Communications and Advocacy Officer

Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe

Job Description

Position:Communications and Advocacy Officer

Location:Harare

Reports to:Programmes Coordinator

Summary

The Communications and Advocacy Officer leads and coordinates PELUM Zimbabwe's internal and external communications and advocacy efforts, strengthening the organisation's visibility, credibility and influence. The role translates programme evidence, grassroots experiences, farmer voices and organisational learning into strategically crafted communications that inform public discourse, engage stakeholders and contribute to policy and practice change.

The role supports the development and implementation of integrated communications and advocacy strategies, ensuring that PELUM Zimbabwe's programmes, campaigns, research, policy positions and knowledge products are effectively communicated to policymakers, development partners, network members, civil society and the wider public. The role strengthens evidence-based advocacy by documenting and amplifying community experiences and lessons from PELUM Zimbabwe's work on agroecology.

The Communications and Advocacy Officer is also responsible for strengthening PELUM Zimbabwe's brand, ensuring consistent messaging and maintaining a strong and credible organisational identity across communication platforms. The role promotes knowledge sharing and learning across the PELUM network and supports coordinated advocacy and communications among members. Additionally, the role fosters effective internal communication and collaboration, ensuring that programmes team, network members and partners have the information and communication support required to advance organisational priorities.

Job Summary

• Employer: Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe
• Job Type: Full-time
• Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
• Category: Communications
• Closing Date: 2026-10-23

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and periodically review PELUM Zimbabwe's Communications and Advocacy Strategy in line with the organisation's Strategic Plan and advocacy priorities.
• Develop and implement appropriate communication and advocacy plans that support programme objectives, advocacy goals, and policy influence.
• Integrate advocacy messages, policy narratives, and programme evidence across all communication products and platforms.
• Lead the planning, coordination, and implementation of campaigns and visibility initiatives, including the Annual National and Decentralised Seed and Food Festivals, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and advocacy priorities.
• Maintain a calendar of key national, regional, and international events and policy moments to align communications and advocacy efforts.
• Work closely with programmes team to ensure that advocacy and communications are integrated into programme planning and implementation.
• Plan, coordinate, implement, and report on PELUM Zimbabwe's Participatory Action Research (PAR) work.
• Document community knowledge, innovations, and lessons emerging from programmes and PAR processes for communications, learning, and advocacy purposes.
• Collect and package evidence appropriately, including stories of change, case studies, and policy briefs.
• Facilitate feedback loops to ensure research findings inform advocacy messaging, programme adaptation, and organisational learning.
• Maintain an organisational knowledge management system, including online databases and digital workspaces.
• Develop and maintain an up-to-date website and social media pages.
• Generate, curate, and manage high-quality content for the website, social media platforms, and digital channels, ensuring alignment with advocacy objectives and organisational branding.
• Track and communicate organisational activities across platforms before, during, and after events.
• Coordinate the development and design of monthly newsletters, institutional reports, and other publications that reinforce advocacy and brand identity.
• Lead the development and consistent use of branding, publicity, and awareness materials.
• Establish and manage systems for collecting and archiving multimedia content for communications and advocacy purposes.
• Identify and leverage networks, platforms, and formats to broaden audience reach and influence.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with journalists, media houses, civil society actors, and other key stakeholders to amplify advocacy messages.
• Develop press briefs, media kits, talking points, and activity-based press releases.
• Support stakeholder engagement and consultation processes, ensuring effe…