Astrea Foundation

Kenya

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is the only philanthropic organization working exclusively to advance LGBTQI human rights around the globe. We support brilliant and brave grantee partners in the U.S. and internationally who challenge oppression and seed change. We work for racial, economic, social, and gender justice because we all deserve to live our lives freely, without fear, and with dignity.

The first grantmaker to hundreds of organizations, Astraea plays a catalytic role for LGBTQI groups across the globe. Our grantmaking, capacity building, philanthropic advocacy, and media and communications programs promote and support the work of lesbian, trans, intersex and LGBTQI organizations to challenge oppression, promote justice and claim rights.

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Strategic Communications Project Officer

Astraea’s Hearts & Minds Project aims to strengthen the capacity of Kenyan LGBTQI activists to make cultural change, or as some call it, to “change hearts and minds” in their respective communities and contexts. Through partnerships with social science organizations and communications resource people, LGBTQI activists will gain a deeper understanding of the mindset of their respective target audiences and gain tools to integrate research & evidence into development of impactful and culturally-relevant framing and messaging campaigns.

Reporting to Astraea’s Senior Program Officer for Africa and Asia, the Strategic Communications Project Officer supports all project activities in Kenya, engaging closely with LGBTQ organizations, social science partners, message testing and development trainers, and advisors. The Project Officer will support coordination of country landscape research, design of capacity building convenings co-created with grantee partners and social science partners, and development of messaging campaigns.

This is a 20-month part-time position to take place from January 2017 to September 2018. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as key liaison for coordination with grantee partners/LGBTQ organizations, Africa-based social science partners, trainers, the project advisory team
• Supervise social science partner’s country landscape research and target audience research
• Event management for each of the project-related convenings in country
• Support implementation of grantmaking (core support and message development) under the project, in collaboration with Senior Program Officer
• Provide support to grantee partners, including monitoring progress of campaigns and helping facilitate partnerships with Africa-based social science partner
• Other duties and responsibilities as identified.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage and meet multiple deadlines while maintaining consistent attention to detail
• Experience with LGBTQI, feminist, human rights and/or social justice movements in Kenya
• Experience with participatory design and convening coordination a plus
• Experience with grantmaking a plus
• Experience with cultural change campaigns a plus
• High level of proficiency with computers, databases and other technology
• Ability to work and communicate with diverse audiences and stakeholders, including activists, social science experts and donors
• Strong interpersonal skills and a supportive team player
• Flexible, adaptive work style, and a sense of humor
• Very good verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in English required
• Commitment to the work and social justice values of Astraea 

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• People of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, intersex people, women, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Authorization to work in Kenya is required.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send cover letter, resume/CV, and salary requirements to [email protected] by December 2, 2017. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only applicants considered for interviews will be contacted. Expected start date is January 9, 2017.