Back Communications Manager, Okapi Wildlife Reserve

Location: Epulu, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR), Democratic Republic of Congo

Reports To: OWR Head of Programs

Direct Reports: Communications assistant

Start date: April or May 2021

Duration: Minimum 2 years

Purpose:

The Wildlife Conservation Society is seeking a dynamic, creative and experienced Communications Manager to oversee an important and exciting outward-facing communications portfolio for the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The Communications Manager will build the reserve’s communications unit. S/he will report directly to the Head of Programs and s/he will provide regular updates to the OWR Management Unit – that is chaired by the Reserve’s Director and that is the executive body in charge of all day-to-day management activities and personnel in the OWR.

Candidates will need to demonstrate that they have the necessary experience and skills to manage communications within a dynamic and complex program in a remote location. They will need to demonstrate that they are able to grasp the complexities of situations and use a wide range of communication and behavioural change tools to respond to situations as well as having the foresight to develop materials proactively.

The Communications Manager is based full time on-site at the OWR headquarters in Epulu, Ituri Province.

Responsibilities

The Communications Manager shall design and implement a portfolio of outputs and products to support the OWR’s new management team, to create products, outputs and programs that lead to behavioural change among target groups of people, and to raise visibility of this exciting reserve. S/he will lead a small team of staff and guide partners to ensure effective implementation of interventions within the portfolio.

The Communications Manager will lead the development and implementation of a communications and behavioural change strategy – that includes aspects such as branding and marketing – that is targeted at reserve-level, provincial, national and international audiences among a wide range of target groups, including (but not limited to) DRC national and provincial government actors, donors and philanthropists, the international community, local activists, communities and indigenous peoples. Through this, the Communication Manager will work to achieve the following results:

• A broad foundation of understanding and support for OWR’s values, mission and objectives built
• Measurable changes in the knowledge, attitudes and practices among target groups achieved
• Key constituents kept up to date with news from OWR
• The reserve and future tourism promoted
• Working with the Community Development Department, materials (in all appropriate languages) that lead to (measurable) behavioural change among target groups (especially among peoples living within and surrounding the reserve) developed and deployed
• Coordination of messaging and internal communications among all partners working in the OWR improved
• Working with the fund-raising and development personnel, innovative high-profile events organised and delivered.
• High consistency and quality of all outward-facing communication achieved
• With OWR’s Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation and Learning (MEAL), an M&E system to measure the successes of communications and behavioural change developed and implemented – and therefore understood

Requirements

• Significant experience developing and implementing communications and behavioural change strategies (>7 years of experience)
• Significant experience engaging with international, national and local media
• Demonstrated experience engaging a diversity of target audiences using a broad range of contemporary media and tools
• Understanding of the tools that can be used to measure the success of communication and behavioural change a significant advantage
• Demonstrated openness and sensitivity to the socio-cultural environment of OWR
• Ability to work and write in both French and English; sensitivity to local languages – especially in the development of communication materials
• Ability to live and operate in remote areas under challenging conditions
• Dynamic, energetic, creative and ambitious