers

Sightsavers is an international organisation that changes lives for the long term. We work in more than 30 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments to live independently.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Communications Manager (NTD)

Job ID: 2023-1194
Job Location: Kaduna
Category: Programmes
Reports to: Head of communications
Department: Policy and programme strategies (PS2)

Job Purpose 

• To support the delivery of the NTD communications strategy, working with the NTD senior management team and external stakeholders.
• To manage NTD stakeholders to collaborate on key communications moments throughout the year.
• Support the development of NTD creative communications content and communication products.
• Develop an in-depth understanding of our NTD work by regularly travelling to the countries where we work, including to visit Mass Drug Administration events in remote parts.

Principal Accountabilities
To deliver the NTD communications strategy:

• Working with the Communications Strategist, and consulting the NTD senior management team, regularly revise the NTD communications strategy based on defined audiences and objectives.
• Working with the Communications Strategist and the Head of Communications, contribute to the updating of Sightsavers’ mapping of NTD audiences and NTD stakeholders.
• Working with the Communications Strategist plan the day-to-day budget for NTD communications and assign budget to communication projects and activities, securing stakeholder agreement and sign off from the Head of Communications, when necessary.
• Take a lead on engaging with internal and external stakeholders relevant to the NTD thematic strategy. Meet with stakeholders regularly to monitor communication activity plans and capture changes in objectives and outputs in the communications strategy.
• Liaise with NTD stakeholders across the organisation to understand relevant objectives, audiences, and communication requirements.
• Complete all communication briefs working with those stakeholders and encourage stakeholders to use internal systems and processes to log comms requests. 
• If needed, work with the Communications Strategist, and/ or the Creative and Editorial Strategist, to assess strategic value of NTD communications requests. .
• Monitor the success of communications activity and outputs working with channel functions and report back to the senior management team.

To manage NTD external stakeholders and/ or consortium partners to deliver and align on communication activities:

• Consult and collaborate with NTD external stakeholders and relevant consortium partners across the different programmes, to design and implement communications activities.
• Coordinate the NTD external stakeholders and relevant consortium partners to collectively deliver the communications activities.
• Identify the communications capacities and aspirations of partners and determine priorities and roles and responsibilities with partners in the delivery of the communications activities.
• Collaboratively work with NTD external stakeholders and relevant consortium partners in the creation and development of communication assets needed to deliver the communications activities.
• Encourage partners to create communication assets and to undertake and support communications at key global moments relevant to NTDs.

To support the development of creative communications content and communication products:

• Working with the Content and Stories team, brainstorm creative concepts based on the NTD communications plan and/or communication briefs received.
• Contribute to the development of NTD creative communications content, working closely with the Content and Stories team and internal/external content creation and production resources.
• Be the focal point and liaison between the Content and Stories team and NTD stakeholders on creative concepts that deliver communication objectives to secure agreement and sign off.
• Support the Content and Stories team as needed in drafting copy for online and offline editorial content, including news stories, blogs, case studies and webpages.
• Working with the Content and Stories team, contribute to the creation and development of multimedia content.
• Provide communications expertise and guidance to the NTD programme team about the development of communication products following the creative briefing process with the Content and Stories team.

Organisational leadership:

• Provide direct line management for the communications officer.
• Work with the other thematic Communications Managers to share peer-to-peer learning and communications success stories.
• Working with the Communications Strategist, align with other
• Communications Managers to ensure messaging and activities are complimentary across all thematic areas.
• Provide support to the other thematic Communication Managers, as and when required.
• Provide support to the Communications Strategist and Head of
• Communications on organisational planning processes, including budgeting.
• To contribute to broader organisational objectives and decision-making where relevant.

Jobholder Entry Requirements - the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required
Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):

• At least five years knowledge and experience of delivering global communications strategies, plans and activities.
• Demonstrable experience of working with programme teams to design communication plans that reach key target audiences.
• Proven awareness of global development issues.
• Demonstrable experience of effective use of various communications channels in a global environment.
• Project management experience and a track record of results in working with a range of organisations and stakeholders.
• Related work experience should demonstrate a proven and strong commitment to the area of international development, the humanitarian sector, social justice, campaigning and/or relevant field.
• Spoken French an advantage.

Skills (Special Training or Competence):

• Ability to project manage effectively and deliver against agreed deadlines.
• Ability to effectively delegate and make decisions
• Relationship building skills with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong presentational and public speaking skills.
• Strong intellectual skills for dealing with complex multifaceted issues.
• Excellent communication skills and influencing skills
• Ability to prioritise and work under pressure
• Ability to represent the organisation to external bodies.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunities for people with disabilities.

Core Behaviours:

• Management
• Communicating & Influencing
• Team Working
• Planning & Organising
• Change & Improvement
• Decision Making
• Delivery and Implementation
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills
• Ability to network and inspire others to collaborate.
• Persuasive.
• Resilient
• Action orientated
• Strong team player.

Key Relationships:
Internal:

• NTD Directorate.
• Campaigns & Communication directorate, including the Content and Stories team.
• Country Office colleagues as is relevant to NTD communications PS2
• Directorate, including Research, Programmes, Policy and Global Advocacy and Institutional Fundraising.
• Fundraising and Marketing, including the digital fundraising and individual giving fundraising team.

External:

• Alliance partners
• Consortium partners.
• Communication networks
• Sector peers.