Job title: Senior Social Media and Digital Information Specialist
Number of posts: 1 (one)
Grade: AU/P3 equivalency
Department: Directorate of Communication and Public Information
Supervisor: Head, Corporate Communication and Public Information
Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background:
The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a non-profit organization established in 2005 with a mission to improve human health through the strengthening and expansion of applied epidemiology and laboratory capacity in partnership with Ministries of Health, Non-Governmental Organizations, international agencies, private sector and other public health agencies. AFENET has its headquarters in Kampala, Uganda with operations in more than 30 African Countries.
Officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017 as a specialized technical institution
of the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency. Africa CDC envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency’s mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programs. Towards meeting its mission, the Africa CDC will work with African Union (AU) Member States, WHO, and partners in the five geographic regions of the AU to strengthen their capacity in at least five strategic priority areas: (1) public health surveillance and disease intelligence; (2) public health emergency preparedness and response; (3) public health laboratory systems and networks; (4) public health information and technology systems; and (5) public health research and public health institutes.
The Africa CDC invites applications who are citizens of AU Member States to apply for the position of Senior Social Media and Digital Information Specialist.
Job purpose:
Africa CDC is looking for an experienced social media and digital information leader who can also be responsible for our data reporting and analytics. You need extensive experience running social media accounts for big organisations and a proven track record of engaging and growing audiences.
This role is also instrumental in shaping Africa CDC’s digital presence and ensuring cohesive and impactful messaging across multiple digital channels.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Social Media and Digital Information Specialist shall;
- Lead social media team
- Create engaging and relevant content for various social media platforms, promoting health awareness, prevention, and education.
- Create and execute, in collaboration with senior team members, regular posting schedule to maintain momentum on Africa CDC’s top priorities.
- Support the day-to-day management of social media accounts, including content scheduling, posting, and monitoring.
- Engage with the online community, respond to comments, and facilitate discussions to enhance audience interaction.
- Contribute to the planning and execution of social media campaigns, supporting senior team members in coordination and implementation.
- Support in building relationships with influencers, organisations, and partners for collaborative initiatives.
- Stay informed about social media trends, algorithms, and best practices to contribute fresh ideas and insights.
- Develop engaging and relevant content for various social media platforms, with a focus on promoting Africa CDC’s core vision and priorities.
- Collaborate with other content makers on the communications team and subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and alignment with the organization’s messaging.
- Design and implement social media strategies to increase brand visibility, audience engagement, and community outreach.
- Plan and execute social media campaigns, including health awareness campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and community events.
- Actively monitor social media channels for potential issues and crises, responding promptly and alerting the rest of the organization on any action required.
- Responsible for reporting on social media performance and best practices to rest of organization and any stakeholder management required
Analytics and Reporting:
- Monitor and analyze social media metrics to measure the effectiveness of campaigns and strategies. Share all learnings with the team and wider organization as required
- Prepare regular reports, providing insights and recommendations for continuous improvement.
- Set up real time as well as longer term dashboards that are easily accessible to other team members.
- Liaise with any third party contracted data providers to make sure the organization is getting value out of it and staying across any trends in data and metrics.
Digital Information Management
- Proven experienced digital platform management, with a focus on website management, social media, digital distribution, and mobile applications.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with a track record of building and leading successful digital teams.
- In-depth knowledge of digital trends, technologies, and best practices.
- Excellent project management and organisational skills.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to align digital initiatives with organisational objectives.
- Strong analytical skills with proficiency in using digital analytics tools.
Qualification and work experience required:
Qualifications and Skills:
- A minimum of 10 years proven experience as a social media and digital communication expert with a focus on website management, social media, digital distribution, and mobile applications, preferably in the public health sector.
- Training in social media and digital communication, optimisation and developing apps is an advantage
Required Professional work Experience
- Social media
- Knowledge and experience in managing various social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
- Demonstrated ability to create compelling and shareable content tailored to each platform’s unique audience.
- Proven experience in developing and implementing effective social media strategies aligned with organizational goals.
- Strong analytical skills to interpret social media metrics and generate actionable insights.
- Proficiency in using analytics tools to measure and report on the success of social media initiatives.
- Strong interpersonal skills to engage and build relationships with online communities.
- Creative mindset with the ability to generate innovative ideas for content, campaigns, and engagement strategies.
- On top of emerging trends and technologies to bring fresh and relevant perspectives to social media activities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to convey health information in a clear and accessible manner.
- Ability to adapt communication style for diverse audiences.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Detail-oriented approach to ensure the successful planning and execution of social media campaigns.
- Good leadership skills with focus on empathy and inclusivity
- Digital Information
- Develop and execute a comprehensive digital platform strategy across Africa CDC’s entire digital portfolio.
- Identify emerging technologies and trends to enhance the organisation’s digital capabilities.
- Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of digital content creators, editors, writers and specialists.
- Foster a collaborative, innovative and inclusive team culture, guiding content creation, optimisation, and performance analysis.
- Oversee the planning and execution of content across various digital platforms, ensuring consistency, relevance, and alignment with organisational messaging.
- Coordinate content calendars and campaigns across teams.
- Manage the organisation’s website, ensuring a seamless user experience, up-to-date content, and alignment with best practices in web design and accessibility.
- Collaborate with web developers to implement enhancements and optimisations.
- Monitor digital media trends, AI, and analytics to inform strategy and Optimise performance.
- Optimize content and user experience on mobile platforms, ensuring responsiveness and alignment with mobile best practices.
- Collaborate with mobile app developers for enhancements and updates.
- Utilize analytics tools to measure the performance of digital platforms.
- Provide regular reports and insights to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Work closely with internal stakeholders, including marketing, communications, and technology teams, to align digital platform efforts with broader organisational strategies.
Required Skills and Competencies
- Functional
- In-depth knowledge of social media platforms, trends, and analytics tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
- Understanding of health-related topics and ability to communicate complex information in a clear and accessible manner.
- Personal
- Research and data interpretation skills
- Attention to detail
- cultural intelligence
- Negotiation and diplomacy skills
- Creative problem-solving
- Knowledge of international health frameworks and policies
- Results-oriented mindset
- Passion for public health
Language Requirement
Applicants must be proficient in at least one of the AU languages (Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese). Knowledge of one or more additional African Union working languages would be an added advantage.
Tenure of Appointment
The appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of one (1) year, of which the first three (3) months will be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract will be renewed annually subject to satisfactory performance and fund availability.
Gender Mainstreaming
The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Remuneration Indicative basic salary of US$ 37,453 (P3 Step 1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment 46% of basic salary (US$17,228.38), Housing allowance of US$ 22,932 per annum. Thus a total of US$77,613.38 per annum plus Gratuity of 15% of Gross Salary per annum.