Short Description for External Candidate

Save the Children has been working in Rwanda since 1994 in partnership with the Government of Rwanda (GoR) and local stakeholders to promote a bright future for children. We have experience working in all 30 districts across the country. The main areas of focus are education, child protection, child rights governance, and health and nutrition in humanitarian and development con

ROLE PURPOSE: 

Save the Children Rwanda is working with the Ministry of Education to ensure that all children benefit from an inclusive and equitable basic education. For a period of five years, Save the Children is going to lead the implementation of the Zero Out of School Children Project which is co-funded by Education Above All Foundation (with support from Qatar Fund For Development) and the Rwandan Ministry of Education. Our join vision is that no child misses out on primary education in Rwanda. The project will directly contribute to achieving universal primary education in Rwanda and will support the strategy of the Government of Rwanda towards zero out-of-school children at primary school level. The project’s outcomes are as follow: 

• Strengthening the identification, enrollment, attendance and retention of out-of-school children at the school-level;
• Empowering communities and families to promote identification, enrollment, attendance and retention of out-of-school children; and
• Strengthening policies, data and feedback management systems on and for out-of-school children

Hence, Save the Children is seeking a Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Senior Specialist for this project: Zero Out of School Children.

The Social Behaviour Change Communications (SBCC)Senior Specialist will support the consortium’s internal and external communications, including institutional learning and administrative support. S/he will be responsible for ensuring donor visibility requirements are met. This may be facilitated by the creation of consortium-wide templates for common items and Information Education Communication (IEC) materials. S/he will ensure that the information disseminated to partners is consistent, timely and accurate. S/he will also be a critical player in the development and roll-out of the project’s SBCC strategy. 

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

• Lead the consortium internal and external communication.
• Lead the development and the roll out of the Zero Out of School Children SBCC Strategy and facilitate cross-organization learning and sharing.
• Coordination & Development of communications materials and products and ensure the proper and quality design branding that comply with EAA, MINEDUC and Save the Children requirements.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining any digital/social media platforms used to capture and disseminate project results and success stories.

Reports to: Project Director.

Staff directly reporting to this post: Communications Officer.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Coordination & Development of communications materials and products

• Lead the development of the project communications and SBCC strategy to ensure gender-sensitive, inclusive, positive identification, enrolment and retention of out of school children messaging.
• Coordinate with MINEDUC staff, project and implementing partners (Humanity and Inclusion and NUDOR) in planning and coordinating community mobilization campaigns, activating partnerships at community, district, and national levels to encourage the wider community in playing their role to ensure out of school children are identified, enrolled and retained in school.
• Plan and coordinate OOSC identification, enrolment and retention in school advocacy campaigns with MINEDUC, its agencies and other educational partners and stakeholders to secure political and social commitment towards the Zero Out of School Children.
• Ensure regular media engagement and collaboration. 
• Lead the drafting and publication of project communication materials, facilitating the incorporation of identification, enrolment and retention of all categories of children messaging into all project capacity building materials and trainings and events.
• Lead the design and publications of social media posts, articles and testimonies, documentary films that tell success stories of beneficiaries about the project
• Lead development of promotional materials, and strategic mass media approaches such as media releases, press conferences, site visits, videos, websites, Public Service Announcements, radio programs, social media and tweets, and other similar promotion opportunities.
• Work with Save the Children SBCC Manager, ensuring news items and information about events are regularly disseminated to stakeholders and supporting the coordination of events and related advocacy activities.
• Support the branding of all project materials by ensuring consistency and compliance with EAC, MINEDUC and Save the Children branding and marking direction.
• Work closely with the project team and Save the Children US to ensure that all communications comply with Save the Children, donor and MINEDUC requirements, maintaining accuracy and consistency in messaging.

Facilitate cross-organization learning and sharing

• Collaborate with consortium organizations and education partners to ensure consistency of messaging and value addition across the identification, enrolment and retention of out of school children.
• Work with the MEAL Manager, Education Project Manager and District Coordinators in the joint work planning of events, field site visits, and meetings. 
• Support to take minutes in SMT project meetings and share with the team the action points.
• Develop and use approved templates and formats to produce and disseminate regular project updates to internal and external stakeholders, including developing electronic and print materials such as fact sheets, briefings, presentations, publications, talking points and/or speeches, press briefings and releases, newsletters, quarterly success stories, snapshots, before and after pieces, and other communications materials.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

• Support the documentation of progress on indicators/achievement of targets, action plans and accountability mechanisms and provide feedback for improvements.
• Develop case studies, presentations for meetings at different level, and other related materials.
• Support the Communications Officer to ensure the short videos, pictures with consent forms are taken to document and share learnings of the project implementation.
• Coordinate with project staff on weekly, monthly and quarterly updates, review and compile quarterly and semi annual reports from different project unit and partners, ensure the correct templates are used with a high-quality content and design, and submit to the project director within the set deadline. 
• Provide communications-related mentorship and guidance to the project staff.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism or equivalent field.
• Have at least 5 years of experience of working in communications, developing and rolling out SBCC Strategy, reporting and/or production of communication materials.
• Expert knowledge in synthesizing complex technical issues and subjects for presentation to diverse stakeholders and audiences, including the press.
• Commitment to Save the Children’s mission and values. Demonstrated ability to organize workload, respond to multiple demands, and meet short deadlines. 
• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment. 
• Experience in the field of internal and external communications, including developing and implementing a communications strategy and brand management, ensuring compliance and consistency of messaging.
• Proven ability to forge connections between different organizations/institutions and to develop smooth lines of communication between them.
• Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status or other marginalized status.
• Proven experience in editing and improving documents produced by non-native English speakers. 
• Experience in public relations and implementation of communication plans, digital media, branding compliance, as well as experience providing support to Nationwide projects is required. 

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Excellent English and Ikinyarwanda language writing, speaking and editing skills. 
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills. 
• Strong working computer skills and proficiency with MS Word, Spreadsheet, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Project, and comfort with learning new applications as required. 
• Proven experience in using social media. 
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and to adapt to changing work plans. 
• Familiarity with current web-based tools, apps, and IT platforms. 
• High-level interpersonal skills, as well as stakeholder management skills. 
• Ability to work well in a culturally diverse and team-based environment. 
• Motivation to work independently with limited supervision. 
• Must be flexible, innovative, proactive, to work under tight deadlines. 
• Maturity, professionalism, positive attitude. 

Perform other duties, as assigned by the Project Director

PERSONAL BEHAVIOURS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Commitment to Save the Children’s mission and values.
• Initiative, flexibility and ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• High levels of self-motivation and initiative.
• Ownership and accountability of own work.
• High levels of confidentially and integrity.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the broader team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities. 

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and take responsibility for their own personal development.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, managers, members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency.

Commitment to Save the Children values.

Deadline: February 10th, 2025

Application Link: Click here

CHILD SAFEGUARDING

This position is Child Safeguarding Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; ore because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY

We are committed to ensuring a safe working environment for all those who work for us and for all those who come into contact with our staff and representatives, including children and members of the communities with whom we work.

SCI takes a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and any other conduct that is discriminatory or disrespectful to others.

We need to keep children safe, so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

*Note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. *

*Disclaimer: Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process.