Partnerships & Communications Officer

About Practical Education Network (PEN)

PEN’s mission is to improve STEM learning outcomes in the Ghanaian education system by building teacher capacity. The teacher training programmes PEN provides is infused with MIT-style, learning-by-doing to enable hands-on science regardless of resource constraints. PEN offers a series of workshops where Ghanaian STEM teachers learn, design, and share hands-on activities which complement the national curriculum and are created from low-cost and locally available materials.

Our approach has been measured to enable significant gains in student attitudes and learning outcomes. PEN’s partners include MIT, Ashesi University, UNIDO Liberia, Someone Else’s Child, Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education of Liberia and others.

JOB POSITION: Partnerships and Communications Officer  

WORK STATION: North Legon, Accra.

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Fixed Term (Full Time)

EMPLOYMENT DURATION: 3 Years (Renewable. Includes three (3) months’ probation)

JOB PURPOSE: Grow PEN’s tested approach for improving STEM education in the Ghanaian context through strategic partnerships and foster sustainable and valuable partnerships between PEN and STEM education stakeholders through effective planning, development and management of resource mobilisation strategies and activities with the aim of scaling up PEN’s hands-on STEM products and services. The successful candidate will support PEN with communications and marketing skills, competencies, and experiences to increase the organisation’s brand awareness and drive sales of PEN products and services.

SUMMARY OF KEY FUNCTIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Partnerships (60%)

• Proactively lead writing of pitches, concept notes, and proposals as well as partnership meeting minutes, team updates and other documentation

• Actively engage INGOs and local NGOs working on education programmes/projects in Ghana for business intelligence and opportunities

• Produce content for communication materials in support of fundraising such as brochures, appeals, videos, newsletters, organizational capability statement and annual reports and their reviews

• Support the production of quarterly fundraising status reports

• Conduct market research to assess donor priorities and identify opportunities

• Proactively prospect for funding opportunities that align with PEN’s mission, objectives and strategies

• Create engaging quarterly, semi-annual and annual fundraising programs by tagging along global events like Giving Tuesday etc.

• Responsible for the communication flow between PEN and its audience and stakeholders.

Communications (40%)

• Collaborate with Supervisor to develop and implement effective communication and marketing strategies.

• Manage the organisation’s corporate branding in line with PEN Branding strategy and guidelines and ensure the maintenance of a good public image at all times.

• Responsible for the communication flow between PEN and its audience and stakeholders

• Ensure the effective management of the organisation’s website and social media platform by guiding communication assistants to implement plans

• Supervise communication assistants to write, edit, and distribute content, including publications, press releases, website content, videos, annual reports, speeches and other marketing material that communicates the organization's activities, products and/or services and STEM education in Ghana.

REPORTING 

The Partnerships and Communications Officer shall report directly to both the Partnerships & Resource Mobilization Manager and Programmes Manager.

EDUCATION QUALIFICATION

A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in international development, international relations and diplomacy, development studies, communications and marketing and any other relevant field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

A minimum of 3 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector working with development partners, communications and marketing with the objective of raising funds/mobilising resources for projects.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Professional command of the English language is a minimum requirement.

CORE VALUES AND MOTIVATION

● Learning

● Integrity

● Generosity

● Humility

● Transparency

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

● Strong oral, written and persuasive communication skills

● Strong organisation and administrative skills

● Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships while respecting diversity of people and being sensitive to their needs

● Ability to establish clear goals and to achieve desired results consistent with agreed strategies and targets

● Ability to analyse data and all other sources of information, to break them into component parts, patterns and relationships and demonstrate an understanding of how one issue may be a part of a much larger system

● Applicable skills in the use of data tools such as Microsoft Excel and others

● Strong connections with public discourse gate-keepers and figures (e.g. media organisations and personnel, celebrities, politicians and brands)

● Proficiency in social media management

● Working knowledge of Canva, Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, Microsoft Office.

● Knowledge of Content Management software like WordPress

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should send their Resume/CV, Cover Letter and other supporting documents to the email: jobs@practicaleducationnetwork.com

Email subject should be [VACANCY POSITION_YOUR NAME] For example: [PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER_EMMANUEL ADDO]

DEADLINE: Friday 11th April, 2025. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

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