Senior Manager, Communications

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or related discipline.
  
• Postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
  

Experience

• 8–10 years' experience in strategic communications.
  
• Experience leading communications teams.
  
• Experience advising executives.
  
• Strong media and corporate communications background.
  
• Experience managing communications in a complex, fast-growing organisation.
  
• Experience in Africa and/or development sector advantageous.
  

Success measures

• Communications plans consistently support organisational priorities.
  
• Strong executive and leadership communications.
  
• Improved employee engagement through effective internal communications.
  
• Increased positive media profile and thought leadership.
  
• Effective management of reputation and issues.
  
• High-performing Communications team.
  

Key responsibilities

1. Lead the communications function - Provide day-to-day leadership of Food4Education's communications team.

• Lead and coach the Communications team, ensuring clear priorities, high standards and professional development.
  
• Manage performance, work planning and resource allocation across the Communications pillar.
  
• Foster strong collaboration across communications, brand & marketing and special projects.
  
• Build processes that improve planning, coordination and delivery.
  

2. Strategic communications - Translate organisational priorities into integrated communications.

• Develop integrated communications plans aligned to organisational priorities.
  
• Ensure communications is engaged early in strategic initiatives.
  
• Partner with departmental leaders to embed communications into programmes and projects.
  
• Maintain alignment between communications activities and organisational objectives.
  

3. Internal Communications Leadership - Provide strategic oversight of Food4Education's internal communications function.

• Lead the development of the internal communications strategy.
  
• Oversee internal communication channels, editorial planning and employee engagement.
  
• Guide leadership communications during organisational growth and change.
  
• Partner with the People team to strengthen culture, engagement and organisational alignment.
  
• Ensure employees across kitchens, field teams and offices remain connected to Food4Education's mission.
  

4. External & corporate communications - Lead organisational communications externally.

• Oversee media engagement and corporate communications.
  
• Guide executive communications for the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.
  
• Ensure consistent messaging across all external communications.
  
• Oversee speeches, talking points/briefings, opinion pieces and institutional communications.
  

5. Reputation & Issues Management - Protect Food4Education's reputation.

• Lead issues preparedness and crisis communications planning.
  
• Monitor emerging reputational risks.
  
• Advise senior leadership on communications responses.
  
• Coordinate communications during sensitive or high-profile issues.
  

6. Communications planning & governance - Strengthen how communications operates.

• Maintain integrated communications planning processes.
  
• Oversee editorial governance and messaging consistency.
  
• Ensure communications requests are prioritised against organisational objectives.
  
• Establish reporting frameworks and communications KPIs.
  

7. Agency & stakeholder management

• Manage PR agencies and specialist communications partners.
  
• Build relationships with media, strategic partners and key stakeholders.
  
• Ensure agencies deliver against agreed objectives.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations or related discipline.
  
• Postgraduate qualification is advantageous.
  

Experience

• 8–10 years' experience in strategic communications.
  
• Experience leading communications teams.
  
• Experience advising executives.
  
• Strong media and corporate communications background.
  
• Experience managing communications in a complex, fast-growing organisation.
  
• Experience in Africa and/or development sector advantageous.
  

Success measures

• Communications plans consistently support organisational priorities.
  
• Strong executive and leadership communications.
  
• Improved employee engagement through effective internal communications.
  
• Increased positive media profile and thought leadership.
  
• Effective management of reputation and issues.
  
• High-performing Communications team.
  

Key responsibilities

1. Lead the communications function - Provide day-to-day leadership of Food4Education's communications team.

• Lead and coach the Communications team, ensuring clear priorities, high standards and professional development.
  
• Manage performance, work planning and resource allocation across the Communications pillar.
  
• Foster strong collaboration across communications, brand & marketing and special projects.
  
• Build processes that improve planning, coordination and delivery.
  

2. Strategic communications - Translate organisational priorities into integrated communications.

• Develop integrated communications plans aligned to organisational priorities.
  
• Ensure communications is engaged early in strategic initiatives.
  
• Partner with departmental leaders to embed communications into programmes and projects.
  
• Maintain alignment between communications activities and organisational objectives.
  

3. Internal Communications Leadership - Provide strategic oversight of Food4Education's internal communications function.

• Lead the development of the internal communications strategy.
  
• Oversee internal communication channels, editorial planning and employee engagement.
  
• Guide leadership communications during organisational growth and change.
  
• Partner with the People team to strengthen culture, engagement and organisational alignment.
  
• Ensure employees across kitchens, field teams and offices remain connected to Food4Education's mission.
  

4. External & corporate communications - Lead organisational communications externally.

• Oversee media engagement and corporate communications.
  
• Guide executive communications for the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.
  
• Ensure consistent messaging across all external communications.
  
• Oversee speeches, talking points/briefings, opinion pieces and institutional communications.
  

5. Reputation & Issues Management - Protect Food4Education's reputation.

• Lead issues preparedness and crisis communications planning.
  
• Monitor emerging reputational risks.
  
• Advise senior leadership on communications responses.
  
• Coordinate communications during sensitive or high-profile issues.
  

6. Communications planning & governance - Strengthen how communications operates.

• Maintain integrated communications planning processes.
  
• Oversee editorial governance and messaging consistency.
  
• Ensure communications requests are prioritised against organisational objectives.
  
• Establish reporting frameworks and communications KPIs.
  

7. Agency & stakeholder management

• Manage PR agencies and specialist communications partners.
  
• Build relationships with media, strategic partners and key stakeholders.
  
• Ensure agencies deliver against agreed objectives.