Pact Inc. seeks candidates to fill the position of Senior Communication Officer for the USAID/Enhance Non-Governmental Actors and Grassroots Engagement (ENGAGE) activity in Ukraine.

Pact is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and is dedicated to the fair and equal treatment of all employees without regard to gender, race, color, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, disability, or marital status. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Job type: Full time         

Duration: one year with possibility of the extension                                                                                                       

Pact Overview 

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant.

 About the ENGAGE activity

The purpose of ENGAGE is to increase citizen awareness of and engagement in civic activities at the national, regional and local level.  ENGAGE focuses efforts at both the grassroots level to educate and activate citizens to engage in civic initiatives as well as the national and regional (oblast and rayon) levels to improve organizational capacities, build coalitions, support advocacy and watchdog initiatives. The ENGAGE activity primarily focuses on key democratic reforms and cross- cutting themes, such as: anti-corruption, decentralization, government transparency and accountability including electoral processes, inclusive development of persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, intersex and other vulnerable groups, youth and EU integration. To address citizen demands for anti-corruption reforms ENGAGE maintains anti-corruption focus in all its program components.

 Position Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the Senior Communication Officer is responsible for coordination of communication and outreach efforts for the ENGAGE project, including planning and coordinating of marketing and promotion of the ENGAGE activity, developing and maintaining working relationships with civic organizations throughout Ukraine, community groups and other stakeholders, including marginalized groups. The Officer will lead all communications functions of the USAID/ENGAGE activity, especially external communication of Pact’s approach and key results in the country. The Officer will also develop and maintain any digital platforms used to capture and disseminate project results and success stories.

 Key Responsibilities:

• Create external and internal materials on state-of-art methods in civil society development and design and edit communication materials, Pact’s weekly newsletter on Ukrainian civil society, memos and other analytical documents;
• Coordinate marketing and promotion of the ENGAGE activity;
• Manage relationships with technical outreach partners including local and international firms;
• Assist Research Officers to develop program learning and program advancement studies;
• Identify problems and implement solutions to resolve them;
• Develop specific targeted communication objectives and communication plans;
• Compose, edit, design, record, produce publications such as newsletters, leaflets and brochures;
• Keep donors and partners up to date with the ENGAGE activity news;
• Ensure integration of the inclusive approaches in NGOs activities including gender mainstreaming;
• Share best practices for civic engagement with Ukraine’s wide civil society community;
• In performing these duties, closely coordinate and collaborate with other communication and program personnel.
• Develop communications plans for a variety of stakeholder groups, create messaging and materials for community action, and implement communications strategies in line with the relevant donor and Pact branding guidelines;
• Develop and maintain a project website and social media platforms, if applicable, to promote internet-based knowledge sharing for the project;
• Develop and deliver appropriate training programs, workshops, forums, and other public outreach campaigns to raise awareness of project interventions;

 Basic Requirements:

• BA in communications, journalism, international relations or related field or an equivalent combination of relevant experience or training;
• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience;
• Experience in public diplomacy and communication strategies, digital media, event management, brand development, as well as experience providing support to US government funded projects;
• High-level interpersonal and communication skills, as well as stakeholder management skills;
• Strong computer skills with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop) Publisher, R Project, Inkscape, WordPress, and a variety of website applications;
• Professional experience in working in or with relevant agencies such as think tanks, media, public institutions is highly desirable;
• Proven knowledge of civic engagement strategies and approaches to working with diverse stakeholders and marginalized groups;
• Professional level of English, Ukrainian and Russian, both written and oral.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in communication or journalism;
• Profound understanding of civil society and governance in Ukraine, including specific knowledge of organizations working on representing interests of marginalized groups;
• Knowledge of research methods and strong analytical skills;
• Proven interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective and constructive working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds while maintaining impartiality and objectivity;
• Knowledge of USAID’s Democracy, Human Rights and Governance Learning Agenda.

To Apply: 

Please send your CV and motivation letter to [email protected]with “Senior Communication Officer” in the subject line. Please include at least three contacts of your former supervisors who can provide reference for you. The position is open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.