Communications Assistant at Chemonics International

Chemonics International - Founded in 1975, Chemonics is a leading global sustainable development firm for one reason: our people. We are 6,000+ professionals in more than 100 countries around the globe, and 90 percent of us are working in a community we’ve long called home. Our teams reflect a diversity of technical expertise and local knowledge, because solving complex development challenges requires both. And as a company, we are committed to connections – global and local, human and technological – that allow learnings to efficiently flow and adapt between experts, projects, and countries.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Communications Assistant

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Background
Now in its third of five years of implementation, the USAID Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (LUWASH) Activity aims to rebuild the social contract around WASH services in Lagos through contributing to the following objectives:

• Improving the financial and technical capabilities as well as governance of the WASH sector in Lagos
• Change management for institutional development across objectives to catalyze sector transformation, expanding and improving urban water and sanitation service delivery to the large number of unserved and underserved households residing in Lagos and building a foundation for continued progress beyond LUWASH.

The Activity will work to fulfill this purpose through four complementary objectives:

• Strengthen governance and institutional arrangements to deliver improved WASH services
• Improve public and private service provider performance; 3) increase access to safe and sustainable water services; and 4) increase household access to safe and sustainable sanitation and improve the quality of source water.

Purpose:

• Chemonics seeks a Communications Assistant to assist in the execution of the LUWASH communications strategy in Nigeria.

Reporting:

• This position reports to the LUWASH Communications Specialist.

Job Summary

• The Communications Assistant shall assist in the review and editing of communications products and the organization of projects events in line with LUWASH branding and marking plan.

Specific Responsibilities

• Assist in reviewing and editing communications materials to ensure they are up to the standards of the LUWASH branding and marking plan.
• Provide support in organizing LUWASH events such as workshops, conferences, and public discussions. This includes drafting event invitations, coordinating logistics, and capturing event highlights through quality photos and videos.
• Support the development and dissemination of core messages, results, and successes to LUWASH target audiences as directed by the Communications Specialist.
• Assist in drafting and distributing media advisories, press releases, and other materials. Help maintain communication with journalists and manage media inquiries.
• Assist in managing LUWASH’s social media accounts and updating the website as needed.
• Maintain electronic and hard copy archives of all project communications materials.
• Support technical report writing and donor reporting.
• Carry out routine media management of LUWASH media - photos and videos; captioning media files and ensuring timely update of the LUWASH media folder on SharePoint.
• Ensure professional design of graphics to achieve LUWASH communication objectives.
• Take professional field and event photographs of LUWASH activities. Select best photos captured and caption them for effective storage on the LUWASH SharePoint media folder and use in reports.
• Assist in training project staff on basic communication tools and skills, including effective presentation and capturing success stories.
• Support the Communications Specialist in tracking the impact of communications activities and ensuring accurate and timely reporting.
• Ensure all communications materials comply with USAID branding and marking guidelines.
• Perform other tasks as assigned by the Communications Specialist.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in public relations, public outreach, or communications for development.
• Excellent writing and editing skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated knowledge of social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), social media management tools (Hootsuite, TweetDeck, or Buffer), and website management.
• Proficient photography skills.
• Proficient graphics design skills.
• Ability to design and disseminate newsletters using platforms like Mailchimp.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and integrity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the Nigerian development sector and media landscape.
• Familiarity with USAID rules and regulations related to communications programs.
• Experience in event planning and management.
• Knowledge of Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.
• Photography and videography skills.
• Experience in producing written products such as articles, reports, fact sheets, proposals, speeches, success stories, and press releases.

Duration:

• This is a long-term assignment. The expected duration is at least one year.
• This position will be based in Lagos, Nigeria. No relocation provision is provided.

Application Closing Date
11th February, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should send their CV and cover letter attached in PDF Format to: [email protected] using the job title as the subject of the mail.

Note

• That applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No telephone inquiries, please. Chemonics will contact finalists.
• Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.
• Chemonics values the protection of your personal data. If you are in the European Union, please read our EU Recruiting Data Privacy Notice to learn how we process personal data. You may access the notice via the following link: https://chemonics.com/eu-recruiting-data-privacy-notice/.