The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1996 to support countries in their efforts to implement a more equitable and sustainable management of their water resources. The network spans 13 regions with more than 3,000 institutional Partners in more than 180 countries. The global secretariat is in Stockholm, Sweden. The GWP Africa Coordination Unit is based at GWP Southern Africa in Pretoria, South Africa, and coordinates GWP Africa programmes across Africa. In addition, GWPSA hosts the GWP global theme on Climate resilience and is charged with providing global Senior leadership and coordination of implementation of the GWP strategy on climate resilience.
The Communications and External Affairs Manager will support the GWPSA secretariat and African Coordination Unit in development and implementation of a comprehensive communications strategy. S/he will lead the GWPSA-ACU network communications and provide communications support to GWP/CU Partners and key stakeholders. The Communications and External Affairs Manager will implement and maintain a communications strategy, which responds to needs and priorities of the GWPSA Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP).
The position will be based at the GWPSA Office, which is hosted by the Southern Africa office of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in south Africa, Pretoria.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead all communications of the Africa Water Investment Programmes (AIP)
- Lead the GWPSA-ACU communications and knowledge management division
- Provide leadership to the GWPSA-ACU communications team and mentor staff as appropriate
- Lead strategic communications and engagement between GWPO (Stockholm) and the Regional and GWP Country Secretariats of GWPSA on partnership records, operational policies and procedures; as well as develops and maintains the GWPSA partner’s database by coordinating membership applications and liaising with GWPO Network Operations and the CWPs;
- Facilitate information flows among GWPSA-ACU Partners, CWPs and all governance structures, CWPs RECs, and GWPO (submitting the Monthly Report and annual Progress Review and annual report);
- Support GWPSA Executive Secretary on high level communications with the GWPSA Chair and Board
- Assist CWPs to strengthen their institutional systems and practices for communications;
- Working with the GWPSA programme teams, relevant stakeholders and strategic partners, prepare relevant and targeted communications
- Supports the GWPSA Executive Secretary in guiding and coordinating country inputs for CWP progress reporting twice a year (to be included in RES reporting to the two GWPSA Board meetings each year);
- Works with the programme team in sourcing stories from the CWPs for publications, progress reports and website uploads;
- Provide quality assurance to reporting on the programme’s progress and results (activities, outputs, lessons learned, and outcomes) on a regular basis, working with the programme team and the RES.
- Works with technical GWPSA-ACU Secretariat staff on thematic / technical content to prepare for GWPSA participation in exhibitions (promoting GWPSA and the Pan African programme) at scientific symposia, conferences (e.g. WaterNet GWPSA annual symposium) and other key events;
- Lead the communications aspects of the key regional events (such as the SADC Multi-stakeholder dialogue) with the SADC Communications expert and key pan-Africa events
- Arrange outsourcing as necessary for services such as translations, design, printing, video production etc. for regional activities and events;
- Establish and strengthen a strong GWPSA media network covering all SADC member countries
- Represents GWPSA in GWPO organized Communication Officer meetings, workshops and training and ensure that GWPO communications and graphical policy are properly utilized, and that the GWP brand and reputation is maintained and enhanced throughout the regional network;
- Establishes and maintains the GWPSA e-filing system and populates it, to ensure comprehensive GWPSA records (excluding financial) are kept, effectively stored, for easy retrieval and sharing via the website and other means.
- Undertake necessary travel to execute above duties at key events and in the field visits, as required;
- Undertake any other task requested by the Regional Executive Secretary.
Requirements
Qualifications and experience
- Relevant education with minimum 4 year degree required and at least 10 years’ experience in communications, media, journalism, international relations and public administration.
- Experience in managing and leading communications teams, working with relevant media networks in southern Africa region
- Experience in