OVERVIEW

The Legal Services Facility (LSF) a registered non-government Organization (NGO) with Registration No. 00NGO/R2/00011. It is a basket fund created to channel funding on an equal opportunity basis to organizations that are providing legal aid and paralegal services in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.  These services assist individuals to claim their rights, redress grievances, and protect their fundamental human rights.

The LSF manages a basket fund to which DANIDA and the EU are contributors. It operates as grantmaker with the overall goal to increase access to justice through a legal empowerment approach, in particular for women and girls. Through implementing partners, a paralegal cadre of around 3,500 is supported, organized in 168 small district-based paralegal organizations.

Post:  Communication Officer

Location: Dar es Salaam

Reports to: Resource Mobilization and Communication Manager

The Role      

1.0 JOB PURPOSE

The Communication Officer is a hands-on position for a very creative and energetic officer primarily responsible for implementing the LSF’s communication strategies and controlling all communication to the public. 

The communication officer reports to and assists the   Resource Mobilisation  and Communication Manager in the further development and implementation of the communication strategy including implementation, annual communications plans, development and outreach, oversight and management of website and social media, publication in and through printed media varying from newspapers to LSF initiated documents, local, regional and national radio, TV and event management.

He/She will build up and maintain a network of media relations and will ensure that the LSF is widely perceived as the primary source, disseminator and conduit of information on access to justice in Tanzania, promoter of protection of women’s rights and conduit of information on legal empowerment, human rights and legal education and case based legal aid.

He/She will ensure that all communications, activities and contributions always contribute to one or more of the result areas of the LSF. The COMMUNICATION OFFICER will collaborate closely with the Directors of Programs and Finance and Administration and with Managers and other Officers in the LSF. 

2.0 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Communications Strategy and Annual Communications Plan

• Manage the further development and implementation of the communication strategy for public engagement and public LSF accountability.
• Develop annual communication plans based on audiences the LSF wishes to reach for different purposes, in collaboration with Directors and Managers.
• Assess website and social media analytics, lead the development and implementation of bi-lingual (English-Kiswahili) content for the LSF website and social media. Manage social media on daily basis.
• Manage the development and implementation of editorial and branding strategies for all publications, including annual and semi-annual reports and summaries.
• Identify and manage external contractors (designers, illustrators, developers, media houses, journalists, photographers etc.) to assist in the completion of tasks, as needed.
• Develop and maintain the LSF style guide, including a new logo, in order to be immediately recognizable and consistent.
• Develop consistently and catching “core” messages that can be used for a longer period.
• Manage the national local radio approach in support of legal aid services.

Development & Outreach

• Assist in fine-tuning, updating, and implementation of the LSF’s strategies.
• Manage a portfolio of individual donors for cultivation and solicitation.
• Ensure and track regular communication with and recognition of donors and funders.
• Research and undertake grant writing, develop, implement a grants calendar.
• Initiate and pursue relationships with corporate sponsors, other companies, local businesses, philanthropy funders, foundations, and trusts.
• Design, assemble, distribute (to be designed) monthly LSF e-newsletter, printed quarterly periodical, other publications e.g. summary annual report, success stories, brochures etc.
• Attend events related to the LSF’s areas of interest and report.
• Monitor news media for developments relevant to the LSF’s areas of interest or results.
• Create video content, conduct video interviews with LSF stakeholders, including clients, LGAs, paralegals and other stakeholders. Coordinate the production of documentaries which can be aired by TV and are usable in events.
• Organize photo and video files and keep them updated, in the LSF Digital Asset Management (DAM) system, presently Dropbox.
• Update, monitor a contacts database, file organization, naming specific cases and best practices/success stories for all of the LSF departments

Publications

• Draft, edit news and feature stories for monthly publications in written media, radio or TV.
• Conduct interviews, written and verbal.
• Solicit external contributions for regular publications (e-newsletter, periodical, website, social media).
• Coordinate and oversee the design of all regular publications; draft initial designs and updates for each publication ensure the LSF style guide is properly applied.
• Assist in the layout of publications as needed.

Events

• Develop, plan, execute public programming with other members of any events team, ensure ample press coverage of each event.
• Assist in the creation of professional PowerPoint presentations as needed.
• Prepare press kits and written releases and articles to generate interest in the LSF across broadcast and print media.
• Photograph, video events, or coordinate this is done by other professionals.

Monitoring and results

• Ensure that the effects of communications can be measured or estimated, as increased awareness or knowledge, in actions undertaken by recipient audiences or otherwise.
• Provide monthly and quarterly reports on communications and the effects it had.
• Provide communications inputs in all periodic reports of the LSF to Board, AGM, donors.
• Ensure that each communication of the LSF responds to or is promoting results in at least one of the LSF result areas.

3.0. QUALIFICATION

Education

• At least bachelor's degree in Communication or related  
• Minimum 3 years' job-related experience in media, public relations, journalism, publishing, in corporate or nonprofit communications.
• The LSF requires an enthusiastic, creative, energetic CO who thoroughly likes the profession and who has 3 years of traceable communications experience. (S)he should have the ability to transform knowledge and information into exiting, useful and consistent messages.
• The CO should have:
• a highly collaborative style, experience developing and implementing a communication strategy,
• excellent, demonstrated writing/editing, verbal communication skills, both Kiswahili and English,
• a strong track record as a communications implementer,
• Bi-lingual (English-Kiswahili) fluency speaking and writing at professional level,
• the capacity to built and maintain a wide variety of relationships,
• capacity to self-start, be able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; should enjoy creating and implementing new initiatives,
• the ability to coach senior managers as spokespersons,
• strong attention to detail and follow-through skills, ability to complete time-sensitive tasks promptly and thoroughly, skills in managing, completing multiple projects simultaneously,
• excellent organizational skills,
• preparedness to work during weekend and evening hours as required.
• Strongly preferred skills include:
• solid understanding of the Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator) and Microsoft Office Suites,
• experience blogging or otherwise writing for the Web,
• experience with and knowledge of graphic design, for both print and digital media.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

If you are Tanzanian and qualified for this post, please submit a single page application letter showing your suitability to the role with an updated Curriculum Vitae to  hr@lsftz.org;     clearly indicating the position being applied for in the subject. The applications deadline is  Monday 04^th January, 2021. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. For more information about LSF please visit LSF Website: www. lsftz.org. 

LSF is an equal opportunities employer.