ABOUT THIS ROLE
The Regional Communications Officer leads the customization and implementation of communications strategies across Water For People’s programs in the Africa region. This position raises Water For People’s regional visibility, supports fundraising efforts, shares impact, and strengthens our position as a global leader in building lasting water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. The Regional Communications Officer is a strategic collaborator with exceptional communication skills and a passion for working in the Africa region (Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda).
IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL
Strategic Communications & Positioning
- Support the development and lead the execution of regional communications strategies in alignment with Water For People’s global communications, influence, and fundraising goals and strategies. This includes implementing annual regional communications plans, calendars, and metrics for tracking.
- Position Water For People as a thought leader in WASH and climate resilience through media engagement, campaigns, public relations efforts, and key events.
- Cultivate relationships with regional media and key influencers to amplify Water For People’s work.
- Coordinate press outreach, media events, and communication needs for regional events.
- Support regional visibility through partnerships, conferences, campaigns, and donor/funder engagement efforts.
- Ensure consistent application of Water For People’s brand across regional communications by acting as a reviewer and resource.
- Lead the analysis of audiences, channels, and platforms for each country, guiding contextually appropriate digital strategies to enhance the organization’s visibility and expertise.
- Respond to regional media inquiries and support crisis communications, if needed.
Content Creation & Storytelling
- In close collaboration with country teams, lead the production of regionally relevant content such as stories, photos, videos, case studies, presentations, press materials, webinars, and social media content.
- Identify and elevate impact stories and case studies from programmatic work that resonate with donors, institutional funders, corporate partners, sector experts, and other public audiences.
- Collaborate with regional teams and country program staff to source, edit, and package high-quality content and key messaging for grants, regional reports, regional workshops, and other regional products and events to highlight strategies, successes, and challenges for each country program in the region.
- Review and edit content to support brand alignment, consistency, and visibility for conferences, webinars, and other external activities in the region.
- Champion the organization’s Content Library for the region, supporting country teams with updated processes for uploading, tagging, and organizing photos, stories, and other content.
- Manage the sourcing and coordination of local photographers and/or videographers. Includes ensuring all organizational consent and storytelling best practices and policies are followed.
Collaboration & Capacity Building
- Serve as a communications advisor to the Africa Regional Director and, as needed, to Country Directors and country teams. Act as a key liaison for the region for internal and external communications.
- Guide strategy and training on media engagement, messaging, brand guidelines, and best practices for communications roles to elevate brand awareness and positioning in the region.
- Support knowledge sharing, cross learning, and training to strengthen communications capacity across the country programs in the region.
- Collaborate with multiple teams, including Strategic Communications, Influence, and Donor Impact (fundraising), to align messaging and maximize regional contributions to global goals
- Partner with the Senior Manager, New Business Development role for Africa to support revenue generation and funding opportunities in the region. This may include writing, presentation, content creation, and proposal editing/review.
- Step in to fill capacity gaps as needed for countries in the region, ensuring consistent coverage and implementation of marketing, communications, visibility, and fundraising activities.
YOU WILL EXCEL IN THIS ROLE IF YOU HAVE
We’re looking for a collaborative, positive, and organized communicator to bridge local, regional, and global strategies. This person is passionate about our global mission, thrives in cross-cultural collaboration, and brings creativity and precision to every project they take on.
- Master’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, plus a bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- 5+ years of professional experience in communications or marketing.
- Experience working in the nonprofit or international development sector.
- An interest and understanding of the intersectionality of WASH, including climate change, health, gender equity, inclusion, and livelihoods.
- Excellent written communication skills, including storytelling, writing, and editing. Includes the ability to work with rough, unedited, or technical content and transform materials into engaging, compelling pieces for various audiences.
- Strong visual communication skills – basic photo editing, video assembly, content layouts, and visual hierarchy.
- Highly adaptable and comfortable navigating projects and priorities across multiple countries simultaneously. Able to contextualize big-picture organizational goals for regional and country-specific approaches.
- Proven experience managing relationships with external partners – including media, executives, government officials, sector partners, community members and funders – and representing the organization with professionalism and contextual awareness.
- Skilled at speaking on behalf of the organization to diverse audiences, including large groups.
- Curious, quick learner who enjoys staying up to date on digital marketing, social media, technology, current events in each country in the region related to the WASH sector, and other communications trends.
- Knowledge of various social media and digital marketing platforms and best practices for their utilization.
- Strong intercultural communication skills, demonstrated teamwork, and experience working across different environments, cultures, languages, and time zones.
- Ability to connect with others through virtual communication mediums in real-time and asynchronous and often multilingual (written, audio, and video such as emails, chats, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp).
- Experience and high comfort level using Microsoft Office Programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, Windows).
- Fluency with strong writing and communication in English.
BONUS POINTS IF YOU HAVE
- WASH experience.
- Photography, videography, and graphic design skills.
MORE ABOUT THIS ROLE
- Remote opportunity based in one of the following countries: Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania or Uganda. Occasional in-office work will be required.
- Candidates must be citizens or legally authorized to work in their country of residence.
- Ability to travel up to 10% domestically, regionally and internationally, including to areas where travel may be rugged.
- Ability to work outside regular working hours to meet with colleagues who are located in other time zones.
Note: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.
MONTHLY SALARY RANGE:
Malawi: MK 1,161,000 – MK 2,513,000
Rwanda: FRw 1,136,000 – FRw 2,062,000
Tanzania: TSh 3,548,000 – TSh 5,924,000
Uganda: USh 4,247,000 – USh 6,273,000
OUR BENEFITS:
Our benefits program encompasses both a competitive local package and some global benefits that are geared to encourage healthy living for you and your family, along with a flexible work environment. Our health package includes medical, dental and vision coverage, as well as a Telehealth benefit. Additionally, we offer parental leave for growing families and sick days to care for yourself or your family when needed.
