Sr. Specialist, Strategic Communications

Panagora Group is a dynamic woman- and employee-owned small business and social enterprise dedicated to providing high-quality, high-impact international health, development, and learning services. We deliver market-based, integrated, and locally led solutions that strengthen country capacity; and learning, communications, and technology solutions to accelerate and heighten impact. Using novel, innovative, and highly participatory approaches to mobilize community, civil society, and government commitment in defining and owning solutions, we promote inclusive development to benefit all groups.

Panagora seeks an experienced Sr. Specialist, Strategic Communications to implement our external communications strategy, including supervising the Communications Associate, and working closely with the Corporate Communications Director, our CEO, and executive team. The ideal candidate will have 7-10 years of relevant experience in communications. Successful candidates will have experience providing strategic leadership to realize organizational goals through engaging and creative storytelling, messaging, and branding. The Sr. Specialist will have demonstrated experience working for other USAID and other donor-funded implementing partners working in international development and will be familiar with industry trends, issues, and associations.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Director of Corporate Communications, CEO, and executive team to define and refine key strategic priorities and drive external corporate messaging that is aligned with Panagora’s corporate goals, with a strong focus on thought leadership, storytelling, and brand positioning
• Collaborate across departments to gather storytelling ideas and support the development of stories that highlight Panagora’s expertise, services, and successes, ensuring alignment with strategic communications objectives
• Proactively identify opportunities for Panagora to be featured in relevant external publications, including industry journals, media outlets, and thought leadership platforms
• Monitor industry trends and incorporate insights into communication strategies to maintain relevance and competitive advantage
• Champion Panagora’s narrative by developing compelling messaging that elevates the company’s visibility and enhances its position in the market
• Provide guidance on crafting compelling external messaging and storytelling techniques, helping staff to articulate Panagora’s impact, mission, and vision.
• Manage and mentor the Communications Associate, fostering professional growth, providing guidance on strategic communications, and ensuring high-quality execution of deliverables
• Create branded materials, ensuring consistency with the company’s vision, mission, and strategic communications objectives
• Ensure consistency in messaging and tone across all communication channels
• Support projects as needed with direct communications support

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in communications, of which at least 2 of them involved supervision of an employee and overseeing consultants
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing comprehensive external campaigns, tracking and analyzing metrics and other indicators, writing and developing creative content
• Excellent verbal, written, and cross-cultural communication skills; must have strong skills in writing for the web and social media
• Efficient and effective writing for different audiences
• Strong understanding of managing an editorial process within a team and knowledge of how to produce complicated documents (writing, editing, formatting steps and timelines)
• Basic graphic design skills, including basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud suite of software (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) and familiarity with Canva; able to direct graphic design work and manage external graphic designers
• Proficient use of WordPress and Hootsuite or other similar tools
• Experience with USAID policies and programs required, with knowledge of global health, monitoring, evaluation, and learning a plus
• Experience working for USAID implementing partner preferred
• Demonstrated experience managing and working with multi-cultural teams with diverse skill sets
• Willingness to travel internationally

Reports to: Director of Corporate Communications

Salary range: $95,000 - $124,900

No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted. Only applicants who include the required application components will be considered.

Panagora Group is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Panagora Group is currently working a hybrid work schedule, and employees are encouraged to come into the office at least once a week to foster engagement, collaboration, belonging and professional development. Departments/teams will hold in-person meetings that involve a high degree of collaboration, where ideas are generated quickly and often feed off each other, e.g., brainstorming, storyboarding, proposal development, strategic planning, and performance discussions. Staff who reside in the DC/MD/VA area are strongly encouraged to work from the office on those days.

Benefits

Panagora Group offers competitive salaries including regular performance reviews and merit increases with an excellent insurance program (health, dental and vision) paid leave, holidays, bonuses, employee assistance program, training and development assistance, commuter allowance, phone allowance, as well as employee stock ownership (ESOP) and 401K programs.

*Note: Panagora does not offer visa sponsorship at this time.