AID Development Program Specialist- Senior Development Outreach and Communications Specialist, FSNPSC-11

Program and Project Development Office, USAID/Nepal
Position Description

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

The Senior Development Outreach Communication (DOC) Specialist reports to the Program Officer and/or his/her designee, and collaborates closely with the Mission Director, Deputy Director, technical offices, and USAID implementing partners to develop and implement the overall Mission communications strategy. The Senior DOC Specialist collaborates with the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Office (PAS) to ensure that Embassy personnel are properly apprised of USAID public activities and projects; and, serves as principal liaison with the USAID/Washington Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA). The USAID/Nepal Mission manages the USG development program in Nepal, with a program budget of approximately US$80 million per annum. The Mission portfolio includes a broad range of economic growth, agriculture, democracy and governance, health, education, and natural resource management program activities. The Senior DOC Specialist supports the Mission in the achievement of its objectives by producing and disseminating public information about Mission programs, projects, and activities in Nepal, and educating and promoting a better understanding of USAID programs. S/he is responsible for collecting, investigating, managing, and distributing information associated with the USAID foreign assistance program in Nepal, and serves as the primary Mission point of contact and liaison for information requests.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES % OF TIME

A. Communications Management and Strategic Planning – 60%

The Senior DOC Specialist is responsible for contributing to policies and procedures for Mission communications and outreach that clarify roles and responsibilities within USAID and with other Embassy sections and implementing partners, including templates for various communication tools, standards for creating and finalizing DOC materials, and guidelines for planning and managing events. S/he leads development of the Mission communications strategy, identifying objectives, messages, audiences, products, and budgets, and developing plans in coordination with USAID managers and technical teams, consistent with the Mission development strategy and the overall Embassy communications strategy. The Senior DOC Specialist leads in the design of public information products, ensuring that Mission communication products contain appropriate and consistent messages that support the approved Mission communications strategy; and, provides quality control on all print and electronic public information materials such as the external website, organizational brochures and information packets, and briefing books produced by the public relations contractor and other USAID staff.

1. Media Relations: The Senior DOC Specialist is responsible for Mission media activities; liaising with the Embassy PAS media team, and working closely with PAS staff and the DOC team to generate press coverage of USAID activities in Nepal. This includes arranging and preparing for press interviews, press conferences, briefings, tours of programs/projects/activities, and interaction with host-country and American journalists. S/he tracks USAID program/project/activity milestones and events to ensure that appropriate press coverage is provided; advises the Mission Front Office and staff on press outreach priorities, and whether coverage is culturally and politically appropriate; oversees and produces media materials (including news releases, backgrounders, and fact sheets) designed to inform editors and reporters of technical programs/projects/activities and their achievements; coordinates with technical offices and with the Embassy PAS section to produce and