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Job Title:       Policy and Communication Officer

Organisation: Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Estimated Start date: October 15, 2023

Duration of engagement: 1 year renewable contract

Application deadline: August 27, 2023

About IPA:

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) is a research and policy non-profit that discovers and promotes effective solutions to global poverty problems. IPA brings together researchers and decision-makers to design, rigorously evaluate, and refine these solutions and their applications, ensuring that the evidence created is used to improve the lives of the world’s poor. In recent decades, trillions of dollars have been spent on programs designed to reduce global poverty, but clear evidence on which programs succeed is rare, and when evidence does exist, decision-makers often do not know about it. IPA exists to bring together leading researchers and these decision-makers to ensure that the evidence we create leads to tangible impact on the world. Since its founding in 2002, IPA has worked with over 400 leading academics to conduct over 600 evaluations in 51 countries. This research has informed hundreds of successful programs that now impact millions of individuals worldwide.

About the Position: This position is intended to lead on the development of policy-related communications, coordinate external policy engagements and support overall stakeholder engagement to enhance IPA-Uganda’s policy agenda. The Policy and Communication Officer will be the Uganda country office contact person with IPA Global Communications and lead external visibility initiatives at national level. Major responsibilities include managing IPA-Uganda’s social media communications, developing country office communication materials, populating a policy events calendar, supporting the development of policy project summaries and supporting the management of relationships with external partners. The Policy and Communication Officer will also support IPA-Uganda’s policy impact strategy, focusing on coordinating high impact opportunities for policymakers to use evidence in decision-making.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Policy Engagement:

• Participate in policy engagements and dialogues, workshops, conferences and round tables to represent IPA’s research and policy priorities.
• Provide inputs and technical expertise during the formulation of policies and programs based on IPA’s research insights.
• Cultivate strong relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders in the government and development sector to facilitate the integration of research findings into policy discussions and decision-making processes.
• Continuously scan the policy environment for opportunities for research and policy linkages.

Communication and Advocacy:

• Develop and implement communication strategies to disseminate research results, policy briefs, and other relevant materials to a wide range of audiences, including the public, media, and policymakers.
• Manage IPA-Uganda social media communications, including creating visuals/infographics and consistently updating the country office social media platforms.
• Work closely with IPA’s Global communication team to coordinate communication efforts and ensure consistent messaging across various channels.
• Collaborate with external partners, media outlets, and influencers to amplify IPA’s research impact and policy messages.

Increasing Visibility of IPA:

• Devise and execute strategies together with the policy and research teams to increase the visibility of IPAU by designing visibility and communication materials (e.g., posters, fliers, etc.), positioning the organization as a key player in the fight against poverty.
• Identify and explore opportunities for media coverage, public speaking engagements, and partnerships to enhance IPA’s presence in relevant forums and events.
• Implement branding and marketing initiatives to promote IPA’s work, achievements, and impact.

Capacity Building:

• Conduct capacity-building workshops and trainings for policymakers, government officials, and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding and use of evidence-based policies and practices.
• Provide technical assistance to partners and stakeholders in developing and implementing policies and programs that align with IPA’s research findings.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Collaborate with IPA’s M&E team to track the impact of policy engagements, communication efforts, and visibility initiatives, collecting feedback and data on the effectiveness of these activities.
• Maintain and consistently update a policy partners’ database, keeping track of their upcoming activities/events and keeping the Policy team updated.

Knowledge Management:

• Stay up-to-date with the latest research and evidence on poverty alleviation and development policies, contributing to IPA’s knowledge base and sharing relevant insights with the team

Others

• Support the HRM in following up country wide solicitation and signing of District Memorandums of Associations. Maintain a file record of signed MOUs and continually follow up on pending districts approvals. Prepare introductory letters and provide all required documents for the purpose.
• As assigned by your supervisor, perform other tasks, which are consistent with your level in the organization.

 




Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications, journalism, business administration, marketing, public policy or a closely related field.
• 1-3 years of relevant experience, including at least 1 year of experience developing communication materials and managing social media communications.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated experience designing communication materials for external audiences, with technical skills in Canva, InDesign, Illustrator or similar design packages.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment preferred.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. Attention to detail and advanced presentation skills for articulating IPA work.
• Proven ability to multitask and successfully complete tasks on tight deadlines with little supervision.
• Ability to lead and to maintain effective working relationships in a multicultural environment with sensitivity, maturity, confidentiality, and respect for diversity. Ability to interact effectively with internal and external counterparts at various levels.
• Flexible and proactive work ethic with a demonstrated interest in the vision and mission of IPA

How to Apply:

Application Instructions: Interested applicants meeting the hiring requirements should fill in an online application and attach academic certificate, cover letter and CV through the following link:

Click Here

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the Policy and Communication Officer. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational needs as necessary. ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES will be contacted for the next steps in the recruitment process. Please note that IPA will never request any form of payment from an applicant.

Deadline: 27^th August 2023

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