About Us

International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a U.S. based international development consulting company established in 1987, has worked in over 100 countries and implemented over 300 projects. IBTCI serves government agencies, private sector companies, and several donor agencies. IBTCI specializes in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and institutional support across many areas and sectors including, but not limited to, conflict and crisis, democracy and governance, agriculture, economic growth, food security, education, environment, and global health.

Assignment Title: Development Outreach & Communications (DOC) Officer

Department/Location: DRC/Program Office

Technical Point of Contact: ISPI Project Manager

Type: Consultant

Classification: Consultancy

Category: Ongoing Project

Clearance Required: Facility Access

Overview:

USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) is: Working Towards “A More Peaceful and Prosperous DRC with Improved Opportunities for Communities and Individuals to Thrive”. This high-level goal encapsulates USAID’s long-term vision of a DRC where all communities and people are empowered to move their country closer to self-reliance. Over the next five years, USAID will partner with individuals, communities, and institutions and increase their ability to generate and achieve locally led solutions. However, significant obstacles, including pervasive corruption, weak and ineffective state institutions, extreme poverty, an extractives-dependent economy, and ongoing conflict and instability may affect the Mission’s ability to achieve this goal. These daunting challenges arise from a lack of capacity as well as weak government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (GDRC) commitment at both the national and sub-national levels.

USAID/DRC’s Program Office is charged with strategic planning, budget monitoring and reporting, outreach and communications, knowledge management, policy compliance, and reporting to major stakeholders such as the U.S. Congress, on behalf of the entire Mission. The Development Outreach and Communications function of the Mission is located in the Program Office, and supports the entire Mission’s effort to inform the Congolese and American publics and other key stakeholders about the nature, purpose, extent and impact of USAID’s development and humanitarian assistance, using a variety of approaches such as local and international media, social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), podcasts, radio, and public events involving Mission staff, implementing partners, host-country government at all levels, and activity beneficiaries.

Responsibilities

USAID/DRC seeks to hire a Development, Outreach, and Communications (DOC) Analyst on a short-term consulting basis to support the implementation of high priority U.S. Government initiatives under the Mission's Program Office portfolio. Over the long term, the Mission intends to hire a Personal Services Contractor (PSC) staff member for this role. In the short term, the Mission is hiring a Short-Term Technical Advisor (STTA) to support many of the key aspects of this role during an undetermined period while the Mission establishes the ability to fill the role as a long-term PSC.

In this consulting role, the DOC Officer will play a role in supporting the capacity of the Mission’s DOC team, including working with DOC Foreign Service National (FSN) staff as they design and disseminate information and communication products for a variety of audiences, both local and international, as well as maximizing effective use of audiovisual formats such as informational videos for public dissemination. They may also facilitate review and update/modify, as needed, the Mission’s Communications Strategy. Depending upon the timing of the Mission Senior DOC Advisor’s arrival, they may also assist with their onboarding.

USAID/DRC is seeking a DOC Officer that can serve in a short-term advisory role for 100 days with potential for extension up to 200 days.

The STTA Analyst will provide essential support. Specific deliverables include:

1. Strategic and technical guidance on communications and outreach to most impactfully reach the largest possible local and U.S. audience, including documentation and presentation of the achievements of the Mission in supporting the DRC’s progress in sustainably addressing its major development challenges;
2. Support to FSNs; and
3. Collaboration with the DOC team, advising Team members and other Mission staff in need of DOC services.

The STTA will report to the Director of the Program Office or designee, and will work in close collaboration with program, technical, and leadership staff within the Mission and the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy section.

Scope of Work:

The DOC Officer will play a strategic role in identifying and applying innovative approaches and best practices to increasing public awareness and favorable opinion of USAID/DRC’s development and humanitarian assistance activities. The Officer will contribute to the selection, design, and most effective format and mode of dissemination of content about USAID/DRC’s programming. They will be expected to complete assigned duties with sometimes limited direct supervision, exercising independent judgment as they work with diverse teams from within the USAID mission and with the broader (U.S. Government) interagency in Kinshasa and Washington.

Specifically, the DOC Officer is expected to perform duties in the following areas:

Strategic and Technical Guidance on Communications and Outreach -- 35%

Support both the Mission DOC Team and Mission leadership on the most effective approaches and content for raising public awareness of USAID’s assistance in DRC:

• Conduct strategic analysis on overall messaging to a variety of audiences, and review Mission communications materials and revise them, as needed, to enhance their positive impact.
• Assist the Program Office Director and [Acting] Deputy Director, Mission Technical Office Activity Managers (AORs and CORs), USAID Mission Management, and the USG interagency with effective and positive communications approaches.

Support Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs) - 30%

Provide support and collaborate with FSN DOC Team staff on effective messaging through improved quantity and quality of communications products, as well as diversification of delivery methods.

Collaboration with the DOC Team/Advising Team members and other Mission staff in need of DOC services - 35%

Develop new and innovative partnerships and maintain working relationships, including:

• Serving as a member of USAID technical working groups and other relevant forums to plan and improve the USAID and USG portfolio around market systems approaches and private sector engagement for sustainable food security.

Other duties as assigned.

The consultant will not perform other inherently governmental functions or duties (e.g. will not serve as AOR/COR or supervise staff), but rather will advise, mentor, and facilitate as appropriate on the performance of inherently governmental functions on the part of the DRC Mission.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum of two years of responsible professional or program experience in public communications with the private sector, non-government organizations (NGOs), and/or government.
• Prior experience with communications regarding international development is highly desired.
• Prior experience working in sub-Saharan Africa with exposure to the DRC, highly preferred.
• Prior USG experience is highly preferred.
• Specialized knowledge of design of public communications strategies, content development and dissemination, audience identification and analysis, information-market analysis, and communications technology and media (radio, television, podcasts, social and print media) and equipment (cameras, computers).
• Significant knowledge of Official Development Assistance programs, and working methodologies of donor agencies is desired.
• Knowledge of USG public-information policy is desired, particularly that regarding messaging to international audiences.
• Strong analytical, management and organizational skills are required.
• The position requires demonstrated ability in communications media and content, and technical knowledge of modern media approaches. Considerable discretion, sensitivity, and maturity are mandatory as the applicant will represent USAID in meetings with the U.S. interagency, with Congolese government officials, and with private sector and donor partners.
• The applicant should possess strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, the ability to work within a team setting and with minimal supervision.
• Strong leadership and negotiating skills are required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Word, and Excel are required.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Access and PowerPoint is desired.
• Excellent English writing and speaking ability is required.
• French writing and speaking ability (FSI level 2/2) is strongly desired.
• The candidate should have a demonstrated capacity to communicate complex policy, strategy, and program issues orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and well-organized manner.

Education: The applicant must have a Bachelor's Degree or higher in Communications, Public Relations, Media Studies or Journalism, or a related field.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Travel: International travel may be required and may include travel to fragile or conflict prone zones.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Organization:

IBTCI has been in business since 1987. We specialize in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), Institutional Support (IS), Financial & Risk Management (FRM), Supply Chain Management & Procurement (SCMP); Social & Behavior Change (SBC) and Capacity Building. We provide these services across many sectors including, but not limited to, agriculture, resilience & food security, conflict & crisis, democracy & governance, economic growth & trade, education & human capacity development, energy & infrastructure, environment & climate change, global health & WASH and humanitarian and disaster assistance. At IBTCI, our colleagues are encouraged to collaborate and be part of the solution while getting the tools and guidance needed to grow and support our clients' missions.

IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identification, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact the Talent Acquisition team at TalentAcquisition@ibtci.com (Do not send your resume to this account, for consideration please apply in our career page, https://careers.ibtci.com/jobs).