Communications Assistant – COSME Project

WHO WE ARE

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 100 million girls.

With approximately 38 years of experience in implementing its programme, Plan International Kenya (PIK) currently operates in 10 geographical areas; Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Tana River.

OUR STRATEGY STATEMENT

Plan International Kenya’s (PIK) strategic goal in the next five years is to end teenage pregnancies and end all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against adolescent girls and young women. We aim to help create an enabling environment where girls and young women are safe, valued, equally cared for, and have equal opportunities. PIK will contribute to the global strategy by aiming to reach directly approximately 2.75 million (children, including girls and young women over the period of the strategy running between 2022-2026 and to reach additional beneficiaries through its interventions.

ABOUT COSME PROJECT

Plan International’s Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (COSME) project aims to significantly scale up Plan International Kenya’s current women-led, climate-resilient livelihoods and coastal management project in Kwale and Kilifi counties. It takes an ecosystems-based approach in partnership with Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) Canada. COSME will also capitalize on opportunities for South-South learning by working between Kenya/Tanzania cross-border communities within the same marine coastal and coastal forest eco-regions. The project will be instrumental in driving Nature Based Solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation in the selected eco-regions: i) mangrove restoration and conservation; ii) sustainable seaweed farming; and iii) locally-led forest management and conservation. Small-scale conservation agriculture practices will also be deployed to build the resilience of women in selected communities. The ultimate project outcome is improved climate-resilient, equitable economies within communities relying on coastal and marine ecosystems.

THE ROLE

The Communications Assistant will provide support to the COSME project team mainly through designing and implementation of the project communication plan, collecting and documenting significant change stories, events, taking impact photographs and supporting with content for digital media and external engagement.

Reporting to: Senior Project Manager – COSME

Dotted line: To the Influencing, Advocacy and Communications Manager

Direct reports: No direct reports

Internal:

• Project Team
• PU staff in project locations
• Communication unit at the country office

External:

• Project stakeholders
• Media
• Partners from Community Based Organisations; Community Groups
• Other NGOs and Government

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Typical office environment with (50%) travel to Kilifi program office and project sites.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Documentation 35%

• Documenting stories of change and case studies for the COSME project and related programs that impact on the project work in both Kwale and Kilifi Program Units. (PU’s).
• Coordinating with Project staff to ensure that stories for the weekly highlight are submitted and shared with the country communications team every week for internal circulation.
• Ensuring that child protection and safeguarding standards are adhered to during all communications related work from content development to dissemination

Photography and Videography 30%

• Taking high resolution photos and short videos for use on different platforms including the website, publications and on social media
• Editing photos (when there is a need to) and short videos to ensure good quality of work

Events and Supporting Project Activities 15%

• Supporting ongoing project and corporate events and activities through photography, story collection and media engagement in consultation with Influencing, advocacy and Communications Manager
• Supporting in organising events selected calendar days related to the project that Plan International commemorates

Custodian of Departmental Equipment 10%

• Ensuring that the cameras, recorders and accompanying accessories assigned to the project at the PU are taken care of by keeping an inventory list to keep track.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) 5%

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in project design, during implementation and as principles applied in day-to-day work of Programme team.
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Other Duties (5%)

• Any other assignment within the scope of work.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Courageous in taking a lead, focussed on Plan International’s purpose and making the most effective contribution within my own work context.
• Behaves in line with our values and safeguarding practices, inside and outside work.
• Challenges own attitudes, unconscious bias and behaviour and speaks up when they see wrongdoing, especially by those who use their power over others to create fear or abuse.
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date.
• Takes responsibility for own performance and development: reflecting; seeking and listening to feedback; learning from mistakes; finding people or resources to help them learn.
• Constructive and optimistic in facing setbacks, challenges and change, using own initiative to analyse issues and improve things.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

• Understands relevant sectoral context including how the sector operates in terms of funding and governance and awareness of Plan International’s purpose, values and global strategy.
• Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and. Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender Equality and Inclusion, counter fraud, safety and security.
• Managing activities and resources including skills in planning and organising, financial and project management.
• Managing people and information including skills in communication, both speaking and writing, digital working including personal digital skills.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• Degree in Communications – Public Relations, Journalism or related field.
• 1-year experience in the communications field.
• Writing and oral communication skills
• Microsoft Office Suite (Adobe suite/ Microsoft Publisher)
• Desktop Publishing
• Photography, basic videography and interviewing skills
• Basic skills in website content management and social media

Desirable:

• Ability to respond to internal & external communication needs and prioritise tasks accordingly.
• Exhibit creativity in their work.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and positive attitude.
• Ability to plan and follow-on tasks with minimal supervision.
• Take initiative to identify and solve problems.

Languages required:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Working knowledge of Swahili is desirable.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of national events and organizational participation in such programs
• General knowledge on events organizing

Skills:

• Community engagement skills
• Ability to support and tell impact stories
• Basic skills to build project team skills on documentation for profiling achievements.

Behaviors:

• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and externally.
• Engages sensitively with community members on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls’ empowerment in Plan International’s work and in its work with partners.
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships.
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization – linking partnership opportunities with the context of the wider organizational strategy.
• Communicates effectively at and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences.
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking, mentoring, coaching and advocates the importance of knowledge management.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with, and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.