Organization: Cuso International
Country: Zambia
Closing date: 30 Apr 2019

City Mpika or Shiwa Ng'andu, Zambia

Start Date Apr - Jun 2019 (flexible)

Length of Placement 9 Months

Language Requirements English

Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

Due to funder restrictions, support for accompanying partners/dependents is not available for this placement.

The Volunteer’s Role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to contribute to a regional nutrition project led by CARE Canada! The Southern Africa Nutrition Initiative (SANI) is working to improve the nutrition of women of reproductive age and children under five years old in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.

As Communications Advisor, you bring experience and technical skills to produce quality communication materials to tell the story of the SANI project in Zambia. Working alongside SANI staff and partners, you will support the development of a range of communication materials for both domestic and Canadian audiences. This includes field visits to collect photos, stories and reports that document the SANI project activities, progress and beneficiaries. Your storytelling skills and experience will ensure that you have an eye to capture and convey the human side of the project, and to translate your field observations into high quality, relevant resources that can be re-used in various mediums (e.g. newsletters, Facebook, CARE Canada communications, etc.).

You will also lend your strong writing skills to both the Zambia Country Office and to CARE Canada’s SANI Public Engagement Officer to support opportunities to engage local and Canadian audiences in the SANI project and its impact/effectiveness. At the same time, your brand identity management expertise will enable you to ensure that the CARE brand, and the associated SANI Campaign brand, are effectively, consistently and accurately maintained and promoted across all media.

Your strategic communications skills will help you to identify, suggest, plan and undertake a variety of communications objectives, to ensure that they meet the singular goal of increasing awareness of the CARE nutrition program in Zambia.

You will be creating, curating and implementing content in order to educate and inform. You will be part of a team and will also work independently to meet ongoing deadlines – as such, the ability to balance multiple projects and prioritize deliverables will be important. In particular, this role includes:

• Identifying and creating compelling content (including photos and video if possible)
• Using emerging digital strategies, including social media tools
• Supporting the CARE Canada SANI Pubic Engagement campaign

As a volunteer, you will:

-Take the lead in executing daily communications needs.

-Create and execute a communications calendar.

-Visit the project in the field regularly, to obtain resources (photos, stories, videos) and to respond to communications needs of CARE Canada SANI PE Officer.

-Create a variety of communications products; including reports, summaries, flyers, PowerPoint presentations, and more.

-Ensure brand consistency of message, tone, and design across all communications.

-Work with program and project staff to identify and cultivate testimonials and stories from participants, staff, and partners.

-Other activities, as requested.

Essential Academic Qualifications:

• University Degree or college diploma in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or other relevant fields

Essential Professional Background:

-3+ years’ experience in communications / marketing / public relations

-Familiar with the latest trends in marketing, communications, and social media in the nonprofit and for-profit worlds, and creatively incorporates this knowledge into all responsibilities

-Proven competency in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, and Publisher)

Support Package

• Modest monthly living allowance (varies depending country)

• Accommodation while in placement

• Return airfare and visa/work permit costs

• Cost of required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and health insurance

• Pre-departure training and in-country orientation

• Travel and accommodation for reintegration debriefing weekend

• Access to Employee Assistance Program while in placement and upon return

• Cuso International assessment day (Candidates must cover the first $200 of the most cost-effective travel expenses and all accommodation costs).

• Travel and accommodation for the five-day pre-departure training course and for in-country orientation

• Bonus: Additional return flight home or cash in lieu after 12 months of service for volunteers who extend for another 6 months

How to apply:

https://cusointl.org/2BCmbWB