Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. The foundation is seeking a Senior Communications Officer for Digital Communications and Engagement within the Africa Regional Office. This role is responsible for leading the digital channel and engagement strategy across Africa to amplify the foundation's impact and partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
Digital Strategy and Leadership
- Develop and lead a comprehensive digital channel and engagement strategy for the Africa Regional Office, aligned with the foundation’s global digital and communications principles.
- Build a digital-first culture across Africa regional and country offices by embedding digital thinking, tools, and storytelling into all communications planning.
- Coordinate and harmonize digital strategies across Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ethiopia, ensuring unified quality, consistency, and local resonance.
- Partner with the Global Communications Division and GPA to ensure Africa’s digital storytelling and campaigns align with global priorities and advocacy goals.
- Amplify local and regional stories through global channels, connecting Africa’s progress and partnerships to global audiences.
Digital Engagement and Campaign Execution
- Manage the foundation’s digital presence across Africa, including owned social media channels, content calendars, and engagement strategies.
- Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO)/Search Engine Marketing (SEM), analytics, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and paid media to grow reach, engagement, and positive sentiment among target audiences.
- Partner with country office communications teams to adapt and execute global and regional campaigns for local audiences.
- Support the digital amplification of leadership trips, reports, and events across Africa.
Digital Insights, Analytics, and Measurement
- Lead implementation of social listening and digital analytics tools to monitor sentiment, engagement, and emerging narratives.
- Use data-driven insights to refine strategy, inform content decisions, and improve the reach and impact of digital campaigns.
- Establish clear KPIs and performance frameworks for digital activity and track progress across regional offices.
- Collaborate with communications and advocacy teams to align digital measurement with broader campaign objectives.
Partnerships and Capacity Building
- Identify and manage digital partnerships, including agencies, influencers, and creative producers, to expand the foundation’s reach across Africa.
- Strengthen digital storytelling capacity across country offices through training, shared frameworks, and knowledge exchange.
- Partner with GPA and program advocacy colleagues to co-develop campaigns that amplify advocacy outcomes through digital channels.
- Foster collaboration between regional offices to promote learning, efficiency, and creative innovation.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in communications, digital marketing, journalism, or related field.
- 8-10 years of senior-level experience leading digital communications or marketing in a global, regional, or multi-country context, in dynamic and fast-paced environment.
- Proven expertise in designing and implementing digital marketing strategies (end-to-end), social media management and growth across platforms, and brand storytelling.
- Strong understanding of Africa’s digital and media landscapes, including audience trends, influencer ecosystems, and emerging technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multi-market digital strategies and campaigns that deliver measurable engagement and impact.
- Skilled in SEO/SEM, paid media, social listening, analytics, and CRM tools to inform audience strategy and optimize performance.
- Experience designing and executing data-driven digital engagement strategies across diverse markets.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply through the Gates Foundation career portal on Workday by visiting this link.
