The African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) is a regional non-profit research and policy Institute established in 2010 to help bridge the gaps between research, policy and practice in development efforts in Africa. Our primary purpose is to contribute to sustainable development through the use of evidence and advocacy to strengthen political commitment and resource allocation for development issues; informing the design and implementation of effective interventions; and strengthening governance and accountability structures for tracking development challenges in Africa. For further details about AFIDEP and its work, please refer to www.afidep.org.

The Communications and Policy Engagement Manager will lead the work of AFIDEP’s communications and policy engagement department, overseeing the design and implementation of an innovative communication and policy-influencing strategy that will raise AFIDEP’s profile as a regional development policy institute and enhance the role of research evidence in development processes in Africa.

Responsibilities or duties

Communications, Visibility, and Profiling

• Design and oversee the implementation of AFIDEP’s communications and policy-influencing strategy.
• Oversee the development of a recognisable AFIDEP brand as a leading policy institute in promoting and enabling evidence uptake in development efforts in all sectors.
• Les the writing and publication of the Institute’s institutional reports, including the annual report, newsletters, website postings, social media content, and the African Development perspectives
• Support evidence synthesis, packaging and use in six areas, namely: population dynamics and the demographic dividend; health and wellbeing; transformative education and skills development; environment and climate change; governance and accountability; and economic wellbeing.
• Identify and develop relationships with key media outlets to stimulate increased use of evidence in public policy debates.
• Disseminate evidence and encourage critical debate on development issues based on evidence.

Education

Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation

• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with funders governments, academic institutions, research institutions, implementing agencies and funders at national, regional and global levels
• Build relations with potential end users of evidence and other institutions that generate and promote the use of research evidence.
• Contribute to AFIDEP’s fundraising plans through concept and proposal development.

Capacity Strengthening

• Support internal and external capacity strengthening efforts aimed at improving the communication and utilisation of research evidence in decision-making in development efforts.

Qualifications or requirements 

• Master’s degree in communications, media, international relations, or related field.
• Excellent writing and technical editing skills, especially in policy-oriented publications and media products.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Technical skills in publications design, website management, and social media management.
• Ability to dialogue effectively with a wide range of audiences/constituencies and to represent the organisation with authority and credibility.
• Excellent understanding of public policymaking and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes.
• Competency in facilitating national and international advocacy activities.

Experience needed

• At least 10 years’ experience in science and development communications in the development sector or a related field, including at least three years at an international level.
• Proven skill in translating research and evidence into effective advocacy strategies that have achieved policy change at a national or international level.
• Proven success in developing and delivering effective country, regional, or international policy engagement and influencing strategies.
• Proven understanding of African socio-political contexts and global developments, and how this influences decision-making in the areas of health, population, and development.

• Design and oversee the implementation of AFIDEP’s communications and policy-influencing strategy.
• Oversee the development of a recognisable AFIDEP brand as a leading policy institute in promoting and enabling evidence uptake in development efforts in all sectors.
• Les the writing and publication of the Institute’s institutional reports, including the annual report, newsletters, website postings, social media content, and the African Development perspectives
• Support evidence synthesis, packaging and use in six areas, namely: population dynamics and the demographic dividend; health and wellbeing; transformative education and skills development; environment and climate change; governance and accountability; and economic wellbeing.
• Identify and develop relationships with key media outlets to stimulate increased use of evidence in public policy debates.
• Disseminate evidence and encourage critical debate on development issues based on evidence.
• Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with funders governments, academic institutions, research institutions, implementing agencies and funders at national, regional and global levels
• Build relations with potential end users of evidence and other institutions that generate and promote the use of research evidence.
• Contribute to AFIDEP’s fundraising plans through concept and proposal development.
• Support internal and external capacity strengthening efforts aimed at improving the communication and utilisation of research evidence in decision-making in development efforts.

• Excellent writing and technical editing skills, especially in policy-oriented publications and media products.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Technical skills in publications design, website management, and social media management.
• Ability to dialogue effectively with a wide range of audiences/constituencies and to represent the organisation with authority and credibility.
• Excellent understanding of public policymaking and legislative processes, and the role of research in these processes.
• Proven skill in translating research and evidence into effective advocacy strategies that have achieved policy change at a national or international level.
• Proven success in developing and delivering effective country, regional, or international policy engagement and influencing strategies.
• Proven understanding of African socio-political contexts and global developments, and how this influences decision-making in the areas of health, population, and development.
• Competency in facilitating national and international advocacy activities.

• Master’s degree in communications, media, international relations, or related field.