Senior Communications and Learning Officer

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

MERCY CORPS IS A LEADING GLOBAL ORGANIZATION POWERED BY THE BELIEF THAT A BETTER
WORLD IS POSSIBLE. IN DISASTER, IN HARDSHIP, IN MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, WE PARTNER
TO PUT BOLD SOLUTIONS
INTO ACTION — HELPING PEOPLE TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY AND BUILD STRONGER
COMMUNITIES FROM WITHIN. NOW, AND FOR THE FUTURE.

PROGRAM / DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

MERCY CORPS BEGAN WORKING IN KENYA IN 2008 TO ADDRESS THE SOCIETAL WOUNDS
FOLLOWING THE 2007 POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE. SINCE THAT TIME, MERCY CORPS HAS
BUILT A ROBUST AND DIVERSE PORTFOLIO IN KENYA THAT IS WORKING TO ADDRESS
STRUCTURAL CAUSES OF POVERTY AND INJUSTICE AND TO STRENGTHEN SYSTEMS THAT ENABLE
MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN TO ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICIPATE IN AND CONTRIBUTE
TO PEACEFUL DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES, AND THRIVE IN THE FACE OF ECOLOGICAL AND
SOCIAL CHANGE. TO DO THIS, WE DELIVER INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING TO STRENGTHEN
MARKET AND GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS, ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF CONFLICT, AND EQUIP
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS- IN PARTICULAR YOUTH, WOMEN, ADOLESCENTS, AND
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES- WITH THE SKILLS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RESOURCES THEY
NEED TO BE HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE AND TO DRIVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR
COMMUNITIES. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND
GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES AT LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS TO FACILITATE CHANGE AND
ENSURE THAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE INCLUSIVE OF ALL KENYANS.

MERCY CORPS IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES INCLUDING THE
‘RESILIENT APPROACHES IN NATURAL RANGELAND ECOSYSTEMS’ (RANGE) PROGRAMME IN
ISIOLO, MARSABIT AND SAMBURU COUNTIES WITH FUNDING FROM THE DUTCH MINISTRY OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FRONTIER COUNTIES DEVELOPMENT
COUNCIL (FCDC) AND THE FACULTY OF GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION
(ITC) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE;

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY

THE SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND LEARNING OFFICER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY AND EXECUTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS
AND LEARNING FUNCTION FOR RANGE PROGRAMME. SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND LEARNING
OFFICER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MESSAGING, TALKING POINTS,
EDITORIAL PIECES AND INTERNAL/EXTERNAL STORYTELLING, MANAGEMENT OF VIDEO
PRODUCTION AND ONLINE PRESENCE MAINTENANCE, AND PROMOTING AND INCREASING THE
VISIBILITY OF RANGE PROGRAMME AMONG DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS. THE SENIOR
COMMUNICATIONS AND LEARNING OFFICER WILL ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONCEPTUALIZATION AND PREPARATION OF THE PROGRAM’S THOUGHT LEADERSHIP EVENTS.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

COMMUNICATIONS AND LEARNING

• DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT RANGE PROGRAMME STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLANS (BOTH
  INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL) TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF THE PROGRAMMES IN
  STRATEGIC SPACES WITHIN THE ASAL’S AND IN KENYA IN COORDINATION WITH REGIONAL
  AND GLOBAL EFFORTS.
• DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A GUIDING FRAMEWORK TO COLLATE AND AGGREGATE RANGE
  PROGRAMME LEARNINGS UNDER A STANDARDIZED FRAMEWORK, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING
  LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND APPROPRIATE CHANNELS FOR DISSEMINATING THEM.
• SUPPORT COUNTRY-WIDE COMMUNICATION NEEDS AS REQUESTED BY COUNTRY LEADERSHIP.
• DEVELOP IMPACT AND HUMAN-INTEREST STORIES AND CASE STUDIES FOR RANGE
  PROGRAMME AND ON BEHALF OF MERCY CORPS KENYA

CONTENT PLANNING, PRODUCTION AND COORDINATION

• WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE RANGE PROGRAMME TEAM, COORDINATE AND LEAD
  CONTENT STRATEGIES, CREATIVE CONCEPTS AND CONTENT GATHERING PLANS.
• MAINTAIN A CONTENT GENERATION AND MANAGEMENT CALENDAR AND FACILITATE
  COLLABORATION ACROSS THE TWO PROGRAMMES.
• SERVE AS THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT AND COORDINATOR FOR RANGE PROGRAMME
  CONTENT NEEDS.
• WORK WITH OTHER TEAM MEMBERS AND PARTNERS TO DOCUMENT AND CURATE A LIBRARY OF
  STORIES, BYLINE ARTICLES, PRESS RELEASES, ETC. BASED ON THE PROGRAM’S
  ACTIVITIES AND DONOR REQUIREMENTS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE MEDIA, REPORTS AND
  OTHER COMMUNICATIONS FORUMS.
• PREPARE CONTENT FOR AND REGULARLY MANAGE AND OR SHARE RELEVANT STORIES AND OR
  INFORMATION ON RELEVANT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS (INCLUDING WEBSITE PAGE,
  LINKEDIN, BLOG, TWITTER, FACEBOOK ETC.) AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAMME
  HAS AN ACTIVE ONLINE PRESENCE.
• WORK CLOSELY WITH THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO COORDINATE
  CONTENT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION ACROSS GLOBAL DIGITAL CHANNELS, INCLUDING
  WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND CAMPAIGN PLATFORMS TO STRENGTHEN VISIBILITY FOR
  THE PROGRAM.

EVENTS MANAGEMENT

• CONCEPTUALIZE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP EVENTS IN COLLABORATION WITH PROGRAMMES
  TEAMS AND IN LINE WITH THE PROGRAM’S COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES INCLUDING
  WORKSHOPS, REPORT LAUNCHES, LEARNING EVENTS, FIRESIDE CHATS, WEBINARS, ETC.
• LEAD THE PREPARATION OF THOUGHT LEADERSHIP EVENTS BY COORDINATING CONTENT
  CURATION, INVITATIONS, MANAGEMENT OF EXTERNAL VENDORS, ONSITE EXECUTION,
  BUDGETING AND EXPENSE TRACKING.

PROGRAM SUPPORT AND CAPACITY STRENGTHENING

• SUPPORT THE MONITORING AND EVALUATION TEAM IN THE DOCUMENTATION OF
  MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING FINDINGS AND GENERATE NEW AND INNOVATIVE
  COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IDEAS TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY OF RANGE
  PROGRAMME, LEARNINGS, REPORTS, AND TECHNICAL BRIEFS,.
• SUPPORT THE PROGRAM TEAM TO EXECUTE PARTNER COMMUNICATION EFFORTS TO CREATE
  VISIBILITY OF PARTNER ACTIVITIES.
• WORK WITH OTHER TEAM MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE CONTENT TOWARDS REGULAR REPORTING
  TO THE DONOR.
• SUPPORT RANGE PROGRAMME PARTNERS IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING COMMUNICATION
  PLANS WHERE NEEDED ALIGNED WITH THE GLOBAL MERCY CORPS BRAND.
• PROVIDE CAPACITY BUILDING, TRAINING, AND INDUCTION ON BRAND AND CONTENT
  STANDARDS TO STRENGTHEN BRAND CULTURE AND STORYTELLING CAPABILITIES FOR THE
  PARTNERS

LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

• LEAD RANGE PROGRAMME LEARNING PROCESSES BY DOCUMENTING, SYNTHESIZING, AND
  DISSEMINATING LESSONS LEARNED, BEST PRACTICES, AND EVIDENCE FROM PROGRAMME
  IMPLEMENTATION TO INFORM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND DECISION-MAKING.
• COORDINATE RANGE LEARNING EVENTS AND KNOWLEDGE-SHARING PLATFORMS, INCLUDING
  REFLECTION MEETINGS, AFTER-ACTION REVIEWS, LEARNING BRIEFS, WEBINARS,
  EXCHANGE VISITS, AND ANNUAL LEARNING WORKSHOPS WITH CONSORTIUM PARTNERS,
  LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS, PRIVATE PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
• COLLABORATE WITH THE RANGE MERL TEAM TO TRANSLATE MONITORING, EVALUATION,
  RESEARCH, AND RESILIENCE MEASUREMENT FINDINGS INTO PRACTICAL LEARNING
  PRODUCTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STRENGTHEN PROGRAMME QUALITY AND INFLUENCE
  POLICY AND PRACTICE.
• DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN RANGE PROGRAMME KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT
  CAPTURES, ORGANIZES, AND SHARES TECHNICAL RESOURCES, CASE STUDIES, SUCCESS
  STORIES, INNOVATIONS, AND LEARNING PRODUCTS ACROSS THE CONSORTIUM AND WITH
  EXTERNAL AUDIENCES.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

• MERCY CORPS TEAM MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT ALL EFFORTS TOWARD
  ACCOUNTABILITY, SPECIFICALLY
  TO OUR BENEFICIARIES AND TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS GUIDING INTERNATIONAL
  RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT WORK, WHILE ACTIVELY ENGAGING BENEFICIARY COMMUNITIES
  AS EQUAL PARTNERS IN THE DESIGN, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF OUR FIELD
  PROJECTS.
• TEAM MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER AND
  RESPECT LOCAL LAWS, CUSTOMS AND MC'S POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND VALUES AT ALL
  TIMES AND IN ALL IN-COUNTRY VENUES.

SAFEGUARDING

• ACTIVELY LEARNS ABOUT SAFEGUARDING AND INTEGRATES IT INTO THEIR WORK,
  INCLUDING SAFEGUARDING RISKS AND MITIGATIONS RELATED TO THEIR AREA OF WORK
• PRACTICES THE VALUES OF MERCY CORPS INCLUDING RESPECTING THE DIGNITY AND
  WELL-BEING OF PARTICIPANTS AND FELLOW TEAM MEMBERS
• ENCOURAGES OPENNESS AND COMMUNICATION IN THEIR TEAM; ENCOURAGES TEAM MEMBERS
  TO SUBMIT REPORTS IF THEY HAVE ANY CONCERNS USING REPORTING MECHANISMS E.G.,
  INTEGRITY HOTLINE AND OTHER OPTIONS.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

NONE

ACCOUNTABILITY

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:
MEL MANAGER
WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: PROGRAMME DIRECTOR, TECHNICAL ADVISORS, MEAL MANAGER,
COUNTY COORDINATORS, NRM ADVISOR, LIVESTOCK ADVISORS, MC KENYA OPERATIONS,
FINANCE, AND P&C TEAM, CONSORTIUM AND LOCAL IMPLEMENTING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS,
COUNTRY DIRECTOR

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR EQUIVALENT IN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS, JOURNALISM,
  SOCIAL STUDIES OR RELEVANT FIELD. MASTERS WILL BE AN ADDED ADVANTAGE.
• MINIMUM OF 3-5 YEARS OF PROGRESSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING IN COMMUNICATIONS OR
  PUBLIC RELATIONS
• DEMONSTRATE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNICATION AND STORYTELLING.
• EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD IN COPY WRITING AND EDITING SKILLS, AND A PORTFOLIO OF
  QUALITY WRITTEN PRODUCTS FOR A VARIETY OF FORMATS (E.G. BLOGS, ARTICLES,
  OP-EDS, PRESS RELEASES).
• PROVEN EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING COMMUNICATIONS PLANS.
• EXPERIENCE IN WEB DESIGN & CONTENT PRODUCTION (E.G. VIDEO AND STILL
  PHOTOGRAPHY) IS A PLUS.
• STRONG INTEREST IN WRITING SUCCESS STORIES, LEARNING BRIEFS, TECHNICAL
  EDITORIALS AND COORDINATING LEARNING EVENTS
• EXCELLENT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS WITH AN ABILITY TO DEEPLY CONNECT WITH A RANGE
  OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A BROAD RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERTISE.

SUCCESS FACTORS

THE SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS AND LEARNING OFFICER SHOULD BE AN AVID STORYTELLER
WITH A STRONG PASSION FOR COMMUNICATING IMPACT, WITH THE ABILITY TO INNOVATE AND
IMPROVE PROCESSES AS WELL AS POSSESS THE FLEXIBILITY AND ABILITY TO WORK AND
ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE TEAMS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THE ABILITY TO ADAPT QUICKLY TO
CHANGE IS CRUCIAL FOR THE POSITION.

LIVING CONDITIONS / ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

THE POSITION IS BASED NAIROBI AND SUPPORTING WORK IN SAMBURU, ISIOLO AND
MARSABIT COUNTIES.

ONGOING LEARNING

IN SUPPORT OF OUR BELIEF THAT LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE,
EFFICIENT AND RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, WE EMPOWER ALL TEAM MEMBERS
TO DEDICATE 5% OF THEIR TIME TO LEARNING ACTIVITIES THAT FURTHER THEIR PERSONAL
AND/OR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

TEAM EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS

ACHIEVING OUR MISSION STARTS WITH HOW WE BUILD OUR TEAM AND COLLABORATE. BY
BRINGING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS WITH A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES, BACKGROUNDS, AND
PERSPECTIVES, WE STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO SOLVE COMPLEX CHALLENGES AND DRIVE
INNOVATION. WE FOSTER A CULTURE OF TRUST AND RESPECT, WHERE EVERY TEAM MEMBER IS
VALUED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, EMPOWERED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, AND
MOTIVATED TO DO THEIR BEST WORK.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT BUILDING A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE TEAM IS AN ONGOING PROCESS,
AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO LEARNING, IMPROVING, AND GROWING TOGETHER.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

MERCY CORPS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER THAT DOES NOT TOLERATE
DISCRIMINATION ON ANY BASIS. WE ACTIVELY SEEK OUT DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,
PERSPECTIVES, AND SKILLS SO THAT WE CAN BE COLLECTIVELY STRONGER AND HAVE
SUSTAINED GLOBAL IMPACT.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY
WHERE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL. WE DO NOT ENGAGE IN
OR TOLERATE DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, GENDER IDENTITY, GENDER
EXPRESSION, RELIGION, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN,
DISABILITY (INCLUDING HIV/AIDS STATUS), MARITAL STATUS, MILITARY VETERAN STATUS
OR ANY OTHER PROTECTED GROUP IN THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE WORK

SAFEGUARDING & ETHICS

MERCY CORPS IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS WE COME INTO CONTACT
WITH THROUGH OUR WORK, WHETHER TEAM MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS OR OTHERS, ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. WE ARE COMMITTED
TO THE CORE PRINCIPLES REGARDING PREVENTION OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE
LAID OUT BY THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL AND IASC AND HAVE SIGNED ON TO THE
INTERAGENCY MISCONDUCT DISCLOSURE SCHEME
https://www.schr.info/the-misconduct-disclosure-scheme. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE
CHILD ABUSE, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, ABUSE, OR HARASSMENT BY OR OF OUR TEAM
MEMBERS. AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT,
TEAM MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER,
RESPECT LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS, AND TO ADHERE TO MERCY CORPS CODE OF CONDUCT
POLICIES https://www.mercycorps.org/who-we-are/ethics-policies AND VALUES AT
ALL TIMES. TEAM MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE MANDATORY CODE OF CONDUCT
ELEARNING COURSES UPON HIRE AND ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AS AN APPLICANT, IF YOU WITNESS OR EXPERIENCE ANY FORM OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
DURING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, PLEASE REPORT THIS TO MERCY CORPS INTEGRITY
HOTLINE (INTEGRITYHOTLINE@MERCYCORPS.ORG).