Start Date: January 2012

Location: Dakar, Senegal 

Direct supervisor(s): Associate Director of US Operations              

Collaborator(s): International Communications Team members in Dakar, DC, and Paris, and Tostan Sweden
                       

Responsibilities

• Support the International communications team in the harmonisation of international communications efforts
• Work with international team to produce and disseminate publicity materials (in French and English), such as a press pack to accompany press releases, website pages, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, films (if qualified), etc.
• Research new techniques and online forums by which Tostan can develop communications with existing audiences, reach out to new audiences, and work to incorporate these techniques into Tostan's standard communications practices
• Assist team to strategically tailor organizational messaging and communications documents to meet the needs/interests of specific audiences (e.g. the press, bloggers, individuals, students, etc.)
• Work closely with MERL team to translate statistics into meaningful advocacy tools to inform/enrich Tostan communications (website, social media, publications, powerpoints and so on)
• Work with the International Communications Team to identify target audiences
• Assist staff to professionally present Tostan’s work, including during donor and partner visits, with local and national media, in the office space, etc.
• Participate in bi-weekly International Communications Team meetings

Secondary Responsibilities:

• Along with the Assistant to the International Communications Team, work to constantly improve declaration/major events communications documents (fact sheet, guidelines for 24-hour reports, questionnaires, templates, etc.)
• When necessary, support the Assistant to the International Communications Team to coordinate reporting at major events, etc.
• Initiate capacity-building activities for staff in ICT skills, report writing, statistical data collection and analysis, and English through trainings, workshops, and collaboration/critique
• Write and edit reports, proposals, articles, etc. for the International Communications Team, including translation and/or other administrative projects as necessary

  Final Products

• Electronic copies of all documents produced, edited, etc. to supervisor, incoming volunteer, and Volunteer Coordinator
• Final narrative report of individual activities for internal distribution and adaptation for external use
• Completed “Request for Volunteer” forms, submitted to the Volunteer Coordinator, as needed
• Other activities, as requested by Executive Team, Volunteer Coordinator, and other immediate supervisors and collaborators

Qualifications and Necessary Skills

• Bachelors degree or current enrollment in Bachelors program; studies in International Development, Education, Gender Studies, another social sciences, Business, Management, or related field
• Experience working with a non-governmental organization / non-profit OR prolonged experience in a developing country
• Thorough understanding of Tostan’s programs and methodologies
• Strong written and spoken proficiency in English (writing sample required)
• Capable of working with external stakeholders on planning and program implementation
•   Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with Access or other database software preferred
• Knowledge of Gmail, Google Groups, Google Documents, Google Calendars, and other Internet programs preferred.
• Project management experience preferred
• Ability to be persistent and diplomatic, and to establish mutual respect among Tostan staff, project partners, and local community members
• Ability to define and meet organizational needs with minimum supervision or oversight, and to manage multiple tasks at once
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Flexible to adapt to a multicultural environment, to work in varied conditions, to be considerate of limited resources, and to adapt work priorities to the immediate needs of the project or donor
• Ability to travel independently

Benefits  

As a non-profit organization who works to commit the maximum level of resources to our communities, we rely on volunteers to cover many of their own costs during their volunteerships. These costs include expenses such as travel between their home countries and work countries, medical costs, and other personal incidentals such as meals, personal travel, clothes, etc. We in turn do our best to commit to covering housing and weekday lunches for all of our volunteers.

Professional Experience:

• Hands on experience with an internationally recognized NGO
• Development of curriculum vitae/resume
• Opportunity to develop highly sought-after skills in project management, training, and written and oral communication in a multicultural, multilingual environment 
• Opportunity to collaborate and interact with communities, Tostan staff, international volunteers, and a variety of donors and partner
  

• Common volunteer housing and utilities
• Lunch Monday-Friday
• All work-related travel covered by Tostan
• Internet access in office during business hours

Trainings provided:

• Week-long volunteer orientation with other volunteers
• Introduction to national language skills
• Short introduction to software
• Other training, as deemed necessary and appropriate by supervisors

To learn more about the Tostan Africa Volunteer Program and the application process, please click here.  

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