Job Title: Project Learning and Communications Officer: DDI
Cluster: Innovation and Quality Management
Salary: USD 36,692.07 per annum (excluding benefits)
Contract Type: 12 months initial contract, subject to successful completion of the probationary period
Location: Remote, with international travel required. The candidate must have the legal right to work in their location.
Reports to: Innovation & Quality Management Lead
Direct Reports: Possible interns and temporary staff
Role Overview:
The Project Learning and Communications Officer will play a vital support role in the implementation of the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI). This position contributes to the delivery of the DDI’s learning and visibility objectives by assisting with the coordination of knowledge-sharing initiatives, supporting communications efforts, and maintaining collaboration with strategic learning and research partners.
Under the guidance of the Programme Coordinator and in alignment with the strategic direction of the corresponding Cluster Lead, the Officer will help manage the development of the global digital resource hub, support learning and research collaborations, and ensure communications activities are effectively implemented to highlight project progress, impact, and lessons learned.
The Officer is expected to manage day-to-day tasks, coordinate workflows, and maintain high-quality outputs. Administrative and logistics support will be provided by a Programme Assistant, allowing the Officer to focus on ensuring strong content development, consistency, and timely delivery of communications and learning products to enhance external visibility of the DDI, contributing to advocacy efforts and systemic change.
This role is well-suited to mid or advanced career professional with strong communication and project management skills, attention to detail, and a passion for learning, digital innovation, and civic participation in the global south.
Areas of Responsibilities & Key Activities
Learning Coordination and Knowledge Management
• Support the development and maintenance of a global digital resource hub by curating, uploading, and organizing relevant tools, publications, and case studies.
• Assist in coordinating learning partnerships and research collaborations, including scheduling meetings, following up on deliverables, and supporting documentation.
• Help synthesize learning from partners and activities into accessible internal and external products (e.g., briefs, newsletters, blog posts, OpEds).
• Track learning outputs and contribute to monitoring progress against learning objectives.
Communications and Visibility Support
• Assist in implementing DDI’s communications and visibility plan, ensuring timely publication of updates, stories, and highlights.
• Support the creation of engaging digital content (e.g., social media posts, infographics, video clips) in coordination with partners, DDI staff and the CIVICUS comms cluster.
• Maintain communication calendars and coordinate dissemination across platforms and channels.
• Liaise with the Programme Assistant to ensure timely support with communications-related logistics and procurement (e.g., graphic design, printing, translation services).
Stakeholder and Partner Engagement
• Facilitate (online and in-person) peer-learning within and across the project in various regions, on project and local priority topics related to the utilization of technology for enhanced democracy and civic space.
• Oversee development of the convening of global, regional, national, and local actors to test, learn, and share experiences and practices toward expanding civic space and inclusive democracy by engaging with wider strategic networks.
• Oversee subgrants management to global, regional and national platforms to develop and test local innovations that expand civic space and inclusive democracy through activities such as hack-a-thons, campaign co-designs, etc.
• Ensure learning products from the initiatives piloted by strategic network partners are shared and distributed through the DDI global knowledge hub.
• Work with Global Focus to develop and implement strategies to promote the knowledge hub’s content and broaden its reach within and across project focal global regions and across the globe.
• Facilitate the participation and engagement of local collaborators and host partners in international and global convenings.
• In close coordination with the I & A Officer facilitate and ensure a robust implementation of the plan for communication of results for the DDI Project, including their inclusion in project reporting to different stakeholders.
Other
• The role holder will from time to time be required to carry out any other duties that are within the scope of the job.
• All staff will demonstrate CIVICUS values and principles in all their professional relationships and any interactions that may reflect on CIVICUS
Person Specification
Education, Language & Qualifications
- Degree in Development Studies, Social Sciences, International Relations or another related field, or equivalent work experience
- Fluency in English and either Spanish or French is essential
Essential Knowledge, skills and Experience
- A minimum of 4 years' work experience in a relevant field.
- Strong understanding of the digital landscape and its impact on democracy and civic engagement.
- Experience in coordinating research proposals and research work as well as collating and synthesizing community-driven content.
- Experience in establishing and managing knowledge production and sharing platforms and networks.
- Proven experience in designing and developing content that engage different stakeholders across multiple regions.
- Strong communication and content creation skills, including proficiency in written and visual communication.
- Proficiency in relevant software and technologies for audio and visual content creation.
- Experience working with a diverse range of civil society actors across all global regions but particularly in the global south.
Desirable Knowledge, skills and Experience
- Familiarity with translation processes and procedures.
- Familiarity with grant management and proposal evaluation processes is advantageous.
The closing deadline for applications is on the 16th June 2025 at 11:59pm SAST
Short listed candidates will be contacted 2 weeks after the closing date to schedule interviews.
We appreciate and consider each application submitted. However, given the large volume of applications received, we find it impossible to respond to each applicant immediately. You will hear from us within three weeks only if you’re shortlisted for the next steps. We will update all applicants once the position has been filled.
CIVICUS reserves the right to withdraw any of our vacancies at any time.