Outreach & Visibility Expert

Title: Outreach & Visibility Expert (m/f/d)

Number of Working Days: Up to 110 working days

Duration (tentative): January 2025 – August 2026

Location: Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, or Sierra Leone (Applications from outside of the mentioned countries would also be considered)

Deadline: 31 March 2025 (Please note that applications may be closed before the deadline if a sufficient number of quality applications are received.)

Background: The WYDE project is committed to enhancing youth engagement in electoral processes and democratic participation across five focus countries: Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The main products of Cluster 2 are an open-source Digital Training Package “E-Learning Platform” which youth can access for self-taught capacity building, and sub-grants to help leverage youth engagement in domestic election observation and reform advocacy. As part of our efforts to amplify the impact and reach of our initiatives, we are seeking a Outreach & Visibility Expert based in one of these countries. This expert will collaborate with partner organisations, the project’s Stakeholders Engagement Expert, and project team to ensure and expand the reach and visibility of a Digital Training Package, with the aim of bolstering the usability and engagement of the platform among youth in these countries and beyond, making sure it can lead to youth action in domestic election observation and reform advocacy and thus have real impact.

We are inviting applications from qualified Outreach & Visibility Experts who have a proven track record in coordinating and mainstreaming outreach and visibility efforts among multiple stakeholders, particularly youth in West Africa (Anglophone). Ideal candidates will possess extensive experience in the targeted region and deep familiarity with the subjects of the digital training package, ensuring that their efforts effectively resonate with and empower the young demographic we aim to reach.

The Digital Training Package includes five specialised modules, which are Democratic Values & Participation, Election Observation, Public Finance Management (PFM), PVT/ PRVT, & Use of ICT Equipment in Electoral Processes.

About the WYDE Project: The Women and Youth in Democracy Civic Engagement (WYDE) initiative, funded by the European Union, strives to enhance the participation, empowerment, and inclusion of women and youth in democratic processes globally. With a focus on fostering active citizenship and strengthening democratic institutions, the sub-programme WYDE Civic Participation, led by the European Partnership for Democracy and its member organisations, aims to create opportunities for meaningful engagement and advocacy at national, regional, and global levels.

About WYDE Cluster 2 – Youth AHEAD (Action for Holistic Electoral Approach for Democracy): Led by EPD-member Democracy Reporting International (DRI) and supported by a consortium of partners, including EPD-members EDGE, Election Watch EU, and European Exchange, WYDE Cluster 2 is one of five thematic clusters of WYDE Civic Participation and focuses on empowering youth to actively participate in electoral processes and democratic accountability efforts. Through initiatives such as domestic election observation, advocacy for electoral reform, and capacity-building activities, Youth AHEAD aims to equip young people with the necessary skills and knowledge to advocate for inclusive and transparent democratic governance. By engaging youth-led civil society organisations and fostering collaboration with local and regional stakeholders, Cluster 2 seeks to amplify youth voices and promote a culture of democratic engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Objectives: The Outreach & Visibility Expert will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive outreach strategy to promote the WYDE project’s Cluster 2 activities, particularly the Digital Training Package developed under Cluster 2 and utilised by the project’s partners to ensure youth capacity building. This strategy aims to enhance project visibility, engage stakeholders, primarily young users, and ensure widespread dissemination and utilisation of the e-learning resources (socialisation).

Scope of Work:

• Develop Outreach & Visibility Strategy: Create a detailed plan to promote the Digital Training Package among target audiences, which includes youth groups and civil society organisations in West Africa. The strategy will leverage both digital and traditional media, as well as face-to-face communication techniques to maximise outreach to and usefulness for youth. It will also closely relate to the WYDE Cluster 2 exit strategy.
• Content Creation and Management: Produce and oversee the third-party production of engaging and inclusive content such as press releases, newsletters, blog posts, and social media content, as well as communication materials for Project Partners in face-to-face meetings with youth. Ensure content is tailored to the needs and interests of the target audience (youth in West Africa) and aligned with the project’s goals.
• Social Media Management: Develop and execute social media campaigns to promote the Digital Training Package and other project activities to increase engagement, outreach, and awareness about the projects and the availability of the DTP. Monitor social media platforms to engage with the audience and respond to inquiries.
• Collaboration with Project Partners: Work closely with WYDE Cluster 2 European affiliates and African partners and other WYDE stakeholders to ensure their active participation in the outreach & visibility efforts. Provide support and guidance to partners – including project sub-grantees – on best outreach & visibility practices.
• Sub-Granting & Selection Process: Collaborate in the review of applications for advocacy action grants, with specific focus on outreach and visibility potential of proposals.
• Training & Resource Development: Develop and deliver training and information sessions focusing on effective outreach and visibility strategies and best practices for the use of the Digital Training Package (DTP) for community engagement.
• Outreach Expansion: Work closely with the Stakeholder Engagement Expert to proactively establish and nurture relationships with organisations outside the immediate cluster of sub-grantees, aiming to expand the reach, applicability and impact of the DTP.
• Sustainability & Exit Strategy: Work closely with the Stakeholder Engagement Expert to develop the project’s exit plan and sustainability strategy to ensure sustained engagement with the DTP beyond the project’s duration and build upon outreach and visibility efforts carried out during the project.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Track the effectiveness of outreach & visibility strategies and activities through regular monitoring and reporting. Adjust strategies as necessary to improve engagement and outcomes.

Deliverables:

• A comprehensive outreach & visibility strategy document, to be reviewed every six months and for the exit strategy.
• Develop and publish content based on monthly content calendars for all managed platforms, including in line with sector developments such as elections.
• Monthly updates on analytics of engagement on the WYDE Cluster 2 social media platforms.
• Quarterly reports on the impact of outreach & visibility activities, including summaries of analytics of engagement and recommendations for strategy refinement.
• Final project report detailing the outreach & visibility activities carried out, lessons learned, and recommendations for the continued use of the DTP and related future projects to be included in the exit strategy that will be developed by the Stakeholder Engagement Expert in a co-creation-process at the beginning of the assignment.

Duration: The assignment will start in January 2025 and end in August 2026, aligning with the project lifecycle which concludes in August 2026.

Reporting: The Outreach & Visibility Expert will report directly to the Project Manager (DRI) of Cluster 2 of the WYDE Civic Engagement project and will coordinate closely with the Cluster 2 lead, EDGE, for aspects related to the Digital Training Package.

Qualifications:

• Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field. Advanced degrees in these areas are preferred.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in communications, public relations, or media management, with a proven track record of developing and implementing successful communication strategies and campaigns, preferably with youth in West Africa. Experience in a multi-country and multi-stakeholder environment or international projects in an NGO is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in communications, media relations, or public relations, preferably within the context of international development or civil society projects and focused on youth.
• Strong writing, story-telling, design (audio-visual products) and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, engaging content for a variety of audiences.
• Experience with Mailchimp or other email builder platforms for newsletter outreach.
• Previous experience with monitoring and tracking Social Media performance/engagement.
• Experience managing social media platforms and campaigns and understanding current engagement trends.
• Experienced with design and editing tools such as Canva, Photoshop, Premiere, WordPress, and Illustrator.
• Familiarity with the political and social context of West Africa and previous experience with similar – ideally youth – projects is desirable.
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in one or more regional languages is an advantage.
• Awareness of gender and diversity issues, including gender-sensitive Outreach & Visibility.
• Ability to work closely with and coordinate with stakeholders remotely.

How to apply

Application Procedure: Interested candidates are invited to submit their 1) CV and 2) a cover letter outlining their suitability for the role and their approach to the outreach & visibility strategy based on previous relevant experiences and 3) a financial offer for the daily rate and the total for the assignment in EUR to (info.wyde@democracy-reporting.org) by 31 March 2025. Include “WYDE Outreach & Visibility Expert” in the subject line of the email. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. This position is subject to funding.