Job Openings at Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI)

Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) is an international development company. For more than 45 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 80 countries.

Our development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.

We are recruiting to fill the following positions below:

1.) Advocacy and Communication Specialist

Job Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time
Programme: Africa Human Capital Development Plus (HCD+)
Duration:  Full Time

Job Summary

• The Advocacy and Communications Specialist will be responsible for providing technical support and management of HCD+’s evidence-based advocacy on the five thematic areas, implementing advocacy plans and awareness-raising initiatives, driving forward impacts on HCD+’s priority issues, and positioning the organization with partners and target audiences.
• He/She will network and collaborate with relevant stakeholders and advocacy groups/alliances/working groups at local, national, regional, and continental levels and ensure external communication and visibility of advocacy successes as well as wider project outcomes.
• The Specialist will work with the HCD+ Team to design and manage all aspects of internal and external communications.
• S/he will support the assessment of appropriate communications channels and media through which to reach key audiences.
• The Specialist will contribute to the development of high-quality knowledge and learning content including data visualizations, success stories, case studies, and other reporting that informs learning activities and supports adaptive management decisions, contributing to the overall success and impact of the HCD+.
• The Specialist will produce high-impact deliverables - such as newsletters, case studies, discourse events, websites, knowledge-sharing events, social media, online resource platforms, and media campaigns as required.

Specific Responsibilities & Duties
Advocacy Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of strategy for the Advocacy interventions.
• Engage key HCD+ stakeholders—partners, and decision-makers—in high-level policy and advocacy forums, meetings, and events.
• Provide strategic advocacy resources, including training, production, and dissemination of tools and guidelines.
• Support HCD+ in building and nurturing advocacy-oriented strategic partnerships at country and regional levels.
• Identify and implement creative, efficient, and effective ways to engage HCD+ audiences and stakeholders including through organizing events such as field trips, missions, seminars, workshops, forums, and guest lectures and seize conference participation opportunities in different thematic areas.
• Develop and produce advocacy instruments and materials, including briefing materials, press releases, and articles, and coordinate it’s dissemination through effective channels.
• Engage in capacity building for partners and stakeholders, HCD focal points, and champions focusing on knowledge and skills required for effective advocacy to effectively perform their role, and monitor and advocate for implementation of key policies.
• Lead the formulation and implementation of project publications documents by ensuring timely and high-quality publications both in terms of contents and layout for which the specialist will work closely with graphic artists, designers, printers, and other experts.
• Provide support in the preparation of speeches, opinion pieces, press releases, and advocacy advisories in support of advocacy priorities.

Communication & Knowledge Management  Responsibilities:

• Conceptualise, plan, manage, and execute successful knowledge-sharing events, including roundtables, seminars/webinars, workshops, conferences, and peer learning sessions.
• Identify key audiences for project communications; design and carry out a rapid assessment of communication channels most utilized by key audiences to inform communications strategy, including audience segmentation and communication approaches for reaching target audiences.
• Lead and manage the creation of knowledge products that showcase results and impact, to effectively profile HCD+ with donors, partners, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. This includes case studies, stories, reports, briefing notes, etc.
• Collaborate with the technical team to ensure integration of communications and knowledge management activities that complement and report on national, state, and district-level program activities.
• Provide analytical reviews, evidence-based opinion pieces, success stories, case studies, resources, guides, and toolkits.
• Manage HCD+ brand and visual elements.
• Develop and manage the internal & and external newsletter.
• Identify and curate technical content for the HCD+ website in collaboration with the HCD+ IT team.
• Develop communications products for both internal and external audiences, and implement strategies to increase visibility and brand credibility among target audiences.
• Facilitate communication, knowledge management, and visibility of the project's activities, achievements, and lessons learned, ensuring that project outcomes are effectively shared with relevant stakeholders and contribute to the project's overall success and impact.
• Deliver high-quality writing and communications support including developing communications materials such as talking points and presentations, website content, fact sheets, presentations, reports, photo-reporting, and other materials that effectively showcase the project's impact, lessons learned, and good practices.
• Support the M &  E team in reporting to donors, including Monthly progress reports, quarterly progress reports, and Annual reports.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists and communication officers within government, civil society, and other stakeholders, thus managing media inquiries and coordinating press conferences, interviews, and events to further enhance the project's public presence and impact.

Qualifications and Competencies Required

• Master's Degree in Research / Social Sciences, Mass Communications, Public Relations, Law, Knowledge Management, or a related field.
• Over 6-8 years of work experience in a similar role with steadily increasing responsibility, with at least 5 years in international development in research and analysis, communications, media, advocacy, or knowledge management roles.
• Good qualitative and quantitative research skills and the ability to deliver technically rigorous documents.
• Experience using technology as a medium for knowledge sharing and capacity building.
• Experience in capacity building on advocacy processes and tools.
• Excellent teamwork, networking, communication, and collaboration skills with a wide range of actors.
• Demonstrated ability to influence policy decisions and build consensus across an extensive range of stakeholders.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including synthesizing large amounts of information and repurposing messages for different audiences.
• High attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
• Knowledge of Monitoring and Evaluation for advocacy interventions plus strong skills in report writing, documentation, and presentation.
• Language: Fluency in English language is required and French language is desirable.

Application Closing Date: 8th September, 2023.

Click here to apply online

Note: Africa HCD+ will only contact candidates who are successful at this pre-qualification stage.

2.) Communications Manager

Job Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full-time

Position Objectives

• The Communications Manager will provide strategic inputs and operation support to the implementation of the HCD+ Communications, knowledge management, and learning portfolio.
• In line with the Communication strategy, he/she will work under the guidance of the Chief Operating Officer to produce high-impact deliverables - such as newsletters, case studies, discourse events, websites, knowledge-sharing events, social media, online resource platforms, media products, and media campaigns - that are relevant for project teams, employees and clients.
• This role will require technical rigor and leadership skills as well as strong hands-on capabilities in research, technical writing, concept design, and implementation.

Responsibilities & Duties:  

• The Communications Manager will provide inputs into the development of strategies, processes, and initiatives to improve business development, corporate services and program delivery.
• Ability to write analytical reviews, evidence-based opinion pieces, success stories, case studies, resources, guides, and toolkits.
• Develop and define the knowledge management strategy and maintain high-quality, up-to-date, and searchable content for audiences of varying skill levels.
• Conceptualise, plan, manage, and execute successful knowledge sharing events including seminars/webinars, peer learning sessions.
• Event management: convene and participate in Industry events for strategic marketing and positioning for HCD+
• Establish writing guidelines based on knowledge base best practices and develop the team to ensure they are achieving or surpassing them.
• Establish writing guidelines based on knowledge base best practices and develop the team to ensure they are achieving or surpassing them
• Development of internal & external newsletters where applicable.
• Develop tools and initiatives to engage employees and improve performance.
• Implement strategies to increase visibility and brand credibility among target audiences to support project positioning.
• Website management: publish news stories from industry events, and new project updates.
• Social Media management and content creation
• Other duties as specified by the Line Manager 

Reporting: 

• The Communications Manager will report to the Chief Operating Officer.  

Qualifications and Experience

• A Master’s Degree in a Humanities course such as Mass Communications, Strategic Communications, Literature, Law, Knowledge Management or a relevant field from a top university.
• 8-10 years of work experience with steadily increasing responsibility in research & analysis, communications, or knowledge management roles.
• Good qualitative and quantitative research skills and the ability to deliver technically rigorous documents.
• An expert from any of the East or West African countries, preferably not Nigerian.
• Someone who has worked for international media houses – print, tv or radio and/or has worked for consulting firms. 
• High attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
• Cross-cultural competence, comfortable engaging in a global firm, a proven ability to work across multiple business functions and proficient at managing stakeholders
• Professionalism and demonstrated experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesise large amounts of information, and repurpose messages for different audiences.
• Fluency in English and French language is an added advantage.

Application Closing Date8th September, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: recruitment@hcdplus.com using the Job Position as the subject of the mail.

Note: Africa HCD+ will only contact candidates who are successful at this pre-qualification stage.

3.) Output 4 Lead - Evidence and Communication

Job Location: Abuja
Contract Duration: September 2023 - May 2028.
Reporting: The Output 4 Lead will report to the Team Leader and will supervise PLANE’s M&E Manager and Communications Manager

Background

• Nigeria PLANE is a 7-year, £95m programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and represents one window of intervention in a broader package of investment intended to enable a more inclusive and effective basic education system.
• It seeks to do this through improvements made in teaching and learning with a focus on foundational skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.It has four primary outputs:
  • Teaching & Learning: Evidence-based teaching and learning approaches & materials in use, in better managed performance-focused schools and teaching colleges;
  • Governance of state systems: Improved planning, personnel management, and public financial management practices;
  • Governance of non-state systems: Improved management and performance of the non-state sector; and
  • Use of Evidence and Communication: Effective generation, communication and use of evidence to inform citizen engagement and improve service delivery. PLANE will work in Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa, the South West, South East, and the federal capital territory.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Output 4 Lead will be responsible for the following functions:

Technical Cohesion and Management:
PLANE needs coherent strategic management across all four outputs in order to:

• Provide and manage consistent standards of operation and delivery to ensure good management.
• Ensure alignment and technical coherence of PLANE against the programme key outcomes through 1) generating data against the log frame and ToC and feeding into the formative assessment of impact, identifying course corrections and 2) building the evidence base in support of PLANE’s work for use in knowledge products, stakeholder interactions, and summative evaluation.
• Balance R&D and MERL activities across outputs 1-3, identifying areas for cross-output working and generating high-quality, evidence-based knowledge products to showcase the work of the program and positively influence with key stakeholders in government, FCDO, and wider communities in Nigeria.

Advocacy, Research, and Communications:

• Engage with team members and consortium partners to develop an annual work plan and budget for PLANE’s Output 4 component (M&E, research, communications, and advocacy).
• Ensure work plan deliverables are completed as scheduled and within budget and undertake regular work plan reviews.
• Ensure effective coordination within the team, consortium partners, and stakeholders on all communications, research, and results products in partnership with other PLANE team members.
• Manage the development, quality assurance, and dissemination of knowledge products highlighting key achievements of the program, success stories, lessons learned, positive impacts of the program to inform policymakers as well as communication products to increase the program’s public profile through various platforms and media.

Partnerships & Collaboration:

• Foster collaboration across the PLANE programme windows and facilitate cross-linkages and learning at a programmatic, sectoral, and consortium level.
• Facilitate the projection of PLANE’s results through evidence-based learning products and platforms, and ensure the program is leveraging the work of all partners and collaborators in the education sector.
• Ensure PLANE is developing national and regional partnerships that draw on international education trends and debates.

Requirements

• A Master's Degree, preferably in Social Sciences
• At least 10 years of experience in the development sector, preferably with FCDO-funded programs (Essential)
• Extensive professional experience in Africa, particularly Nigeria.
• Experience in developing and managing annual work plans and budgets
• Experience working with government and donor counterparts.
• Proven experience in managing M&E systems, frameworks, and processes on large complex programmes including VfM, Theory of Change, and Logframe change management (Essential)
• Proven experience in producing and disseminating research, communication, and knowledge products (Essential)
• Proved experience in producing project reports and an ability to develop well-written, cohesive reports (Essential)
• Proven experience with relationship-building and team-building skills;

Application Closing Date: 1st September, 2023

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: ng_recruitment@dai.com using the Job Position as the subject of the email.

Note

• Applications from women, people with disabilities, and young people who meet the above qualifications are encouraged to apply.
• DAI will only contact candidates that are successful at this pre-qualification stage.