Communications and Outreach Officer

HERD International is a research and development agency dedicated to generating and utilizing evidence to improve the health and well-being of people. Our mission involves empowering individuals and communities through collaborative efforts with policy practitioners, researchers, and concerned stakeholders. We are committed to promoting evidence-informed and contextually tailored solutions to address local issues, strengthen systems, and establish best practices, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of life.

HERD International seeks applications from potential candidates for the following positions for anticipated five-year donor-funded projects in the areas of monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, governance, and health system strengthening.

Location: Central Office, Lalitpur

JOB IDENTIFICATION

Communications and Outreach Officer

Department : Research Uptake
Reporting to : Research Uptake Manager
Job status : Annual Contract
Working hours : 40 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Job Assignment : HERD International central office with frequent field visit

2. WHO WE ARE – A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

HERD International is a leading national agency dedicated to leveraging evidence for the enhancement of health and social development. Our mission is to empower individuals, improve their health and strengthen communities by working collaboratively with policy practitioners, researchers, academics, and other diverse stakeholders including communities. We are committed to promoting inclusivity, evidence-informed, locally tailored solutions to address critical local issues at system, institution, and community levels, recognizing the importance of diversity and institutionalizing best practices, ultimately improving the quality of life of people. More information about HERD International can be found on the website www.herdint.com.

3. JOB PURPOSE

The Communications and Outreach Officer, as a full-time member of the Research Uptake and Communication team, is dedicated to developing and executing multimedia communication plans. Collaborating closely with the Research Uptake team, Monitoring and Evaluation team and Project team members, the incumbent will create engaging content for external communication through the adept use of various tools and software. He/she will play a key role in disseminating communication content to a broad audience, while also setting and achieving professional objectives in alignment with the team’s overarching goals.

4. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
The anticipated roles and responsibilities of Communications and Outreach Officers include but are not limited to the following:

Research uptake and communications outputs
i) Message Development

• Develop and summarize key messages to be communicated to external audiences through synthesis of primary and secondary sources, literatures, and periodic M&E report.
• Create clear, concise, and compelling key messages customizing and aligning those messages with various communication channels such as news media, social media and websites ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with project teams and subject matter experts to extract accurate and impactful information.
• Develop lessons learned documents, best practices, vignette and impact stories collaborating with research and program team members.

ii) Message Design

• Develop visually appealing multimedia content, including infographics, presentations, videos, and other materials.
• Craft compelling blog posts on the theme that aligns with the theme of various projects, facilitate blog production engaging with senior team members and project staff.
• Prepare and disseminate press releases, news summaries to communicate key messages effectively to the media.
• Design visually appealing infographics to convey complex information clearly and concisely.
• Produce organizational newsletters periodically and support annual report publications.

iii) Output dissemination

• Utilize HERDi’s new media platforms such as social media platforms and website to disseminate key messages and multimedia content.
• Manage and oversee social media platforms, including content scheduling, posting, and engagement.
• Monitor social media reach and engagement metrics in the website and social media, leveraging tools such as Google Analytics and social media insights.
• Implement strategies to enhance the organization’s online presence and visibility.

Project support

• Support project teams for documentations and knowledge management
• Provide editorial and designing support in the process of research output productions such as project reports and policy briefs, audio visual outputs.
• Maintain roster of publications and periodically update it.
• Ensure that project outputs meet the visibility and communication compliance of the funding agencies and stakeholders.

Organizational Development

• Actively participate in meetings and attend organizational events, trainings, workshops, and seminars to contribute to both short-term objectives and long-term strategic planning initiatives.
• Implement organizational policies and guidelines, ensuring adherence to best practices and compliance standards.
• Foster strong working relationships by collaborating closely with team members and stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of project-related information.

The above list of responsibilities is not comprehensive, and the Communications and Outreach Officer may be required to take on additional responsibilities, as determined by the Line Manager or other team members, to meet organizational needs and requirements.

5. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY (DEIA)
All duties will be carried out in a manner that supports and promotes absolute commitment to HERD International and its policies, including the promotion of gender equality, social inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. HERD International is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all individuals while valuing diversity and inclusiveness. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.

6. SAFEGUARDING
At HERD International, safeguarding is at the core of our commitment. We define safeguarding as the proactive measures we take to protect the well-being and safety of our employees, clients, and the communities we engage with. Our unwavering commitment to safeguarding ensures that all individuals, especially children and vulnerable adults, are treated with the highest level of respect and are safeguarded from any form of harm or abuse. To maintain these standards, our selection process for all successful candidates includes safeguarding-focused interviews and a comprehensive due diligence process. HERD International is dedicated to providing a safe and respectful environment for all those who come into contact with our organization.

7. APPLICABLE POLICIES
All HERD International’s policies and guidelines are applicable to its members of staff.

8. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

The performance appraisal of the position will be completed annually by the Line Manager as per the HERD International’s performance appraisal system. In addition, the line manager may execute performance appraisal for specific issues in a specific period.

9. APPEAL
In cases of disagreement on disciplinary action, the staff has the right to appeal through the organizational appeal system.

10. JOB PROFILE

We are actively seeking a highly qualified Communications and Outreach Officer to join our team at HERD International.

If you are passionate about driving meaningful change and possess the qualifications and skills
required, we encourage you to apply and become a vital part of our team, dedicated to improving the quality of life for communities we serve.

11. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Education Qualifications: Master’s degree in Communication, Public Health, Management or a relevant discipline, from a recognized institution.
• Professional Experience: Minimum 2 years of experience in development/research
  communications.
• Software Proficiency: Proficient in utilizing graphic design software, such and Adobe Creative Suite, particularly in Photoshop, InDesign, and Premiere Pro, to create high-quality visuals.
• New Media skill: Ability to administer organizational social media platforms and organizational website.
• Creative skills: Proficiency in summarizing and synthesizing content by studying relevant documents, skills to draft news, blogs, and scripts.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, essential for
  effective engagement within organizational and project contexts.
• Sensitivity to Gender and Cultural Considerations: Recognition and integration of gender and cultural considerations in project activities.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in both English and Nepali this includes both reading and writing.

If you possess the necessary qualifications and competencies to excel in this role, we encourage you  to apply and be part of our dedicated team. We encourage applications from women and people from diverse groups across ethnicity and geography

Instructions for applying:

Interested and qualified individuals are requested to use the below link for the application to be completed by June 23, 2024.

Online Application Form

Fill out the online application form and attach your latest CV and a Cover letter.

Only short-listed candidates will be invited to participate in an assessment process. Any effort to influence the selection process will result in disqualification.

We encourage applications from women and people from diverse groups across ethnicity and geography.

Deadline to apply: June 23, 2024