BPP Communications Consultant

About the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center:

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) is an autonomous international organization established for scientific, educational, developmental, and humanitarian purposes with a vision of safer communities and sustainable development through disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific.

Established in 1986 as a technical capacity-building center, ADPC has grown and diversified its expertise across social and physical sciences to support sustainable solutions for risk reduction across a broad range of specialist areas. With over 100 staff from 19 different nationalities and a wide range of professional expertise from atmospheric scientists to social scientists with experiences from all levels of engagement typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC has six strategic themes supported by seven departments: the ADPC Academy, Risk Governance, Climate Resilience, Urban Resilience, Health Risk Management, Preparedness for Response and Recovery, and Geospatial Information. These are supported by Finance, Human Resources and Administration, and Strategic Planning departments. In addition to the departments, ADPC also works on three cross-cutting themes: Gender and Diversity, Poverty and Livelihoods, and Regional and Transboundary Cooperation through permanent working committees.

ADPC Strategy 2020 guides the organization in providing comprehensive risk reduction support to countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC recognizes the importance of examining the linkages between disaster risk management, poverty reduction, gender equality, sustainability, rights-based approaches, climate change, and regional cooperation. For details, please refer to the ADPC website.

Department Introduction:

The Preparedness for Response and Recovery (PRR) Department of ADPC focuses on enhancing the preparedness and response management capacities of governments, response organizations, volunteers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, communities, and other traditional and non-traditional actors of the Disaster Risk Management Ecosystem. It also strives to strengthen the capacity of institutions and at-risk communities for faster and more efficient disaster recovery. The department works with the above-stated actors to ensure that the regional, national, sub-national, and local disaster preparedness, response, and recovery frameworks and implementation plans are in place well before disaster strikes.

Purpose and Objectives:

ADPC is co-implementing and facilitating Phase 2 of the Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership under the overall leadership and guidance of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh. BPP is an innovative partnership instrumental in supporting the Government of Bangladesh in leading and operationalizing its flagship policy of SOD 2019 through a multi-stakeholder partnership model. Phase 2 of the BPP will strengthen the multi-stakeholder partnership platform at the national and sub-national levels, building operational and technical capacities, research applications, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.

ADPC is recruiting a qualified consultant to lead and deliver communication and advocacy activities under BPP. The consultant will be responsible for developing an introductory communication package for the BPP, building a social media presence through web articles on various digital platforms, and capturing the program impact of BPP interventions through documentation for further dissemination on relevant platforms. The consultant will consult and liaison with BPP partners to develop the communication and advocacy strategy of the partnership that can deepen the engagement of stakeholders and promote regular information sharing within the partnership.

The consultant position is open only to Bangladeshi nationals. The position is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Expected Outputs:

The consultant will work with the program team, partners, and stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of priority activities as mentioned below:

Deliverables

Design print-ready promotional material, such as a brochure/brief for partners to use for internal and external communication: May 2024

Draft key messages and build a narrative for BPP's social media presence. A plan for social media engagement should accompany this: May – July 2024

Weekly articles and stories for sharing on social media and relevant websites. (Minimum 1 per week): May – July 2024

Build/Update the BPP webpage with innovative ideas and content, including a mechanism for regular updation: June 2024

Design and document BPP activities implemented by partners to disseminate, including a database of photographs, testimonials, and short video clips: May – July 2024

Document insights from program baseline assessment and draft a print-ready policy brief/knowledge product for dissemination: July 2024

Design appropriate partnership-specific branding guidelines in consultation with BPP partners: June 2024

Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Lead the design and development of promotional materials such as factsheets, brochures, policy briefs, and other related materials as applicable.
• Lead the development of content in consultation with the program team.
• Document program activities through activity photographs, videos, and testimonials and disseminate content through various modes of communication.
• Take high-quality pictures and videos with due consent and credit.
• Ensure quality checks and compliance with government and partners’ communication protocols.
• Ensure cross-sharing of BPP activities and progress on various print and digital forums at the national level.
• Advise the team and assist in drafting calls for content submission on various platforms.

Working Principles:

The consultant will work closely and report to the Project Management Specialist based in Bangkok, Thailand, under the overall guidance of the Director- Preparedness for Response and Recovery.

Qualifications:

Education:

• A Master’s degree in Mass Communications or related disciplines is essential.
• Overall professional experience of 5 years, out of which at least three years in research, knowledge production and management, communication, and outreach in Disaster Management or a related field;
• Excellent English language skills, both oral and written;
• Developing content for websites and social media, website management, including an understanding of web-based content management systems;
• Analytical capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyze, and synthesize complex, technical information into user-friendly formats and products;
• Demonstrated experience in the development of high-quality knowledge products, including multimedia, content for online and social media outreach, and case studies;
• Proven competence in effective written communication to a varied audience;
• Knowledge of various mediums of dissemination and marketing strategies;
• Experience in working with MailChimp, campaign monitor, WordPress, canva, and other digital platforms;
• Previous experience in working with international organizations and NGOs; and
• Knowledge of working ethics of national government agencies, NGOs, private organizations, and international organizations in the Asian region.

Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated, proactive, and ability to meet deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to plan and organize work and time independently;
• Verbal and written communication skills in English and Bangla are essential;
• Excellent writing and communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, team-oriented work style, and experience working in a multi-cultural environment;
• Works well in a team;
• Demonstrated facilitation and coordination experience related to communication outputs;

General Requirements:

• Operate within all ADPC Guidelines & Procedures/ Policies
• Operate within specific program needs

Duty Station: Home-based in Dhaka with field missions to program districts when required.

Duration: 06 months (May – October 2024) with possibility of extension based on performance

Itinerary: During official missions outside Dhaka, the Consultant will be entitled to local/international travel, daily subsistence allowance, accommodation, visa, and other related travel costs as per ADPC financial policy.

How to apply

Interested candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form (downloadable from www.adpc.net), resume, and copy of degrees/certificate(s), together with a cover letter, to adpcjobs@adpc.net

Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

ADPC encourages diversity in its workplace and supports an inclusive work environment.