Job Description
Job Description
Title: Program Communications Manager
Reports to: Director, Strategic Communications and Marketing
Matrix Management: N/A
Supervises: Field Communications Officers and Assistants
Location: Nairobi, Kenya (with significant travel)
Job Summary
The Program Communications Manager has primary responsibility for developing and overseeing communications strategies and deliverables for AWF’s landscape-based programs, working closely with colleagues responsible for thought leadership and corporate communications. The role plays a critical role in strengthening AWF’s brand visibility and storytelling across priority landscapes. This role serves as a strategic liaison between field offices and the global communications team, ensuring that field-generated content, country-level communications, and grants-related communications are aligned with AWF’s brand and strategic priorities.
The manager will provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of country-level communications teams, lead on integrating communications into proposal development, and oversee project management of field communications deliverables using platforms such as ClickUp. The role is ideal for a highly organized, collaborative, and proactive professional with a passion for impactful storytelling and conservation communications.
Responsibilities
Strategic Planning and Coordination
- Under direction of the Director, Strategic Communications and Marketing, manage develop and execute of program-level communications plans in collaboration with account leads, country directors, and field teams.
- Manage execution of communications deliverables to ensure they are aligned with overall program work plans, budgets, and strategic priorities.
- Represent the communications function in proposal development meetings to ensure communications is well-resourced and strategically embedded in new programs.
- Collaborate with brand leadership to ensure program storytelling supports AWF’s strategic goals and reporting indicators and donors are appropriately credited in program communications materials
- Represent the communications team in country planning, strategic discussions, and special initiatives.
Field Team Management and Oversight
- Supervise and mentor Field Communications Officers and Assistants across multiple countries.
- Set clear annual performance goals for direct reports in consultation with country directors and the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing.
- Lead regular check-in calls with field communications teams to share updates, surface challenges, and identify opportunities.
- Support the professional development of field teams through coaching and targeted training.
Content Development and Editorial Calendar
- Manage the field content pipeline, including the development and maintenance of an editorial calendar with a focus on country-level blogs, feature stories, and visual assets.
- Coordinate with the web and creative team to ensure high-quality, timely delivery of communications products.
- Support content management processes, including updating Canto (AWF’s digital asset management system) and training field staff in its use.
- Ensure consistent tagging, storage, and sharing of stories for organization-wide use including publishing of blogs on awf.org
- Contribute to the documentation and dissemination of project results, lessons learned, and success stories.
Media and Public Relations
- In collaboration with the media HQ team, build relationships with key journalists in priority landscapes, especially local and foreign correspondents.
- Support country teams in identifying media-worthy stories and gathering the necessary information and visuals.
- Assist in organizing media tours and strategic media engagements in AWF priority countries.
Training and Capacity Building
- Lead and coordinate training sessions for field staff, including storytelling, photography (including mobile-based), media engagement, and crisis communications.
- Support the delivery of targeted media training for country directors and key technical spokespeople in partnership with the media team.
- Help foster a culture of storytelling and adherence to brand guidelines across country teams.
Program Implementation and Reporting
- Track and monitor the implementation of field communications deliverables tied to grant agreements, coordinating with other communications and program teams.
- Support the integration of communications content into donor reports and visibility requirements.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, Journalism, Public Relations, International Development, or a related field.
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience in communications, with at least 3 years in a managerial or field-based role.
- Proven experience working in Africa or with Africa-based teams in the NGO, development, or conservation sectors.
- Strong project management skills, including familiarity with tools like ClickUp.
- Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with a portfolio of published work.
- Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor geographically dispersed teams.
- Understanding of donor communications requirements and proposal development processes.
- Ability to travel frequently to field offices and work effectively in multicultural environments.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinker with a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Comfortable working across different time zones and cultures.
- Passion for conservation and sustainable development in Africa.
How to apply
Visit our website to view and apply for the position.