Macfadden, a PAE company, is seeking a Communications and Outreach Specialist to support USAID's Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation. The Communications and Outreach Specialist will manage the Office’s communications and outreach functions in collaboration with CMM colleagues. Additionally, the incumbent will be responsible for planning, designing and executing a program to inform and educate the public, media, and other specified audiences about CMM activities and accomplishments. The incumbent will also work with CMM specialists to design and execute outreach activities that further increase the outcomes and impact of CMM products and services.
Outreach to USAID Missions will be a critical element of the Specialist’s portfolio. It is expected that the Specialist will take approximately three TDYs to international locations in a calendar year, for an average of ten days to two weeks each trip.
Key Accountabilities:
The Communications and Outreach Specialist must be results oriented, with demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative problem-solving. Specialist must have excellent writing, listening, communication and interpersonal skills. Strong presentation skills are also required. Specialist must have the ability to work collaboratively across offices and departments and with Senior Leadership to advance a shared mission. Specialist must have exceptional written, oral and interpersonal skills.
Essential Functions:
- Develop or adapt CMM’s Communications and “Outreach Strategy and Action Plan” as needed to account for newly emerging Office priorities and needs.
- Develop communications and outreach materials for specific audiences and stakeholders, including for missions and bureaus, the U.S. Government inter-agency, USAID policymakers, and the public.
- Create talking points, briefing materials, briefing books, and information packets for presentations as required by CMM staff, DCHA management, and USAID leadership.
- Draft press releases, media advisories and op-eds as requested.
- Develop social media content as requested, including blogs and more extensive compositions for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube sites.
- Oversee development of visual materials, including infographics and video content.
- Develop content for CMM events, including conferences, internal USAID presentations, and public.
- Prepare materials for visits by high-level officials; as requested assist with advance work for event planning including scheduling and material production.
- Manage online, print, and other communication campaigns to promote USAID work on peacebuilding or other related campaigns on conflict prevention.
- Develop content and help oversee quality control of CMM’s external-facing and CMM’s internal-facing websites (USAID Pages).
- Produce materials for Congress and package information and materials for USAID Missions, in conjunction with Knowledge Management staff.
- Provide quality control, including proofreading, on all print and electronic public information produced by CMM colleagues.
- Provide input into CMM statements of work and program descriptions, as requested, on ways that public outreach activities could further increase the outcomes and impact of CMM projects and activities.
- Ensure compliance with USAID marking and branding guidance and procedures, and work with CMM staff on adherence to the guidance and procedures for CMM implementing partners.
- Build and maintain a network of contacts with other communication specialists -- including from LPA, other bureaus, missions, other U.S. Government entities, media outlets, and international organizations -- to ensure consistent messaging and best practices in communications and outreach.
- Assist with the development and maintenance of records and files of communication and outreach content -- for CMM institutional memory and quick staff access.
- Travel to USAID Missions in overseas locations to document CMM programming and activities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Education, Experience, and Skills:
- Demonstrated experience and leadership in developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive strategic communications, media relations, and marketing program to advance agency mission and goals
- Masters degree with 10 years of experience working in strategic communications or related field, or Bachelors degree with 15 years of experience in strategic communications or related field--
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing a branding strategy
- Ability to transform technical jargon into communications messages for a variety of audiences, including the public, Congress, and other Agency stakeholders.
- Extensive experience writing, editing, and placing pieces in a variety of print and social media channels.
- Knowledge of conflict mitigation or peace-building is preferred.
U.S. Citizenship is required; selected candidate must be able to qualify for a government sponsored clearance.
Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.
*This position description reflects Macfadden’s assignment of essential functions; nothing in this job description restricts the Company’s latitude to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.***
PAE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, United States military veteran’s status, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, family structure, medical condition including genetic characteristics or information, veteran status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law.