Strategic Marketing-Communication Consultant (framework contract)

Assignment: Individual consultant to advise DRI on how to boost awareness about its engagement in Lebanon, strengthen its market positioning amongst the public, and establish a leadership image across the various areas of engagement.

Assignment Type/Location: Hybrid, Lebanon.

Maximum Budget: Up to EUR 15,000.

Contract Period: August 2022 – December 2023.

Deadline: 31 July 2022, 11:59 PM local time (Beirut, Lebanon).

How to apply: Please send the required documents as referred to in the Annexes to info.lebanon@democracy-reporting.org, cc’ing e.haddad@democracy-reporting.org, by 31 July 2022, 11:59 PM local time.

DRI is looking for an experienced marketing-communication consultant to advise DRI on how to boost awareness about its engagement in Lebanon, strengthen its market positioning amongst the public, and establish a leadership image across the various areas of engagement.

To find out more about the requirements for this assignment, please download the full procurement notice available in English below.

 Background

1. About DRI 

Democracy Reporting International (DRI) is a non-partisan, independent, not-for-profit organisation registered in Berlin. It has been established in Lebanon since 2016. DRI promotes political participation of citizens, accountability of state bodies and the development of democratic institutions worldwide. Democratic discourse is the basis of our mission and vision. In our work, we facilitate discussion and exchange about democratic government and the need for a continuous discourse adhering to democratic rules.    

In the framework of its Lebanon project “A bottom-up reform agenda for Lebanon: Supporting youth, women, and civil society actors to expand civic space”, DRI is empowering civic actors, particularly women and youth to participate in the political process and is engaging civic and public actors in political and legal reform to advance a good governance agenda.

2. Assignment Overview

The individual consultant is expected to revise DRI Lebanon’s current communication strategies, executed plans and their respective outcomes in terms of engaged audiences (profile and segments), and engagement levels to derive clear learnings from the past period.

The outcome of the assignment should be a clear strategic marketing-communication framework that helps DRI Lebanon implement a portfolio management approach that:

• Promotes DRI Lebanon’s various initiatives and programmes to the relevant audience segments while using the right messaging matrix;
• Identifies the most effective channel mix for each programme;
• Develops a DRI Lebanon corporate communication strategy and plan;
• Formulates corporate communication guidelines; and
• Proposes a clear way forward on how to hand social media management.

By the end of the assignment, DRI Lebanon should be equipped with marketing-communication strategies, plans, and tools to better interact with its audiences, increase engagement levels, and build a community of advocates and supporters.

The objective is to boost DRI Lebanon’s awareness levels build-up, strengthen its market positioning amongst the public, and establish a leadership image across the various areas of engagement.

Your Tasks and Deliverables

DRI is interested in receiving applications from experienced strategic communication experts with proven track records.

Under the supervision of and in close coordination with DRI, the selected candidate will:

• Understand the competitive landscape to identify potentially untapped strategic opportunities in terms of communication directions, strategic partnerships, and alliances.
• Develop a thorough analysis of DRI Lebanon’s operating ecosystem, available potential resources, and stakeholder spectrum.
• Understand DRI Lebanon’s programmes, respective audience segments, and expected objectives.
• Lead the development and implementation of DRI Lebanon’s corporate programme-specific insight-based marketing-communication strategies and plans while capitalising on the latest global good practices.
• Continuously monitor, analyse, evaluate, and re-optimise DRI Lebanon’s communication channel mix across digital, social media, and offline channels. Regular analysis reports should be submitted, including:

• Data collected (analytics and social media listening tools);
• Identified learnings and findings; and
• Actionable recommendations that help DRI deliver against defined objectives, improve effectiveness of communication activities, and increase efficiencies of deployed resources.

• Assist in developing presentation content and materials to help DRI Lebanon’s management activate a stakeholder/influencer outreach programme and secure their engagement and endorsement based on DRI’s strategic directions.
• Assist in developing presentation content and materials to help DRI Lebanon’s management approach potential donors, secure involvement, participation, and retention. Presentations should also include how donors could consider their relation and support to DRI within their marketing plans when needed.
• Identify a suitable, sustainable, and reliable direction for social media management.
• Identify marketing, copywriting, and postproduction tools.
• Develop a winning monetisation strategy from DRI Lebanon’s platforms, audience, type of content, and other sources.
• Attend regular check-ins and review sessions with DRI Lebanon to discuss recommendations and take stock of the progress made.

Your Skills and Experience

Applicants should demonstrate that they can fulfil the requested tasks and meet the following profile requirements:

• An advanced university degree in mass communications, digital marketing, media studies, or other relevant fields;
• At least 10 years of experience in strategic marketing-communications, social media management/analysis, and content creation;
• Ability to produce high-quality deliverables in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving needs of audiences;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to work independently, flexibly and under pressure utilising initiative;
• Writing and working proficiency in Arabic and English.