Communications Officer at Farm Innovation International Development Limited (Farm Innovation)

Farm Innovation International Development Limited (Farm Innovation) is an international development organization, proffering innovative solutions to drive sustainable social and enterprise development. We work in hard-to-reach, economically deprived places and vulnerable communities torn apart by instability across Nigeria and Africa, providing solutions that support inefficient markets and communities. In the Agricultural Sector, we facilitate inclusive market growth by deploying strategies that promote value chain competitiveness and build resilient communities, ensuring bumper harvest for rural poor farmers in those communities.

Our very dynamic and innovative workforce/people have experience working in different value chains across Nigeria and Africa. Our people work collectively with host communities to design home-grown solutions that improve the livelihood and resilience of the communities.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communications Officer

Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full-time

Position Overview

• We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Communications Officer to join our team.
• As a Communications Officer at Farm Innovation, you will play a critical role in shaping the organization's narrative and communicating our innovative solutions to a wide range of stakeholders.
• You will be responsible for designing and implementing communication strategies that increase awareness of Farm Innovation's mission, engage our partners, and foster support for sustainable development initiatives in the sector.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

• The Communications Officer will be responsible for conducting a needs analysis and creating a customized communication plan for the organization.
• With contributions provided by the management team, he/she should be able to develop and implement a communications strategy and undertake ongoing engagement activities thereafter. 
• He/she will also offer media advisory services, align strategies, methods, and best practices with Donor requirements as well.
• He/She will report to the Growth and Partnership Officer and liaise with other team members; Portfolio leads/Representatives, M&E team, Ops team and all state embedded officers.

Consultancy Services:

• Provide strategic media services tailored to Farm Innovation’s goals and target audience.
• Develop a media strategy that aligns with Farm Innovation’s objectives and ensures effective communication.

Communication Documents:

• Prepare press releases, fact sheets, and other relevant communication materials for each of the projects.
• Create compelling narratives that highlight Farm Innovation’s capacity and impact
• Create and work with teams to distribute a variety of communication products, such as news and stories about developments and outcomes, advocacy materials, briefings, articles, etc., as the need arises
• Work with the team when they have to deliver speeches and write-ups about events for a range of communication channels, including websites, blogs, e-news, the media, and others.

Media Coverage:

• Ensure media coverage for all events and activities related to the project.
• Coordinate with local media outlets to secure coverage and feature articles.
• Arrange interviews and media appearances.

Press Engagement:

• Organize press conferences or media briefings to announce achieved organization's milestones.
• Identify and cultivate relationships with journalists, reporters, and bloggers to promote accurate and positive coverage.
• Create a roster, and grow contacts with print, audio-visual and social media outlets to enhance coverage and respond to queries from the media and other external parties.

Digital Media Management:

• Oversee and manage all digital media platforms, including social media accounts, websites, and any relevant apps.
• Develop and curate engaging content for these platforms, keeping the audience informed and engaged.

Program Documentaries and Docuseries:

• Conceptualise, plan, and produce high-quality documentaries or docuseries that showcase the organization's growth.
• Highlight success stories, challenges overcome, and the overall positive impact of all projects executed by the organization, working with the relevant team to capture the stories and lessons learned. 

Content Creation:

• Create multimedia content such as videos, photography infographics, and blog posts to supplement media coverage and engage a wider audience.
• Work with graphic designer to create relevant graphic designs, posters, fliers, etc. as needed. 
• Tailor content to various platforms and audiences to maximize reach.

Event Coverage:

• Attend events and activities organized by Farm Innovation or as demanded, capturing photos and videos to document the progress and outcomes.
• If need be, use live coverage, such as streaming on social media, to engage remote audiences.

Monitoring and Analysis:

• Monitor media coverage and social media engagement related to Farm Innovation.
• Provide regular reports and analysis of media metrics to measure the effectiveness of the communication strategy.

Crisis Communication:

• Develop a crisis communication plan to address any potential negative incidents or misinformation related to the organization.
• Ensure a rapid response and appropriate messaging in case of emergencies.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Support the project leads to understand their stakeholder's communication needs and incorporate their perspectives into media materials.

Project Management:

• Work with the Project lead on communications-related engagements, both internal and external.
• Provide relevant stakeholders with the necessary on-brand materials needed. 
• Advise project leads on undertaking communications initiatives to disseminate findings and key messages from individual evaluations to designated target audiences, including the media.
•  Continuously assess the effectiveness of the media strategy and adjust tactics as needed based on feedback and results.

Capacity Building:
He/She will support the team in enhancing their capacity for communicating results and outcomes. Provide capacity building on how to:

• Identify key target audiences for stakeholder communication. 
• Raise internal awareness of communications approaches, progress, and best practices.

Qualification / Competencies 
Essential:

• A bachelor's degree in communications, modern languages, or a related discipline like journalism, public affairs, public relations, marketing, or in fields like international relations, development studies, or public administration. A master's degree would be helpful.
• Three to five years of relevant job experience.
• Fluency in one or more of the major languages in Nigeria and English desirable
• Demonstrated expertise in community participation and communications, as well as the capacity to effectively position and promote causes.
• Knowledge of the channels of distribution as well as experience working on the conceptualization, design, packaging, production, and distribution of communication products to a range of audiences.
• Knowledge of the production of many types of communications and marketing, including publications, Internet communication tactics, and campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to build and nurture strong relations with the media
• Proven writing, editing and language skills, and an ability to convey complex ideas in a concise, clear, direct, and lively style.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills, ability to meet deadlines and to manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently, ability to take initiative and be innovative.
• Working knowledge of relevant computer software such as MS Office, WordPress, electronic mail procedures

Desirable:

• Knowledge and experience in the creation of social media strategies with the objective of increasing brand awareness and engagements. 
• Knowledge of best practices for social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn etc.
• A basic understanding of SEO, web traffic metrics such as google data analytics and keyword search
• Working knowledge of content editing and scheduling tools that span across video, graphics and photos. Examples include but are not limited to: Photoshop, Canva, Buffer, Hootsuite, Adobe Premiere Pro, Clipchamp etc 

Application Closing Date
27th August 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Application to: [email protected] using the Job Title as the subject of th