Vacancy: Communication Specialist

Company Profile

USAID Advancing Nutrition is USAID’s flagship multi-sectoral nutrition project, led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI), and a diverse group of experienced partners. Launched in September 2018, USAID Advancing Nutrition implements and provides technical support to nutrition interventions across sectors and disciplines for USAID and its partners. The project’s multi-sectoral approach draws together global nutrition experience to design, implement and evaluate programs that address the root causes of malnutrition. Committed to using a systems approach, USAID Advancing Nutrition strives to sustain positive outcomes by building local capacity, supporting behavior change, and strengthening the enabling environment to save lives, improve health, build resilience, increase economic productivity and advance development. From 2020 - 2022, USAID Advancing Nutrition will provide technical support and assessment services to advance the Government of Ghana’s efforts to improve equitable delivery of quality services that promote household resilience and early childhood growth and development. Technical services provided through USAID Advancing Nutrition will strengthen national and local government planning in Northern Ghana and stimulate the development of multisectoral solutions most pressing food security and nutrition problems. The portfolio will encompass activities funded by USAID/Washington as well as the USAID Ghana Mission.

Job Description

• Job Location: Tamale with periodic travel to project sites as required.


• Reporting: The Communication Specialist will report to the project’s Chief of Party.

Job Summary

The Communication Specialist is a key member of the USAID Advancing Nutrition Ghana team, undertaking all communication-related tasks to ensure information is well-presented and accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the USAID Advancing Nutrition technical staff, deliver technical assistance to national and subnational government agencies to design and implement effective communication strategies to promote multi-sectoral planning and implementation for food security and nutrition


• Lead the design, review and dissemination of knowledge management and communication materials for dissemination to target audiences, ensuring compliance with project-approved branding and marking requirements and graphic standards 


• Contribute to drafting quarterly, annual, and other ad hoc reports on project activities and ensure all reports are compliant with the project branding and marking requirements.


• Assist project staff and stakeholders to design and hold public learning events at national and regional levels (inclusive of target districts) to share program learning and improve understanding of nutrition in multi-sectoral programming


• Manage the project’s communication and media engagement and supporting Regional Coordinating Councils and Districts on effective media engagement


• Collaborate with USAID Advancing Nutrition technical staff and coordinate with the MEL Specialist to develop success stories and document lessons learned, using a human-interest approach bolstered with project data.


• Document impact of program through photography and videography featuring project beneficiaries, project staff and counterparts.

Required Skills or Experience

• Minimum of Bachelor`s Degree in Communication, Development Studies, Social Science, Project Management or related area with a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible work experience managing project communications.


• Prior experience working on a USAID-funded project in a communications capacity


• Prior experience facilitating knowledge learning events involving national and subnational government stakeholders, NGOs and donors.


• Must be knowledgeable in Microsoft Suite, graphics, PowerPoint, photo and video editing tools.


• Excellent English language skills, both written and spoken with strong presentation skills.

Preferred Skills or Experience

• Experience with photography, videography and news writing a plus.


• Experience supporting national and subnational local government authorities, CSOs and USAID projects