Analyst: JET Communications: (JET PMU)

Background
The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through a combination of grant making, fellowships, transformational research, technical assistance, coalition building and advocacy the ACF seeks to support interventions at the nexus of climate change, and development that have the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive development.

The JET PMU

The JET PMU operates as a high-impact delivery unit, driving the Just Energy Transition (JET) through strategic coordination, agile execution, and results-driven implementation. Focused on accelerating project pipelines, mobilising resources, problem solving and fostering collaboration, the PMU bridges policy and action.

About the role

As part of the MOU signed between the African Climate Foundation (ACF) and the Just Energy Transition Projects Management Unit (JET PMU); the ACF agreed to provide resources to the JET PMU to enable the JET PMU to fulfil its mandate pursuant to the JET PMU’s terms of reference. This includes the secondment of technical experts across all relevant disciplines to support the agenda of the JET PMU.

South Africa's just energy transition is one of the defining national conversations of this decade — complex, contested, and crucial. The JET PMU needs a skilled communications practitioner who can keep that conversation well-informed: producing sharp, accurate content across multiple platforms, monitoring public discourse for signals that matter, and making sure the PMU's events and stakeholder engagements actually land.

This is a high-output role with real breadth — writing press releases and social posts in the morning, reviewing media monitoring data for emerging risks at midday, and coordinating a stakeholder event in the afternoon. It suits someone who thrives on variety, takes quality seriously, and is motivated by work that genuinely matters.

The Analyst: JET Communications is the engine room of the PMU's day-to-day communications output. The role covers five interconnected areas: content development, multimedia and digital management, media monitoring and analysis, stakeholder event coordination, and internal reporting and brand stewardship.

The Analyst works within the strategic framework set by the Manager: JET Communications, translating narrative direction into high-quality tactical outputs across digital and traditional platforms. The role requires someone who can move quickly without cutting corners — who produces polished work at volume and flags issues before they become problems.

This role will be seconded to the JET PMU and will work under the direction of the Manager: JET Communications.

Key Deliverables:

Content Development

• Draft professional press releases, media statements, briefing notes, and speeches that align with the JET PMU “Master Narrative”.
• Produce engaging newsletters and leader articles to position the JET PMU effectively within the energy sector.
• Proactively collaborate with team members and lead institutions to synthesise technical data into strategic, public-facing content.
• Ensure all materials strictly adhere to the JET PMU's branding guidelines.

Multimedia & Digital Management

• Develop infographics and multimedia assets to translate complex energy transition concepts into accessible formats for public consumption.
• Maintain and continuously improve the JET PMU’s digital footprint, including the website and social media channels.

Media Monitoring & Analysis

• Conduct daily scans of traditional and social media to track JET mentions and broader energy transition discourse.
• Immediately identify and escalate negative sentiment or emerging issues to management to ensure swift mitigation.
• Compile analytical reports on media trends, engagement metrics, and public discourse to inform ongoing communications improvements and evaluate PMU communications effectiveness.
• Maintain a comprehensive digital archive of crisis communications, event timelines, and public reactions for future reference.

Stakeholder Event Coordination

• Manage the end-to-end logistics for media briefings, stakeholder dialogues, and public engagement events.
• Coordinate the practical requirements for webinars, press conferences, and outreach initiatives.
• Build and maintain an accurate, up-to-date database of journalists, media houses, and key communication partners.

Reporting, Brand Stewardship and Administration

• Compile quarterly communications impact reports aggregating data on media reach, digital engagement, and stakeholder participation for review by the Manager: JET Communications.
• Manage the JET PMU's internal communications repository (SharePoint/Teams), ensuring team members have access to the latest approved messaging and brand assets.
• Conduct routine reviews of internal presentations and documents to ensure branding and messaging consistency before external use.
• Track budget expenditure against invoices and manage project timelines for external service providers.

Who we are looking for

This role suits a mid-career communications professional who combines strong writing craft with analytical capability and operational discipline. Here is what we are looking for:

A versatile, high-quality writer

• You write well across formats — a media statement and a social post are different disciplines, and you understand both. You can take technical or policy content and make it clear and engaging without losing accuracy. You work quickly and you self-edit well.

Media monitoring experience with analytical instinct

• You have done daily media monitoring and you understand the difference between routine mentions and a developing risk. You can move from raw monitoring data to a concise, useful analysis for a senior manager.

Digital and multimedia capability

• You are comfortable managing website content and social media channels, and you have experience producing or commissioning infographics and visual content. Proficiency in Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or equivalent tools, and familiarity with web CMS platforms and social analytics, are important.

Operational reliability

• This role involves coordinating events, maintaining databases, tracking budgets, and managing timelines — alongside the creative and analytical work.

Energy, climate, or government sector familiarity

• You don't need to be a JET expert on day one, but prior experience in government, development, climate change, or energy will meaningfully shorten your learning curve and strengthen your content from the start.

Experience

• At least 5 years of experience in communications, media relations, digital communications, or public relations. A track record of producing high-quality written and digital content in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Studies, or a related field.

Start date: Position available immediately

Location: South Africa - Office in Rosebank, Johannesburg

Contract duration: 12 months, consisting of 2 x 6-month renewable contracts

Closing date: 20 March 2026

For further information about the ACF, visit www.africanclimatefoundation.org.

Should you not hear back from us by 30 April 2026, please consider your application to be unsuccessful.

The ACF strives to be an equitable organisation with a team which reflects the diversity of Africa.

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), The ACF assures all applicants that any personal information provided during the recruitment process will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your privacy and data security are of paramount importance to us. By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information for recruitment-related activities only. The ACF is committed to safeguarding your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us.