Communications Officer at African Food Changemakers

Summary

• Established in 2010, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited is a management consulting firm committed to transforming Africa’s agriculture and nutrition landscape. Sahel partners with government agencies, private sector companies, and leading international development organizations to conduct in depth market research on key value chains, analyze and shape policies, develop strategies, launch innovative businesses and ecosystem solutions, organize convenings and provide training programs that promote sustainable agricultural development across Africa.
• Through our subsidiary non-profit, Africa Food Changemakers (AFC) Hub, we enable African agripreneurs (Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs)) to start and scale resilient and sustainable agribusinesses that nourish Africa and the world.
• AFC is committed to changing global narratives about Africa by celebrating Africa’s contributions to the global food ecosystem, showcasing Africa’s innovations and cooking methods, amplifying and scaling proudly African food and beverage brands, and ensuring that more people globally experience the diversity and richness of the continent’s gastronomic heritage and exciting future.
• We believe that communicating clear messages on social media is one of the most crucial steps to establishing our organization’s image and telling a more balanced story about food and agriculture in Africa from an African perspective. We are looking for a Communications officer with a strong voice and personality to engage our followers/subscribers in thoughtful conversations about the latest news/trends in Food and Agriculture on the African continent.
• The ideal candidate will have experience hosting a podcast/radio show, running and managing a YouTube channel, developing a social media content calendar, videography, conducting interviews, and editing video and audio. He or she will be a quick thinker with the ability to keep a conversation flowing.
• The communications officer will be responsible for researching and booking guests for the podcasts, as well as drafting transcripts and interview questions for each episode.

Description

• Research and develop engaging content for each episode of the podcast/YouTube channel, in alignment with the channel’s format and target audience
• Write and record a script for each episode, including intro and outro segments, as well as any other necessary copy
• Edit and mix audio for each episode, ensuring a high level of quality and sound consistency
• Book and interview guests for each episode, conducting pre-interview research to ensure a smooth and informative conversation
• Host each episode live, keeping the conversation on track and within the allotted time frame
• Promote each episode across social media and other channels, using creative marketing strategies to reach new listeners
• Engage with listeners/subscribers on social media (especially YouTube) and other platforms, responding to comments and questions in a timely and professional manner
• Monitor follower/subscriber feedback and use it to inform future content decisions
• Stay up-to-date on industry news and trends, incorporating relevant information into episodes as needed
• Collaborate with the communications team to brainstorm new ideas and formats for the podcasts and YouTube channels
• Manage all aspects of content production, from scheduling to post-episode analysis
• Perform any other duties as assigned.

Requirements / Desired Skills

• Minimum of 1 years’ experience as a content creator, journalist, writer, or editor
• Proven exceptional research, interviewing, and storytelling skills
• Strong on-camera presence and public speaking ability
• Flexibility to travel for interviews and events, as needed
• Proficiency in audio editing software, such as ProTools, Audacity, (or other equivalent software).
• Proven experience with video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Inshot, Camtasia (or other equivalent software).
• Experience hosting a podcast or radio show
• Social media savvy, with proven ability to grow an audience
• Having a network of contacts and sources in the food and agriculture industry is an added advantage.