NEW Rwanda External Relations LeadNewRwanda Level not specified – Level not specified GiveDirectly Remote | Kigali

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly (GD) provides cash grants directly to people living in extreme poverty. Since launching in 2011, GD has raised over $1B, delivered cash to more than 1.5 million recipients, launched operations in 15 countries, and continues to expand its reach across the Global South. GD has also grown the research base supporting unconditional cash with 20 randomized control trials from its programs, generating rigorous evidence across countries and contexts. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies byFast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) has been featured in theNew York Times Magazine,This American Life,Foreign Affairs, andThe Economist.

Across our global offices, our culture is candid, analytical, non-hierarchical, and agile. We work alongside 750+ individuals who come from 21 different countries and speak 69 different languages. Team members at GiveDirectly attest that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords, but a fundamental part of our culture and values. We actively seek to recruit individuals from the communities we serve, and use DEI as a lens in our hiring practices, programs, and initiatives. Our goal is to maintain a workplace where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work, and feel valued and respected for who they are. We strive to be inclusive of all cultures and experiences while upholding our values globally. In the spirit of our “Know Yourself and Grow” value, we recognize there is always room to improve our team’s working experience. But day to day, we aim to “Create Positive Energy” – we take care of one another, have fun, aim to maximize flexibility and accessibility in roles, and pursue professional development opportunities to stay challenged & engaged in our work. 

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

Job Title: External Relations Lead

We are seeking an experienced External Relations Lead (ERL) to join our dynamic team. As the ERL, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing various aspects of our organization’s external communications and relations. You will play a pivotal role in shaping our organization’s narrative, managing media relationships, producing compelling content, and driving successful marketing campaigns.

Responsibilities will include:

Narrative Control:

• Develop and implement strategies to shape and control the narrative surrounding our organization and its initiatives.
• Craft compelling messages and storytelling techniques to effectively communicate our mission, values, and key achievements to external stakeholders.
• Monitor media coverage and public sentiment, and propose ways to proactively address any misinformation or negative perceptions through strategic messaging.

In-Country PR:

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local media outlets, journalists, and key influencers.
• Coordinate and execute public relations activities, including press releases, media interviews, press conferences, and media briefings.
• Collaborate with in-country teams to ensure consistent messaging and alignment with global communication strategies.

Media Selection:

• Identify and evaluate appropriate media channels for disseminating key messages and reaching target audiences.
• Develop media engagement strategies to maximize positive coverage and increase brand visibility.
• Monitor media trends and emerging platforms to stay ahead of the curve in utilizing new communication channels.

Content Production:

• Manage team in charge of creation and production of high-quality content, including press materials, articles, blog posts and social media content.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to develop engaging and impactful content that effectively communicates our organization’s initiatives and achievements.
• Ensure all content is aligned with our brand guidelines and consistent in tone, style, and messaging.

Brand and Image Promotion (Marketing Campaign):

• Develop and implement comprehensive marketing campaigns to promote our organization’s brand, image, and key initiatives.
• Collaborate with marketing and creative internal teams and external partners to develop compelling marketing tools, including advertisements, brochures, videos, and digital content.

Team management

• Ensure smooth department operations
• Clarify deliverables for all team members
• Oversee project management from start to finish
• Foster clear communication and accountability within the team

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or related field
• Experience in external relations, public relations, communications, or a related field.
• Proven experience in managing external communication strategies and media relations 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft clear, engaging, and persuasive messages.
• Experience in content creation and media production, including writing, editing, and visual storytelling.
• Project management experience with a demonstrated ability to oversee multiple campaigns simultaneously, ensuring deadlines and objectives are met.
• Strong understanding of narrative control and crisis communication strategies.
• Expertise in developing media engagement strategies, including writing press releases, op-eds, and media briefings.
• Experience managing and mentoring a team, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, and facilitating cross-functional collaboration.
• Adaptable to rapidly changing environments, with the capacity to navigate shifting priorities and unexpected crises proactively.
• Alignment with GD values (listed below)

GD Values:

• Recipients first – We prioritize recipient preferences over those of donors or ourselves.

• Team next – We do what’s best for organizational – not individual – success.

• Be proactively candid – We say what we believe, and are honest in sharing information.

• Create positive energy – We strive to be a source – not drain – of energy for our colleagues.

• Think rigorously; act quickly – We are intellectually rigorous with a drive towards action – not debate.

• Accept reality. Propose solutions – We do not dwell on problems. We work actively to create solutions.

• Be productively ambitious – We take the risks to pursue industry-changing success, not incremental progress.

• Know yourself and grow – We recognize and accept our imperfections with a focus on growth. 

Read more about our ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts here and about our decision to move our central support teams to remote first here.

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values the strength diversity brings to the workplace. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

US applicants only:  We invite you to “Know Your Rights” as an applicant.

 

Commitment to Safeguarding

As a global organization serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.

GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.

These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we serve, and prevent harm to our recipients.

Venue and Accessibility

We conduct interviews over Google Meet with camera on (unless communicated otherwise).

Closed captioning is available during all Google Meet interviews, and interviewers will also post interview questions in the chat box throughout the call. If you need assistance accessing either of these features, please let your interviewer know at the start of your interview! 

We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process for all of our open roles. If there are questions or concerns you have about the accessibility of our hiring process, we warmly invite you to reach out to [email protected]. Please include the word “Accessibility” in the email title.

 

 

Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!