JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: ​Outreach and Communications Officer

REPORTS TO: ​Marketing Manager & Chief Business Officer

LOCATION:​ Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Ubongo Learning is Africa's leading producer of kids' edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localised and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches millions of families across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio and mobile phones. Our show’s ​Ubongo Kids and ​Akili and Me currently air in 31 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, and Kinyarwanda. We are currently adapting the shows to even more languages including Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Twi. This is a great time to join an organisation that’s rapidly growing across the continent, and work with a creative and impact-driven team committed to reaching as many families in Africa with life-changing edutainment. 

We are looking for an Outreach and Communications Officer who will work collaboratively with our teams in Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and the US to help increase awareness of our brand and campaigns amongst key stakeholders including development partners, potential funders, policy-makers, and government officials, and the public at large. This role involves planning a large-scale stakeholder event, reaching out to corporate and development partners, and finding different opportunities to tell our story through traditional and digital media, events and conferences, and relationship building. The ideal candidate must be extremely passionate about the work that we do with a ‘can do’ attitude, have integrity, great communication skills, be self-motivated, organised and energetic.

This role is for not just a ​do-er but a ​go-getter as well! You must be willing to be challenged, think critically and creatively about the role that communications and public relations can have in Ubongo’s goal to be self-sustainable and continued expansion across the African continent and globally. People who work at Ubongo are passionate about education, kids, and making a difference. Whether you are an intern or a full-time employee we provide a work environment that is friendly, approachable and driven. 

Note:​ This is a 6-months full-time consultancy with a high chance of renewal.  

You are a good candidate if you have:

• Strong relationships with media across East Africa, and the ability to build relationships with media and press in South Africa and Nigeria.
• Great written and oral communication skills in both English and Swahili. 

• Great storytelling skills that come through in public speaking and writing. We tell powerful stories and you need to be able to represent our brand well publically.
• The ability to learn quickly and independently about key issues important to Ubongo’s work including, early childhood development and social behaviour change communication.
• Strong connections in media, PR, and corporate and can leverage your networks across different industries to execute a campaign successfully.
• Knowledge of the corporate and development landscape in East Africa and have experience pitching to corporates for sponsorships, CSR, and partnerships.
• Extensive event planning experience and can work effectively with multiple vendors to execute the goals of an event effectively
• Great organisation skills and strong planning abilities.
• Experience in business to business strategic communications and public relations via both traditional and digital media.
• The ability to work independently and to think on your feet.
• Experience working within a non-profit company and promoting the organization globally.
• Skilled in using social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter for relationship-building and brand evangelism.
• A love for kids! ​They’re why we do what we do. Our kids’ music and videos will become part of your life (and constantly stuck in your head).
• Persistence​! We have a big goal and have to get things done with limited resources.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Network extensively with multiple stakeholders, including NGOs, corporates, schools, partners, government officials, and service providers. Act as an Ubongo ambassador in Tanzania.
• Work closely with the Marketing Manager and Chief Business Officer to plan a large scale stakeholder event to be held in 2020. Your role will be very ‘hands-on’, you will be responsible for securing sponsorships and partnerships, logistics, liaising with vendors, and event management.
• Work with Marketing Manager to create and execute a PR and communications strategy for Ubongo’s corporate brand.
• Collaborate with the Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer to create marketing materials including pitch decks, case studies, press releases, videos, and blog posts.
• Identify future fund mobilisation opportunities and support with the writing of new business proposals.
• Effectively capture, track and record all approaches, meetings, contacts, correspondence and agreements     on        our       internal            business development system, and other communications channels, and ensure that other team members are brought in to conversations where necessary.
• Build a database of key partners for Ubongo and develop and implement a communications strategy with them.

REQUIREMENTS

• You love what we do, and are driven by our mission and value.
• At least a bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or public relations/ or proven experience in these fields.
• 5+ years of professional experience in business-to-business (preferably in education) and managing communications resources.
• Fluent in both written and oral English and Swahili. French is a bonus.
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to adjust your writing style to fit Ubongo’s tone of voice and brand.
• Proven public speaking and pitching abilities.
• Experience in event planning and management.
• The ability to work as a full-time consultant for 6 months.
• Verifiable contacts and relationships in media and the corporate world.
• Access to a laptop and the ability to bring it to work.
• Experience working for social causes about education, children and youth, or gender is a bonus.
• Passionate about education, storytelling, and being a changemaker.
• Willing to speak up for what’s right, when you see wrong, or when you think there might be a better way.
• Honest, trustworthy, transparent and conscientious.