Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity, with a focus on vulnerable and under-served populations.  Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world. 

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.    

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Project Description ​​​​​

The goal of the USAID Teacher Excellence Initiative Activity project is to improve the quality and relevance of teacher preparation in Egyptian public universities so that current and future primary school teachers have enhanced skills to increase student learning and advance the Ministry of Education and Technical Education’s (MOETE) reform. The activity will achieve this goal through the following results:

• At least 7,500 pre-service teachers in undergraduate programs at Faculties of Education in five Egyptian universities have the skills and knowledge to apply practice-based, experiential teaching methods in the classroom. 

• 5,000 in-service teachers in postgraduate programs at Faculties of Education in 15 Egyptian universities apply practice-based, experiential teaching methods in the classroom. 

• 50 Government of Egypt personnel from the MOETE, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MOHESR), and the Supreme Council of Universities demonstrate improved capacity to jointly plan, manage, and adapt teacher education. 

The Communications Specialist will design and maintain knowledge and communications resources for the project. S/he will lead the design and implementation of the communications strategy to inform the public about the project’s work. The Communications Specialist will support the implementation of the Teach Excellence Initiative Activity’s branding strategy including editing, desktop publishing, etc. S/he will work closely with the Chief of Party to develop a communications and outreach strategy to publicize the project's activities and results at regional and national levels and, as appropriate, internationally, developing a regional and national presence. S/he will disseminate key project achievements to the funder, stakeholders and the general public, in accordance with USAID and EDC guidelines. S/he will manage social media and produce communication materials and reports. The Communications Specialist reports to the Chief of Party. This is a full-time position based in Cairo, Egypt. 

Essential functions include (but not limited to):  

• Promotes effective communications and knowledge sharing among USAID Teacher Excellence Initiative staff and other USAID-funded projects in Egypt; 
• Establishes and monitors a communication and outreach plan to disseminate the project's activities and results nationally and, as appropriate, internationally; 
• Develops communications materials to promote the work of the USAID Teacher Excellence Initiative Activity, including fact sheets, success stories, audiovisuals, etc.; 
• Supports the development of monthly, quarterly, and annual project reports and takes minutes at project meetings; 
• Prepares press releases and liaises with local and national newspapers, radio and television stations to promote project events or key achievements; 
• Organizes and facilitates conferences/ forums to disseminate project lessons learned and results with key stakeholders; 
• Attends functions as required to support the development of communication products; 
• Takes photos and/or works with photographers and maintains a photo bank with photo releases for USAID Teacher Excellence Initiative communication products on SharePoint; 
• Collaborates with EDC Home Office to adapt social media posts and success stories for international audiences;   
• Ensures that social media is distributed through identified channels regularly;  
• Coordinates with Chief of Party and EDC Home Office and the USAID Communications Officer to ensure materials are approved in accordance with USAID’s branding and marking guidance; 
• Contribute to the design and implementation of the project’s learning agenda and actively participate in Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) processes in place within the project. 

The Communications Specialist shall have a minimum of the following qualifications: 

Education:  

Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism or similar field required.  

Skills and Experience:  

• 6 to 7 years of directly relevant experience required, preferably working for an international organization or agency; 
• Demonstrated ability to work with different teams, including local project staff, international staff, consultants, and government officials; 
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure;  
• Proven experience as a supervisor; 
• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent oral and written communication skills in English required, strong visual design skills; 
• Strong proficiency in the use of MS Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Photoshop and/or Acrobat; 
• Ability to establish contacts with local and national media (newspapers, television, radio, etc.); 
• Experienced in social media writing or management for organizations, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube; 
• Experience in photography and/or videography preferred; 
• Experience working on USAID-funded projects preferred; 
• Knowledge of the Egypt education and OVC sector preferred. 

Language:  

Fluency in Arabic and English is required. 

Application Instructions: 

Job closing date: June 01, 2022  

Applications submitted without a resume or CV will not be reviewed. 

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified.  No phone calls, please. 

EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

This announcement is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this notice are the sole responsibility of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.