Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media (ACCM) Manager

Title: Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media (ACCM) Manager

TEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ

LOCATION: Lusaka with occasional field travel.

GRADE:   3

Safeguarding:

Save the Children does not tolerate any form of exploitation, abuse, or harassment against any person. It is the responsibility of all employees and representatives to protect all people who come in contact with our organization. Save the Children commits to applying the same standards to all its employees and subject them to the same processes regardless of their position, influence, or reputation within or outside of the organization.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Save the Children International’s Diversity Policy, aims to promote equal opportunity in employment and to ban any kind of discrimination based on sex, age, social class, disability, HIV status, religion, race and ethnicity.

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Advocacy, Campaigns, Communication and Media (ACCM) manager is responsible for the development and implementation of Save the Children in Zambia’s overall ACCM Strategy and Plan. This position requires someone who is highly capable of diligently promoting children’s right and ensure effective child participation in the Country Offices’ (CO) strategy. Based on SCI in Zambia programming priorities, he/she identifies key issues for advocacy, campaigns and communications, preparing and implementing strategies and messages across all of our humanitarian and development work. The ACCM Coordinator ensures effective documentation of evidence and good practice. The ACCM Manager leads gathering and developing engaging visual and written material that voices the gaps in fulfilling children’s rights, effectively explains our work and engages a wide range of internal and external audiences in our work. S/he supports the establishment of strong and strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations to advance the rights of children. The ACCM Manager oversees all media and related external communications activities and leads in developing effective online social media strategies to engage the wider public. In addition, the ACCM M builds capacity of Technical Specialists and Programme Managers in undertaking advocacy activities in line with the Country Strategic Plan and Advocacy Strategy.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to PDQ Director  

Budget responsibilities: The role holder has no direct budget holder responsibility but oversees budget lines for all advocacy, campaigns, communications, and media activities across all projects.

Dimensions: Save the Children works throughout the country and our ACCM work covers both development and humanitarian activities. The ACCM Manager oversees all SCI ACCM work, both through direct and remote management of staff and activity implementation. The role holder oversees appropriate and effective use of the SCI brand and is accountable to the PDQ Director for strategic leadership of the ACCM work.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

Strategic leadership

• Leads the development/revision and implementation of the Country programme ACCM strategy (and operational plan) that aligns directly with the Country Strategic Plan and the SCI global advocacy agenda. 
• Works closely with Business Development and Technical Specialists (TSs) to develop new projects and ensure that ACCM interventions are strategically incorporated and adequately resourced and budgeted for in new proposals. 

Advocacy

• Support project teams to effectively deliver advocacy and campaign activities within program areas – more specifically on Education, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance, Health & Nutrition, and Child Poverty.
• Leads and manages the implementation of evidence-based and child-led advocacy initiatives that aim to have evidenced impact on the lives of children and their families. 
• Develops core national-level campaigns on ending violence against children and access to quality and safe education.
• Lobbying and relationship-building with policy-makers, officials and other key stakeholders.
• Develop talking points, messages, speeches, briefing papers and other advocacy material. 
• Conducts stakeholder analysis, maps out the work, interests, and plans of other stakeholders in respect to identified area of advocacy and ensure effective collaboration with like-minded organizations. 
• Represents SCI in Zambia at relevant external meetings, platforms, working groups and fora, with a range of stakeholders including government, line ministries, donors and partners such as the Joining Forces Alliance.
• Positions Save the Children nationally as the leading advocate on children’s rights in Zambia.

Communications and Media:

• Leads the development/revision and implementation of the country programme Communication Plan.
• Produces engaging materials (stories, audio-visual material, brochures, factsheets etc) to communicate our work to a wide range of audiences including donors, media, government, and partners.
• Engages with national media and develop media products and relationships.
• Collaborates with in-country, regional and global digital and technology teams to manage  SCI in Zambia’s website, social media channels and online communication tools.
• Works with programme and technical teams to develop effective ways to communicate evidence of the impact of our approaches, good practices and lessons learned, to influence policy and practice among communities, partners, donors, and the public.
• Advises the Country Office (CO) on and develop messaging and approaches for community-level influencing and social behaviour change.
• Leads media/communications responses to new crises and emergencies.
• Oversees internal communication to build awareness and cohesion among staff.
• Ensures Save the Children branding guidelines are known and adhered to by all staff/programmes. 
• Manages and coordinates visits of Save the Children global member offices (e.g. photographers, journalists, ambassadors, supporters, and other content gatherers).
• Develop media strategy to guide the engagement of the Country office with media. 
• Actively cultivate media contacts and appropriately establish proactive and beneficial relationships with media houses that can help in advancing children’s rights at policy and programme levels as well as identify opportunities to profile Save the Children’s work.

National Campaigns:

• Leads and coordinate the delivery of the country office campaign initiatives under the 2022-2024 strategic campaigns.
• Supports the program teams in implementing campaign activities taking advantage of key moments to deliver on the country office campaign objectives. 
• Works closely with Programme teams in public mobilization and engagements, creating moments and opportunities for campaigning.
• Builds and maintains effective, collaborative relationships with Save the Children’s regional and global campaigns teams ensuring consistent approaches, common messages and effective campaign events. 
• Supports SCI in Zambia’s engagement in regional and global campaigns through contribution of stories, videos, photos etc. to highlight Country office achievements within such initiatives.

Internal alignment and capacity building:

• Ensures all SCI in Zambia’s ACCM efforts are aligned to and contribute to the ACCM strategy and plans.
• Work in close collaboration with Technical Specialists on sector-specific ACCM actions. 
• Conducts ACCM training for programme teams, management, technical specialists, and partners.
• Represents the Country Office in regional and global ACCM working groups.
• Ensures all creative content (photos, stories, and videos) have informed consent forms and are in line with child safeguarding policies.

People Management, Mentoring and Development

• Supports the development of an organisational culture that reflects our mandate and values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity, and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors.

MEAL:

• With support from regional and member communications and campaign staff, develop, and put in place systems to monitor and measure the impact of the Kenya Country Office’s communication and campaign initiatives, as well as systematically sharing these achievements in the most appropriate way with Country office Senior Management Team.
• Share success stories and learning related to Communication and Campaign initiatives spearheaded by the Kenya country office with regional and global working groups and/or communities of practice.

The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Qualifications

• Minimum of Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a relevant subject such as social science, human rights, development, international relations, journalism/mass communication.
• Masters or post graduate degree will be an added advantage 

Experience and skills

• At least 4 years of experience in undertaking major advocacy, media and communication initiatives in humanitarian and development contexts, preferably with focus on child rights issues.
• Proven experience in analysing the situation of children using child rights programming/principles framework
• Proven track record of policy influencing with partners, government and civil societies/key stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, to analyze complex information and offer creative, practical and effective solutions.
• Excellent influencing skills, ability to deal with people at all levels with credibility, tact, and diplomacy.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, and an ability to produce good quality documents, information for a variety of audiences and communicate good practices.
• Experience in policy and practice analysis and implementing strategic advocacy initiatives aimed at bringing changes in these areas.
• Experience with online and social media communications strategies.
• Strong interpersonal skills such as networking, negotiation and communication.
• Willing and able to travel time to upcountry locations to support field teams as security permits
• Strong computer skills to produce advocacy documents and document and communicate good practices. 
• High level of fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.
• Commitment to Save the Children International values.
• Experience with graphic design software is an added advantage.
• Good photography or video skills is an added advantage.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS SHOULD ONLY ATTACH A COVER LETTER AND AN UPDATED CV.

The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 1st July 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Save the Children reserves the right to re advertise if suitable applicants are not found.

Save the Children will never ask that you pay for anything as part of the selection process or thereafter