International Communications Specialist

REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

 

          

MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES

 

STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY OF THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN RWANDA

 

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

No: 003/S/1314/MINIRENA

 

The Government of Rwanda (GoR) has received funds from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ; support to Strengthen the Institutional Capacity of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA) for the period 2014-2018, so it can effectively deliver on its mandate of effectively coordinating, formulating policy and providing guidance on policy implementation to the Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) sector. The ENR sector is complex, encompassing a variety of natural resources components (water, lands, forests, nature reserves and biodiversity, mines and wetlands) and the environment, which cut across all sectors, and is linked in a complex way to other sectors (agriculture, energy, tourism, housing, health, macroeconomic management, gender and social development, etc)

 

Specifically the programme will  develop MINIRENA’s capacity for outreach and engagement with state and non-state actors so that MINIRENA can more effectively influence the agendas of other institutions active in the ENR sector;  a mechanism to improve co-ordination of the sector network and consultation with key stakeholders.

 

It’s against that background that the Ministry of Natural Resources seeks to recruit an international communication specialist for a period of one year renewable.

 

 

International Communications Specialist

 

The Communication Specialist shall work under the direct supervision of the Permanent Secretary. Working closely with the Director Generals of affiliated agencies and all the staff in the communication department. The Communications specialist shall:

 

·         Develop, implement, maintain and update MINIRENA’s communication strategy and associated work plan. Strategy and work plan include: an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences; messages and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact; success and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy;

·         Identify MINIRENA’s communication and awareness needs to ensure prevention of uncertainty and ambiguity on its role, responsibility;

·         Establish, document, review and refine process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing of media materials etc;

·         Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats (Press releases, feature stories etc). Ensure or enhance the quality, appropriateness of country specific communication materials, activities, processes and messages transmitted to the press, partners and public ensure overall continuity of institutional brand consistency and image;

·         Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate;

·         Help establish, document, review and refine process of working collaboratively with partners, including meetings, joint projects, information sharing etc;

·         Identify opportunities to strengthen the capacity of partners through appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment and through knowledge sharing;

·         Support communication activities through knowledge management, information exchange and building capacity of the MINIRENA and affiliated agencies communications team. Enable appropriate advocacy and communication training, access to information, supplies and equipment, and developing training and orientation material;

·         Develop and deploy MINIRENA communication capacity to gather/facilitate the content and coverage of relevant ENR sector efforts. Use the opportunity to identify/highlight effective programme activities and results;

·         Plan and monitor the use of communication budgetary resources. Approve and monitor the overall allocation and disbursement and liquidation of funds. Take appropriate actions to optimize use of funds;

·         Provide technical support to ensure that a set of communication performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary, and these communication indicators are incorporated or fed forwarded in the Annual Management Plan, Annual Work Plan, etc;

·         S/he will also support the Ministry’s staff in developing and maintaining strategic relations and partnerships with the media, government bodies, Non-governmental actors and donors;

·         Support the Ministry to write stories, Opinion pieces, press releases and news about its most important achievements to be placed in the national and international media as well as in the local and regional websites;

·         Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with government, donors, civil society organizations and other relevant partners and identify opportunities for advocacy and communication partnerships;

·         Establish close working relationships with affiliated agencies of MINIRENA, senior MINIRENA staff and communication officers with a view to identifying communication synergies;

·         Promote the Ministry’s work in the media by organizing and facilitating interviews with the Ministers, DGs and any person authorized to do so in writing by the Minister;

·         Participate in communication meetings related to the ENR sector activities;

·         Assist the MINIRENA Agencies with advocacy activities, including support to public events, launching ceremonies, celebration of environmental, climate change and natural resources theme days, visits of senior MINIRENA officials, field visits, and workshops;

·         Elaborate and submit regular reports at the agreed periodicity and reporting format;

·         Ensure that the MINIRENA website it is lively, up to date and media friendly;

·         Assist the Minister office to prepare written materials including speeches, talking points, articles, press releases, responses to coverage about the sector in the media, etc;

·         Assist in the preparation, organisation and reporting of important ENR sector events, including the Joint Sector review, Sector Working Group, as well as high profile meetings with government and development partners;

·         Social media: Generate content and management; provide support to social media accounts in Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Work with Communications lead to draft and implement an online and social networking strategy which will support and amplify all of the above priority areas;

·         Produce the MINIRENA Annual Report 2014 (edit, design, layout …)

·         Perform other duties as required and instructed by the Minister or Permanent Secretary;

 

Required Qualifications and Experience

 

The International Communication Specialist being sought to undertake this assignment should possess the following minimum qualifications and experience:

 

·                 Hold a Master’s degree or Ph.D in Communications, multimedia communications, marketing, Journalism,  Public relation & communication

·                Minimum ten (10) years of relevant experience, preferably in one or more least in developing countries;

·                Solid experience in communications, multimedia communications, marketing,  

·                Understanding well Natural Resources  

·                Experience in developing countries in the areas of Climate change as well as public  sector;

·                Excellent oral and written English;

·                Experience in providing relevant capacity building support such as on-the-job training and mentoring/coaching ;

·                Client focus, results-orientation and team-working skills are essential.

 

 

MINIRENA now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services:

 

• Curriculum vitae, description of similar assignments, experience in similar work, etc.)
• Technical Proposal (methodology and work plan) and Financial Proposal in separate envelopes

 

An Individual Consultant will be selected under Selection Based on Consultants Qualifications (SBCQ) in accordance with the law on Public Procurement. The selected consultant will be invited for interviews and negotiations.

 

Interested Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours: 07h30 to 14h30. Expression of interest should be sent to the address below by 10 June, 2014 at 9h30.

 

Attn:     Permanent Secretary

            Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA)

            P. O. Box 3502 Kigali, Rwanda

           Tel: (250)- 0252 582628

           Fax: (250)-0252 582629

            Email: info@minirena.gov.rw