Vacancy Announcement
ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY
Position: Communications Manager, Branding, Marketing & Design
Term of Employment: One Year with possible of extension
Duty Station(s): Addis Ababa
Required Number: One
Salary & Benefits: Competitive
Application Deadline: September 20, 2017
BACKGROUND:
The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) has been established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Agency does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks. The Agency reports to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Development and is Secretary to the Transformation Council chaired by the Prime Minister.
The programmatic focus of the Agency responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources Development and the Transformation Council. Within the Agency, issues are divided into four different pillars: Production and Productivity which includes Inputs and Crop Protection, Livestock, Research and Extension, Mechanization and Rural Finance; Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Agricultural Growth including Sustainable Irrigation and Watershed Management, Sustainable Land Management, Gender and Nutrition, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Targeted Livelihood Support, Biodiversity and (temporarily) Planning and MLE; Agribusiness and Markets including Market Support Services, Commercial Farming, Agro-processing & Market Development, and Cooperatives Development; and Enhanced Implementation Capacity which includes ICT, Private Sector, and Organizational and Human Capacity. In addition, the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters Initiative is another critical focus area for the Agency. Across the programs, the ATA engages public, private and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models.
Our Culture
We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented, dedicated and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great team work to achieve excellent results.
At ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Communications Manager, Branding, Marketing & Design (Communications Manager) is a position in the ATA Communications Team, which is part of the Strategic Services department. The Communications Manager will be responsible for the development and successful implementation of the ATA Communications Strategy and management of other members of the Communications Team, leading primarily on layout and design tasks as they relate to social marketing and outreach needs of project teams as well as ATA visual brand management.
The Communications Manager (Branding, Marketing & Design) will work across all areas of the organization as a design, social marketing, and outreach generalist, and will work with the Communications Director and Communications Manager (Content Development) to shape and manage ATA’s brand management initiatives and strategic communications support to program/project teams. In particular, s/he will develop and drive the ATA’s activities on graphic design and layout, template management, brand oversight, social marketing, and outreach campaigns. They will also work with the Communications Manager (Content Development) to provide operational support and assistance to ATA’s internal and external communications efforts.
The successful applicant will have a strong design background coupled with a passion for strategy and the entrepreneurism and pragmatism to execute at a tactical level. S/he should also demonstrate a genuine commitment to developing a team and assisting the organization with its progressive transformation agenda. Experience in social marketing or behavior change communication is a plus. The position will report to the Communications Director, with strong potential for advancement. This role presents a unique opportunity to work directly with the ATA Communications Director and Senior Management Team and mobilize stakeholders within an exciting national and international context. The position is based in Addis Ababa.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
· Support the development and successful implementation of the ATA Communications Strategy
· Oversee and implement the graphic design and layout needs of a broad range of high quality communications materials, both printed and electronic, providing creative and technical leadership within the team on design activities
· Organize and oversee the planning and execution of successful outreach activities, (social) marketing initiatives, and branding efforts for the ATA as a whole and for specific project needs
· Manage subordinate communications professionals, including Communications Officers, Specialists, Assistants, and Graphic Design staff
· Support the monitoring, analysis and evaluation of communications efforts and help to identify new communications approaches and opportunities
· Build and maintain strong relationships with media representatives, advertising and design agencies, printing companies, and similar communications-related industries to ensure successful support to communication activities that contribute to the Transformation Agenda progress and results
· Ensure consistent guidelines are made available for ATA staff to use in maintaining the ATA visual brand identity, from generic templates to brand manuals
· Liaise closely with the Communications Director, the Communications Manager (Content Development) the CEO, and other senior management in communicating key organizational messages and reporting on communications activities
· Lend support to the ATA Partnerships and Government Relations Teams to engage key stakeholders (including the Government of Ethiopia, development partners, and the media)
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
· Bachelor or preferably Master’s Degree in design, marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, international relations, media relations or equivalent.
· At least 8 years (for Bachelor’s) or 6 years (for Master’s) of relevant professional experience, preferably in a layout, graphic design, or social marketing role with a national or international focus.
· Sophisticated understanding and demonstrated experience of Adobe Creative Suite applications, particularly InDesign
· Strong understanding of MS Office applications, including MS PowerPoint
· Self-motivated, team-player with proven ability to contribute to organizational success at a strategic level and project manage a team at an operational level in large, complex organizations.
· First rate written and verbal communication skills.
· Sophisticated stakeholder engagement skills with a proven track record dealing with government bodies, development agencies, media, and the general public.
· Outstanding organization, time management, budgeting, and computer skills.
· Strong professional commitment and orientation within the agriculture and/or development sectors.
· Fluency in written and spoken English as well as Amharic.