Communications Advisor at GIZ Nigeria

GIZ NigeriaAbuja, Nigeria Design, Graphics and Media

Full Time

International cooperation between Germany and Nigeria commenced in 1974. GIZ was initially represented by an office in Lagos until 2003, but since 2004 it has maintained a country office and four project offices in the new capital Abuja. At present, GIZ has around 25 seconded staff, 100 Nigerian and regional experts, and four CIM experts working in Nigeria. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and has a population of 175 million, making it the continent’s most populous country. With a young, highly motivated and growing population, abundant natural resources and an increasingly diversified economy, Nigeria is not only a regional power but also an increasingly significant political player on the African continent and in the world. However, Nigeria faces major challenges. So far, its substantial oil revenues have had little impact on poverty. More than two-thirds of the population still live in extreme poverty and unemployment remains high. Sustainable economic and social development is hampered by corruption and by regional, ethnic, religious and social differences and the associated conflicts, which sometimes lead to attacks and unrest. As agreed between the Nigerian and German Governments, GIZ’s activities since 2002 have focused on sustainable economic development. GIZ is also engaged in the energy sector, agriculture and regional integration. The 'Pro-poor Growth and Employment Promotion in Nigeria’ (SEDIN) programme aims to increase income-generating employment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and improve access to financial services. The programme is currently being implemented in Abuja and in Niger, Ogun and Plateau states. The Nigerian and German Governments also cooperate in the energy sector. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ provides advisory services to Nigerian partners on topics such as rural electrification, energy efficiency and renewable energies, and is contributing to the success of the Nigeria-German Energy Partnership (NGEP) as well. GIZ provides support to the ECOWAS Commission (Economic Community of West African States) in Abuja, focusing on the management, implementation and monitoring of ECOWAS decisions on economic and trade policy, and peace and security. In addition, two regional programmes focusing on agriculture are under way in Nigeria. The first aims to promote African rice value chains; the second builds the capacities of market-oriented small-scale farming. The purpose of both programmes is to achieve sustainable improvements in the livelihoods and food security of poor farmers in Nigeria and other West African countries. A distinctive feature of GIZ’s activities in Nigeria is the high level of cofinancing obtained from other sources, primarily the European Union (EU) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These additional funds make it possible to broaden the scope and intensity of the programmes being implemented on behalf of the BMZ, boosting the effectiveness of German development cooperation with Nigeria.

Vacancy No: 050

The Project
Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs and the Host Population in North-East Nigeria (SEPIN):

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is implementing the Programme, ‘Social and Economic Participation of Returnees, IDPs and Host Population in North-East Nigeria’ (SEPIN).
The main objective of the programme is to improve the economic and social participation of returnees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable members of host communities in Adamawa State in a gender responsive way.
Adopting an integrational approach, the programme contributes to SDGs 1, 2, 5, 10, and 16 in accordance with the ‘leave no one behind’ principle and hopes to complement the humanitarian response to the crisis in the Northeast by going beyond a humanitarian short-term approach and focusing on a more long-term development perspective, through the institutionalization of gender responsive participatory planning and provision of livelihood support.
Addressing the situation of IDPs, returnees and the host population, the Programme is primarily implemented at LGA and community level to ensure direct benefit for the target groups.
Through the Community Development Planning (CDP), the Programme hopes to strengthen the relationships between local communities and community leaders, government institutions and civil society. Simultaneously, the Programme hopes to build the capacities of local and state governments as well as civil society and community-based organizations for improved service delivery.
Alongside the CDPs, the Programme will set up and consolidate spaces and mechanisms where women can meet to engage in dialogue to identify problems, needs and priorities and voice their concerns to the leadership of their communities. The gender and governance interventions will be supported by livelihoods activities in the agricultural sector. Here the focus is on group initiatives, which will give access to markets and improve conditions for economic participation.

Responsibilities

The PR & Communications Advisor is responsible for the strategic communication and advocacy of the activities of the SEPIN programme.
He/she ensures high quality of the external communication of SEPIN’s activities and its donors.
He/she is also responsible for the development and execution of an effective communication strategy to promote and coordinate the communication activities, material, and strategic approach within the projects and coordinate with the general GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS portfolio.

Tasks??????
Programme Planning and Implementation:

Development and implementation of the communication strategy and action plan in line with the communication principles and rules of GIZ or other donors and the strategic priorities of the SEPIN programme.
Responsible for creating and implementing marketing, communication and public relations activities that will enhance the image of SEPIN, its ongoing work and facilitate internal and external communications.
Permanent coordination with the Communication Officers of the different projects and the donor’s focal points for communication ensuring that all communication respects the GIZ and other donor’s visibility guidelines and the general communication strategy.
Management of internal communications material (e.g. IDA, Newsletters, media review, podcast, brown bag lunches) and proactive contribution to new ideas or measures to increase visibility of projects and activities.

Media & PR Work:

Support the project with coordination and preparing press releases for national and regional media concerning effective dissemination of information about SEPIN.
Strong writing skills are essential for creating compelling content such as press releases, articles, blog posts, and social media posts. Additionally, expertise in copywriting can enhance the effectiveness of communication materials.
Enhancing the way in which the SEPIN programme communicates to all stakeholders and promotes its image and initiatives, as a forward-looking organization.
Responsible for editorial direction, design, production and distribution of publications.

Event Organisation:

Organising and managing internal and external events at the request of the Commission Manager.

Other Duties / Additional Tasks

Oversee and monitor the management and organization the team’s shared drive system (i.e. updating and tagging the photo database of project activities).
Implement strategies to efficiently monitor and maintain data integrity.
Develop protocols for accessing and updating shared documents, ensuring seamless collaboration across departments.
Understanding and effectively communicating with diverse audiences from different cultural backgrounds is essential.
Producing photographs for internal and external communication.
Liaising with service providers for photography or video production.
Supporting internal working groups and task forces in their communication needs.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines is crucial in a fast-paced PR environment.
Performs other duties and tasks at the request of management.

Required Qualifications, Competences, and Experience:
Qualifications:

A University Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field is required. A master’s degree will be an added advantage.

Professional Experience:

At least 5 years in communication roles, preferably with progressively increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.

Other Knowledge, Additional Competences:

Knowledge of Hausa and other relevant local languages spoken in the northeast of Nigeria would be an added advantage.
A very good working knowledge of Office 365 tools (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and MS Teams) are essential.
Knowledge in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign are desirable.

Salary