JOB DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES

Job Title:

Communications Manager, Sierra Leone

Work Location:

Kono preferred, or Freetown with up to 50% travel to Kono

Department:

Communications

Report to:

Partnerships and Engagement Lead

Position closing date:

2 WEEKS AFTER POSTING DATE

Line Management

YES, (Multimedia Specialists, Graphic Designer, and Communications Associate)

Position Overview

Partners In Health (PIH) seeks a creative, self-directed, social justice-oriented professional to lead and grow its nascent communications program in Sierra Leone. The Communications Manager will work with PIH colleagues and external partners in Sierra Leone and around the world to broaden and deepen awareness of and support for PIH.

By celebrating the organization’s unique mission and values; showcasing its pioneering accomplishments; promoting its valuable brand; and uncovering its remarkable human stories, the Communications Manager will drive forward PIH Sierra Leone’s communications strategy and output. Communications priorities include: written, visual, and audio storytelling; internal communications; local and international media engagement and speaker requests; fundraising communications; social media; communications training and capacity-building among PIH Sierra Leone staff; and continuous collaboration with global fundraising and marketing and communications teams.

Against these priorities, the Communications Manager will shape the larger communications team, hiring, managing, and collaborating with new staff in specialist areas. The Communications Manager will be a jack-of-all-trades who is excited to wield their creativity and project management skills in equal measure, and to provide vision and leadership to craft a comprehensive communications program founded on elevated content and balanced workflow.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Storytelling and External Communications (35%)

• Lead the strategic planning and development of all external communications including creation of an annual content calendar that supports PIH-SL and the global Marketing & Communications team
• Oversee the production and quality control of stories—in written, audio, photo, and video formats—about PIH-SL’s programs, patients, staff, and, ultimately, impact
• Maintain and grow PIH-SL’s social media presence, including setting growth targets, analyzing metrics, and leading innovative digital outreach campaigns
• Maintain and expand PIH-SL’s website (pihsierraleone.org), by driving web content that supports advocacy donor and partner engagement
• Lead on media engagement by managing speaking requests, supporting staff preparing for media opportunities, coordinating and facilitating reporters’ visits and interviews, developing relationships with the press, and spearheading formal media training for PIH-SL spokespeople
• Ensure that all communications outputs adhere to ethical standards, organizational values, and safeguarding regulations

Fundraising and Resource Mobilization Communications (30%)

• Lead the production of fundraising collateral such as a one-pagers and the organization’s Annual Report
• Strengthen collaboration with global fundraising and marketing and communications colleagues to produce donor-centric communications around the flagship project, the Maternal Center of Excellence, to maximize visibility
• Serve as an in-country point of contact and collaborator for global marketing and communications colleagues
• Support PIH-SL’s policy, partnerships, and advocacy work through strategic communication efforts including government engagement and production of reports for the Ministry of Health
• Collaborate closely with program managers to support the communication aspects of grant reporting, ensuring clear, accurate, and compelling narrative and visual content that demonstrates program impact and aligns with donor requirements.

Internal Communications & Administration (15%)

• Maintain and strengthen current internal communications structures, including the production and distribution of the internal newsletter
• In partnership with the Senior Management Team and IT, develop, advise, and accompany on the implementation of internal communications practices and structures across the organization, to keep staff better informed and engaged, and ensure scalability and inclusivity for all staff
• Oversee file management systems, including developing and maintaining a communications archive/file management system(s) that provides staff in Sierra Leone and around the world easy, targeted, up-to-date access to shared resources and assets (logos, presentations, capacity statements, one-pagers, etc.)

Program Growth and Capacity Building (20%)

• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and professional development of communications team members
• Manage the Communications program budget
• Conduct needs assessments around communications trainings across the organization; design and implement training curriculums
• Elevate the visibility and strategic importance of Communications across the organization

Education and Work Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 4 years of relevant experience, preferably with digital content generation and strategy, branding, marketing-communications, journalism, PR, and/or people management
• Passion for PIH’s mission and interest in global health equity and social justice
• Proven ability to produce high-quality content by collaborating across departments, countries, and cultures
• Proven ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders, both internally and externally
• Willingness to engage respectfully and professionally with a diverse group while driving results
• Willingness to travel regularly to report on PIH’s work
• Demonstrated experience managing, and meeting, multiple competing deadlines
• Detail-orientated approach to content creation, with excellent planning and prioritization skills
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to self-motivate and implement new communications initiatives with minimal oversight and direction
• Demonstrated experience managing teams
• Literacy in Office365, Content Management Systems, social media, InDesign/Canva, Slack, Squarespace, or the willingness to quickly learn new programs and systems
• Excellent command of English, with superlative writing and editing skills
• Deep wells of flexibility, curiosity, and cultural humility

Organization Profile

Partners In Health (PIH) is a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We currently work across 4 continents, including Sierra Leone, where we strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all. In Sierra Leone, PIH is committed to strengthening long-term health system in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, and a commitment to advancing health equity. Partners In Health has built the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) as an expansion of the Koidu Government Hospital in Kono district to raise the standard of care for mothers and newborns in Sierra Leone. A cutting-edge facility, the MCOE expands the campus of Koidu Government Hospital, dramatically increasing the number of beds, services, and facilities available to mothers and babies. By introducing new technology, investing in training for health care workers, and offering a preferential option for the poor, this cutting-edge facility will also prove what is possible as a model for care across the continent and beyond.

Misconduct Disclosure

Partners In Health Sierra Leone is dedicated to preventing unwanted behaviour in the workplace, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, financial misconduct, and ensuring the welfare of those we serve. We expect all staff, consultants, contractors, vendors, and volunteers to uphold these values as outlined in our code of conduct.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

As a participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures