Communication Officer – Nairobi Kenya

About Light for the World

Light for the World is a global disability and development organisation. We empower people with disabilities and enable eye health services in low-income countries. Over the last three decades we have contributed to improved health systems, enabled education for all, and amplified the voices of people with disabilities.

Our programmes include:

• Eye Health – preventing blindness and promoting eye health for all.
• Inclusive Education – ensuring children with disabilities receive quality, inclusive education.
• Inclusive Economic Empowerment – ensuring that barriers are removed for men and women with disabilities to access decent work and business opportunities.

In Kenya, our country strategy for the year 2021-2025 focuses on Inclusive Economic Empowerment, and disability inclusion. We do this using the twin track approach of capacity building of persons with disabilities, and building system strengthening so that barriers for employment and entrepreneurship are removed. Currently, Light for the World Kenya implements projects across the country with the country office located in Nairobi.

Light for the World is seeking the services of a Communication Officer to drive its visibility, communication, and knowledge management efforts.

Role Profile:

Under the supervision of the Communication Manager, the Communication Officer will support the Kenya Country Office programmes on a range of activities related to communications, documentation, and knowledge management. This includes supporting in-country communications with the programs’ internal and external stakeholders, achieving the program’s communication and documentation objectives including the design and layout of communication and knowledge products, building visibility and recognition of Light for the World brand and its work in the country both for local and international audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

Communication for behaviour change; Content development and management for print and digital media (social media, website)

• Develop and disseminate audience centric multimedia content with the main goal of changing mindsets in favour of the inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Ensure that all content and communication is accessible and inclusive in compliance with the CRPD.
• Provide communications support for the development of multimedia content for local and international social media channels and the website.

Manage program communications, branding, press, media and public relations

• Identify stakeholders and channels and ensure periodic communication through the communication strategy and plan.
• Ensure that all communications have gone through the DTP (Desktop Publishing) process, are presentable, and are written in language that complies with Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities standards.
• Ensure that visibility guidelines related to Light for the World and its funders are implemented, including the correct application of brands on all communication and knowledge products intended for internal and external use (word documents, ppts, banners, T-shirts, etc.)
• Establish and strengthen relationships with media outlets and journalists for visibility and spreading positions.

Support the facilitation of co-creation, brainstorming and Think-Tank activities

• Support the design and overall facilitation of co-creation processes and learning events around specific challenges and an agreed learning programme relating to disability inclusion.
• Support other brainstorming and think-tank activities by ensuring the use of creative facilitation techniques and participatory methodologies to conduct these processes in a systematic and effective manner.

Development of knowledge products, communication materials and resources

• Support in documentation and visibility efforts including content gathering missions as well as the development of multimedia content that are audience centric.
• Support the sourcing of information and the development of content to feed into the quarterly disability inclusion newsletters.
• Support the development of multimedia knowledge products that document good practices, lessons learned, and key resources to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• Support in the design and layout of communication and knowledge products.
• Create communication assets and social media visuals.

Support the communications and MERLA team in the documentation processes

• Document stories of change in different formats such as print, clips, or photographic narratives, ensuring that visual content is supportive and that all products are accessible.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Degree in Journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Social Sciences, International Development, Graphic Design, or a related field.
• A minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in communications, public relations or similar field is required.
• Proficient in graphics design softwares (i.e., InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, video editing software), MS Office software, web design, HTML and other motion graphics software (After effects, Premiere Pro or equivalent) is required.
• Experience executing inclusive communications strategies is desirable.
• Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats, using appropriate IT functionality.
• Proven experience in writing engaging print and producing digital content, such as blogs, case studies, summary reports, and change stories, for technical audiences and/or other non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven experience distilling complex information into engaging audience centric content.
• Proficient in digital communication and working with digital platforms including the use of diverse range of social media content management tools.
• A strong team player with an interest in co-creating engaging content.
• Must be self-starter with proven analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work with minimal supervision.