Call for Senior CommunicationsConsultant: ALIGN Project

The Advancing Learning and Innovation on Gender Norms (ALIGN) project is seeking a consultant to coordinate its communications, including the redesign and development of its digital platform. The position will initially be contracted from June 2018 to June2019, with potential for extension.Hours to be agreed with the contractor.

About ALIGN

ALIGN is a four-year project aimed at establishing a digital platform (available at and supporting an emerging Community of Practice (CoP) centred on gendered norms affecting adolescents and young adults. ALIGN seeks to advance understanding and challenge and change harmful gender norms by connecting a global community of researchers and thought leaders committed to gender justice and equality for adolescents and young adults. ALIGN is led by the Overseas Development Institute and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

About the ALIGN Digital Platform

The ALIGN digital platform, in its second year of development, is the online website for the ALIGN CoP. Itcontains a resource library, curated content, information on funding, news, webinars and forums for shared learning on gender norms. The digital platform is being developed iteratively, and will continue to grow and evolve in design, content and functionality to respond to the needs of the learning community.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Senior Communications Consultant to drive and coordinate the communications workstream of the ALIGN project – including digital strategies and products, events, publications and outreach. The consultant will have experience in web development, communications oversight, event management, writing and editing, andgender-equitable development.

Tasks and responsibilities include:

  1. Platform development and management
  • Lead/support the redesign and redevelopment of the ALIGN platform (including UX analysis and a new content strategy/architecture), liaising with external suppliers and internal stakeholders and project managing the process
  • Lead/support the ongoing development of the digital platform with external suppliers and content providers and internal stakeholders
  • Manage/support weekly content curation and web publishing, including:
  • Liaising with external authors and contributors
  • Sourcing and publishing relevant gender norms material of interest to the CoP
  1. Wider digital management and promotion
  • Manage the project’s social and digital presence, utilising principles of online engagement to grow and engage the CoP, including the following activities:
  • Newsletter production, management and dissemination
  • Development of social media channels and frequent content curation/posting
  • Identification of external platforms, networks and sites to engage and targeted outreach to increase ALIGN’s reach and presence online
  • Online forum facilitation
  1. Events and convening
  • Coordinate and manage events (design/development and delivery)
  • Coordinate and manage webinars (design/development and delivery)
  • Support the Events Convening Fund: Monitoring of key deadlines and milestones, assessment of applications, development of strategic objectives, agendas and targeted participant/contributor outreach (ensuring strong fit with ALIGN’s core purpose/interests), attending and facilitating sessions as necessary, developing outputs for the ALIGN platform/Community of Practice, supporting M+E and reporting on activities and impact to donors
  1. Publications
  2. Coordinate publication schedules and processes
  3. Manage the editing, design and proofread process with external stakeholders
  4. Coordinate publication and dissemination
  5. Commission external designers to produce branded figures and infographics
  6. Manage/support ALIGN’s brand profile by engaging with external designers and supporting the project team in the uptake/use of the brand guide

Coordination of communications more broadly

  • Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to encourage information sharing, coordination and collaboration
  • Coordinate communications outputs and activities
  • Drive community outreach and engagement, including:
  • Contact list management
  • Horizon-scanning
  • Stakeholder-mapping
  • Coordinate communications reporting, monitoring and evaluation

About you

The consultant must have substantial experience and demonstrable success in communications – with a focus on digital skills and expertise – in a busy, fast-paced environment. S/he will need to demonstrate knowledge/experience of gender-equitable development and in working remotely with international partners.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should provide a CV and 1-page cover letter outlining relevant skills and experience to by 20 June 2018.Please clearly indicate your day-rate within the cover letter.