Communications Officer

About the Greenbelt Movement

The Greenbelt Movement is a non-governmental organization founded in Kenya by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai. Since 1977, the movement’s work has focused on conserving the environment by empowering rural women and local communities through environmental education, supporting ecosystem restoration through tree planting, advocacy and movement building, and creating livelihood safety-nets at household level.

To learn more about the work of The Greenbelt Movement, please refer to http://greenbeltmovement.org/who-we-are

What are we looking for?

The Greenbelt Movement is in an exciting growth phase, expanding its work in Kenya and increasing its influence across Africa. GBM is looking for a Communications Officer with experience in environment sustainability, human rights and/or other social justice work. Reporting to GBM’s Head of Advocacy and Communications and working in collaboration with GBM staff, the officer will develop and implement traditional and social media plans and content about GBM’s key priorities including: GBM’s forest restoration projects, national and global advocacy including public interest litigation; relevant national law and policy; and campaigns at regional and global multilateral process on climate change and biodiversity protection. The candidate will also coordinate immediate and ongoing communications needs related to GBM’s website, newsletters and maintain databases for GBM members, regional media, allies and donors.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain GBM’s website, social media and fundraising sites through daily monitoring, posting and content development in collaboration with programme staff
• Working closely with the GBM programme team to ensure relevant programme materials are developed and disseminated through social media channels and/or to partner organisations directly
• Support the programme staff in development of blogs, reports, and other publications and manage regular internal and public newsletter
• Stay up-to-date on relevant news on traditional and social media and distribute among relevant staff members
• Archive all communication materials, including digital, such as publications, press releases and clippings, photographs, audio- visual materials, web resources etc
• Develop a communications calendar and contribute to the development of a media and communications strategy
• Support the Head of Advocacy and Communications to coordinate special events, media engagements and campaigns through relevant communications tools, and to manage relationships and develop a database of media contacts
• Support the Head of Advocacy and Communications to produce timely and quality production of advocacy and branding materials such as newsletters for internal and external distribution, annual reports, picture stories, videos
• Support the Executive Director during fundraising or project design phases to identify appropriate communication activities for respective projects

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field
• At least three years post-qualification experience doing similar work is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills required, and experience with print, audio and film story telling for advocacy
• Demonstrated social media experience (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok use and analytics)
• Excellent skills in website and social media management and analytics, design and layout skills and experience (Adobe Photoshop, PageMaker, Canva etc) and newsletter distribution
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Kiswahili.
• Be a team player, driven self-starter who is reliable with excellent time management skills, ability to prioritise, pay attention to detail, and shows initiative at work
• Demonstrated interest in advocating for social and environmental justice
• Ability to travel locally and internationally and, when required, to work outside normal office hours.