Communications Director (R4D)/Director of Impact Communications, EdTech Hub

Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.

We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity—of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds—is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect. Teams across the organization frequently collaborate on programmatic work and support each other in continuously building a better R4D.

Position title: Communications Director (R4D)/Director of Impact Communications, EdTech Hub

Location: This position allows for a hybrid office/remote work environment and can be based in the US or any other of R4D’s registered offices such as the UK, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Please note this opportunity is only for individuals who have current and indefinite work authorization in one of the countries listed above and do not require future work sponsorship.

Practice/Department: Education–EdTech Hub

About EdTech Hub

EdTech Hub is a program that empowers people by giving them the evidence they need to make decisions about technology in education as part of a global non-profit partnership focusing on research, innovation and engagement.

At EdTech Hub we do rigorous academic research on how to use technology in education and provide technical assistance to support decision-makers inside and outside government to make clear policy and implementation decisions to achieve maximum impact. EdTech Hub additionally seeks to function as a “hub” for learning, and share a range of global public goods to make evidence available to a wide audience.

EdTech Hub is delivered through a consortium of R4D and four core sub-contractors and a range of country- and activity-specific local and international sub-contractors. From a management perspective, it is a complex program funded by multiple donors including various departments within the UK government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank and UNICEF. This is year 5 of the anticipated 8-year contract with FCDO.

Position Summary

• Directs and is responsible for the execution of an impact communication strategy that prioritizes the delivery and accessibility of program-generated evidence and proof of concept to key stakeholders in the global development EdTech sector, including donors, policy makers, government officials, partner organizations and partner prospects.
• Serves as a member of the EdTech Hub’s strategic leadership team, working closely with the Hub’s Executive Director to proactively identify/design and execute against opportunities to expand the Hub’s visibility, eminence and impact on global and national levels, influencing the sector by creating opportunities for the Hub to lead, collaborate or participate in key publications or events.
• Oversees a communications team responsible for high-volume production of technical outputs, out-bound communication channels (two websites, social media platforms, a blog, a burgeoning email program) events management, and IT support.
• Ensures consistent messaging and brand across the Hub in all engagements and outputs through close cross-collaboration with all technical and service teams, reinforcing our integrated approach to research, innovation and technical assistance.
• Directs stakeholder management and leverages the collective and individual value of the consortium to advance evidence-based decision-making in EdTech.
• Integrates with R4D’s Education and Communications teams to provide insight into the Hub’s collective impact in support of R4D as prime.

Responsibilities

• Directs the EdTech Hub’s impact communications strategy and strategic messaging in collaboration with the Hub’s management team, and passionately and nimbly manage all outward-facing communication, ensuring there is consistent messaging, branding, and language.
• Create, disseminate and maintain a suite of impact communications collateral and assets that expertly demonstrate the use and access of Hub technical outputs to the world, as well as the effectiveness of the mission and investment in EdTech research, innovation and country engagement in order to encourage stakeholder adoption of evidence in decision making.
• Oversee the development and dissemination/rollout of technical publications and collections of evidence that are eye-catching, intellectually stimulating, compelling, useful to impact-oriented audiences.
• Manage, in collaboration with the Hub’s strategic leadership and delivery lead teams, editorial and events calendar to strategically roll out a variety of formal and informal content and publications over the course of the year, including flagship reports, donor reports, technical product and partnership launch/completion efforts, country engagement activities, and technical assistance milestones.
• Develop ideas for new products, formats or channels that will best showcase the Hub’s research, advocate for policy uptake and systems change, and appropriately highlight the direct and indirect contributions/involvement of partners, funders and decision-makers.

Manage a three-member communications team specializing in content management, production and promotion, with additional part-time support for content and asset creation.

• Serve as high-level editor and contribute as lead writer on content generated to promote the technical work and purpose of the Hub on all communications channels, and lead on donor communications and requests.
• Oversee the strategic direction and goals of the Hub’s communications team and guide the team on objective and tactic setting to advance the Hub, and in support of their personal and professional contributions to the Hub.
• Provide aspiration and practical guidance on the maintenance and evolution of the Hub’s communications platforms to demonstrate continued growth and improvement in a fast-evolving world of communications and marketing opportunities, tactics and tools.
• Oversee the team to manage, produce, and generate content on the Hub’s website, blog, email program (e-newsletter) and social media accounts (Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Oversee the workflow of external facing products from announcements to blogs to formal reports, liaising with authors and technical experts
• Set key performance indicators (KPIs) and work with the team to regularly measure outcomes and adapt plans according to data insights
• Oversee and maintain the communications budget.

Identify and proactively pursue opportunities for the Hub to engage in country, regional, and global fora likely to advance our mission of empowering decision-makers with evidence.

• Support Hub staff across several organizations, disciplines, and time zones to communicate clearly, simply and accurately about their work
• Identify and execute Hub participation or leadership of engaging and seamless virtual and face-to-face events, across many time zones and with diverse audiences
• Manage and take advantage of both short- and long-lead opportunities that advance the mission of the Hub.
• Participates fully as a member of R4D by contributing, assisting and participating in projects, activities, and initiatives as requested by R4D management.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years relevant experience, master’s degree preferred, but not required
• Experience executing communications strategies with global and national audiences and across multiple platforms and mediums
• Experienced, clear, precise writer and editor in English
• Passionate about getting information to people in creative and compelling ways.
• Exceptional attention to detail, ability to develop and oversee workflow processes and systems
• An uncanny knack for keeping lots of balls in the air with grace and a positive attitude
• Proactive, organized, sets and meets deadlines, balances competing priorities
• Attentive supervisor with experience delegating and empowering team members, setting high expectations and motivating the team to meet them
• Creative communicator with new ideas and a willingness to take risks
• Ability to work with and bring together a diverse group of stakeholders
• Experience working in the global education space strongly preferred, experience working in international field particularly with audiences in low- and middle-income countries required