Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa is a not-for-profit organization registered and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with teams in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Zambia. TaRL Africa began as a joint venture by Pratham and J-PAL in 2019, with the goal of supporting governments and organizations across Africa to accelerate children’s foundational skill learning using the evidence-based TaRL approach. TaRL Africa's mission is to support every child across Africa to build foundational skills for a better future. We support governments and organizations in over 12 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to design, deliver and scale impactful TaRL programs while learning and sharing how the approach can be improved for different contexts. Together with partners, TaRL Africa reached over four million children with TaRL programming by 2022.

Summary of the Role

 The role involves providing support in the implementation of TaRL Africa's communications strategy to increase awareness of important programs and activities. This includes assisting with strategic media outreach in coordination with country offices, as well as aiding in the writing, editing, and proofreading of communication materials, documents, and reports. The position also entails supporting all internal and external communication initiatives for TaRL Africa, including the development of social media and website content, as well as managing these platforms by ensuring regular posting and updates. Collaboration with the wider TaRL Africa team is crucial, working together on identifying communication needs, brainstorming ideas, and planning effective communication strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities 

1. Communications

• Support implementation of regional and country specific communications activities
• Support implementation of a joint media and advocacy strategy that raises awareness of TaRL Africa activities
• Support strategic, creative, and proactive media and outreach mechanisms to highlight TaRL Africa’s work, activities, projects, and its overall mission to ensure all children in Africa attain basic reading and arithmetic skills
• Support the delivery of a digital communications and social media strategy
• Proactively identify communications needs of country offices
• Research and analyze social media trends relevant to TaRL, foundational literacy and numeracy, and other similar topics to strengthen social media outreach and impact
• Support on communications related technology and content for trainings, workshops, etc
• Visit field activities in Kenya and other countries to capture program stories, photos and videos for specific and general communications use

2. Media Relations

• Provide support to generate meaningful press coverage with key country, regional and international media that highlights TaRL Africa's programs

3. Editorial

• Support country offices in developing and writing country-specific stories to be shared across various digital platforms (blogs, social media and websites).
• Edit materials prepared by other writers or in-country staff to ensure they are consistent with TaRL Africa’s messages and policies
• Develop and gather content for reports and program updates on quarterly basis, at the least
• Assist country and central teams to prepare presentations and other materials for conferences and workshops as needed
• Support basic design and formatting of communications materials and reports

Profile

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, Marketing, New Media or Public Relations with a strong bias in Digital Media
• 2 years of relevant work experience in a similar role
• Written, verbal and non-verbal communications in English
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of social media platforms, their respective participants (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) and how each platform can be deployed in different scenarios
• Demonstrated creativity and documented immersion in social media
• Proficient in the use of at least one design application such as Canva, InDesign, Photoshop, etc.
• A team player who can skillfully coordinate activities with senior leadership, management, project directors, and staff, and who has the sensitivity and interpersonal skills to work cooperatively with a group of diverse personalities

Desirable Additional Qualifications:

• Fluency in French or local African languages, in addition to English
• Strong photography skills
• Experience of or exposure to multiple African country contexts

Required Minimum Knowledge and Qualities: 

• Interest in children’s learning and education
• Familiarity with major press in Africa
• Willingness to travel to rural and international contexts
• Ability to synthesize feedback quickly and efficiently
• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communications and organizational skills, with demonstrated success working in a team environment.
• A pleasant, flexible, and efficient communicator
• Candidates should have credibility, good judgment, honesty and integrity

Working Relationships

• Internal: (Internal units)

Interacts with the TaRL Africa central team, SMT, Country Managers, Heads of Departments, Pratham, and JPAL.

• External: (External stakeholders)

Interacts with the national governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, donors, specialists/consultants and other stakeholders.

TaRL Africa Values 

1. We put children’s learning first.
2. We are always learning, improving, and innovating.
3. We are locally rooted for high-quality delivery and sustainable impact.
4. We are kind, respectful and collaborative.
5. We are proactive, committed to integrity and doing our best each day