Communications Officer- East Africa

ForAfrika is an African-founded and led organisation with over 40 years of impact across the continent. We partner with communities through our integrated development continuum: saving lives and building resilience to reach self-sufficiency through our Humanitarian & Development work, and unlocking commercial viability through our Social Enterprise activities. We are Africans, delivering African-led solutions for Africa, and we stand by our promise: we’re committed to the long run, until the job is done and communities are enabled to thrive.

General Position Summary
The Communications Officer – East Africa plays a key role in capturing, shaping, and amplifying the stories of ForAfrika’s work across Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic. This role is responsible for collecting and developing impactful, evidence-based narratives and multimedia content that reflect the voices of communities we serve and showcase the effectiveness of our programmes to donors, media, and global stakeholders.
This is a dynamic and field-focused role, ideally suited to a self-motivated communications professional with a strong background in humanitarian or development storytelling. The Communications Officer must have a deep understanding of the East African context, excellent writing and photography skills, and a sharp eye for ethical, authentic storytelling.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Strategy and Content Development
• Develop and lead the implementation of the communications strategy across ForAfrika’s
Eastern Africa country operations.
• Lead the creation of compelling, evidence-based narratives that reflect programme impact across East Africa.
• Translate technical programme reports and field data into accessible stories that resonate with external audiences, including donors and media.
• Identify strategic communications opportunities that align with ForAfrika’s mission and advocacy goals.

Field Communications and Deployment
• Coordinate field deployments, including research, planning, and logistics, to ensure efficient and safe content gathering trips.
• Travel regularly to country offices and programme sites to gather high-quality content (stories, interviews, photography, and videography).
• Uphold ethical storytelling standards, ensuring community voices are represented respectfully and accurately.

Media Engagement and Brand Visibility
• Cultivate relationships with local and international journalists and media outlets.
• Support the placement of stories and articles that highlight ForAfrika’s impact in the East Africa region.
• Ensure alignment with ForAfrika’s branding and messaging in all external communications.
Capacity Building and Support
• Mentor and coach field-based staff in content gathering and ethical storytelling best practices.
• Support country teams with communication tools, templates, and guidance for consistent messaging and content quality.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in communications roles within humanitarian or development organisations.
• Graduate degree in journalism, communications, or a related field preferred. Equivalent experience will also be considered.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills in English are essential.
• Proficiency in photography and videography, with experience using Adobe Creative Suite or similar content creation tools preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in fast-paced, field-based environments.
• Strong understanding of development and humanitarian issues across East Africa.
• High level of creativity, initiative, and attention to detail.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to programme sites in challenging environments.
• High level of cultural sensitivity, integrity, and commitment to ForAfrika’s mission.
• Knowledge of French or Arabic would be an added advantage.

Special Requirements
• This position is open to nationals or legal residents of East African countries where ForAfrika operates, including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic and potentially Sudan.
• Submit samples of your previous work, including written stories, photographs, and video content