ThaiNGO

Communications and Outreach Support Consultant

USAID Wildlife Asia Project

Bangkok, Thailand

Project – USAID Wildlife Asia

USAID Wildlife Asia seeks to significantly reduce wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China by employing a comprehensive regional cooperation approach. Specifically, Wildlife Asia will (i) Reduce consumer demand for wildlife and wildlife products in target areas; (ii) Strengthen regional law enforcement capacity and coordination; (iii) Increase commitment to addressing counter wildlife trafficking (CWT); and, (iv) Support the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia’s (RDMA’s) coordination of regional CWT stakeholders and efforts to strengthen the US Government (USG) interagency CWT initiatives. 

USAID Wildlife Asia is based in Bangkok, Thailand and the geographic scope includes all ASEAN countries, with a focus on the Lower Mekong (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia) and China. The species of primary interest are elephants (ivory), pangolins, rhinos (rhino horn), and Asian big cats. This activity is the first Task Order under the USAID/Asia Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, and has an estimated value of $24 million for five years. The project is beginning its fourth year of implementation

Role

RTI International’s International Development Group seeks an experienced Communications and Outreach Support Consultant with a proven record of success providing high quality stories, articles, speeches, social media and other communications and outreach products for high-profile regional USAID programs covering Asia-Pacific. The Consultant will work part time, and remotely as needed, together in coordination with the current Communications and Outreach Specialist, Deputy Chief of Party and Chief of Party to prepare, draft, edit and manage the communications and outreach portfolio of USAID Wildlife Asia.  The candidate will report on a daily basis to the Deputy Chief of Party and overall to the USAID Wildlife Asia Chief of Party.

Communications and Outreach Responsibilities

• Develop communications and outreach mechanisms and materials to raise the profile and awareness of USAID Wildlife Asia activities and their results, including planning and conducting project and media events; creating communications products for a range of stakeholder needs; and managing the USAID Wildlife Asia website and social media platforms.
• Write, edit and finalize press releases, speeches project summaries, fact sheets, presentations, social media posts and other communications materials to highlight project successes and challenges.
• Help prepare weekly updates, Exposure, web and success stories, and content for use in U.S. Government (USG) publications such as the USAID Impact Blog and other media.
• Help provide guidance to the program team on document formats, including branding and marking in accordance with USAID policies.
• Work with team members to ensure project communications and branding guidelines and best practices are followed by Consortium members.
• Edit and format technical reports, contract deliverables, and promotional materials, ensuring clear and concise English language usage and professional presentation.
• Help prepare and update the Social Media Plan for inclusion in annual work plan, quarterly and annual report submissions relating to communications and outreach and maintain a project and CWT events communications calendar.
• As needed, prepare requests for review and approval by USAID within the required notice period.
• Help coordinate with operations and technical teams to support events, preparing relevant materials and promotional materials to advance project initiatives.
• Support technical activities related to social behavior change communications campaigns with communications and social media outreach.
• Draft success stories according to USAID guidelines.
• Help draft and edit program reports, including quarterly, annual and other ad hoc reports as needed.
• Help manage media and photo archives and communications-related contract deliverables.
• Travel to program countries to execute responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications

•  Master’s degree in environment, biodiversity or conservation fields.

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in journalism, communications and outreach in Southeast Asia
• USAID project communications experience required, including experience preparing communications plans.
• Excellent communications skills (both written and verbal).
• Strong photographic skills preferred.
• Excellent attention to detail, able to meet deadlines and produce quality documents.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Word, PowerPoint, Publisher).
• South East Asia experience preferred.
• Bachelor's degree required in relevant field.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary team.
• Fluent and superior English written and verbal communication skills, including expertise writing and editing reports and communications products for a USAID audience.
• Able to work effectively with the Microsoft office suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Adobe required. Experience working with QuickBooks strongly preferred.

To Apply: Qualified candidates are invited to apply by submitting CV and letter of interest to the following email address: hr@usaidwildlifeasia.org

Subject line: USAID Wildlife Asia – Communications and Outreach Support Consultant

Deadline: October 14, 2019

Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.