Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

Action for Rural Economic Development (ARED), in partnership with WeWorld-GVC and JPII, is a
project that aims at contributing to stability in Lebanon, by promoting local development,
improving the socio-economic conditions, and reducing the levels of conflict in North East Bekaa.

The program aims to:
1. Generate employment opportunities by revitalizing and diversifying the local economy in
targeted sectors with local potential, reaching to new markets and making it resilient to
external shocks and notably targeting youth and women
2. Strengthen the capacities of local actors to engage in the promotion of local economic
development whilst promoting stability and participatory action in the region
This is done through improving irrigation, agricultural value chains, producer aggregation, capacity
building for public institutions and supporting small and medium businesses in the region.

The Nawaya Network will be:
● Providing business training and coaching to 250 MSMEs (with a special focus on youth
and women), and grants to 100 MSMEs that work along the targeted value chains in the
area of North East Bekaa
● Providing business training to 7 farmer cooperatives and producer organizations
reaching 250 individuals and 100 non-aggregated farmers related to topics such as
finance, marketing, sales...
● Creating a regional brand for the products and facilitating access to market, both locally
and internationally
● Providing internship opportunities to 30 Business Support Specialists from the area
through the apprenticeship program to facilitate employment by organizations in the
region
●  Conducting awareness sessions for 1000 students about market needs as well as job orientation sessions 
● Creating a peer-to-peer program that will bring together all the beneficiaries of the
program as well as other stakeholders to ensure relevant exchange between them
concerning the value chains 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

● Supports and Provides his/her feedback regarding the National Market Study revolving around the Fruits & Vegetables with the concerned partner.
● Develops a regional brand/label for the Farmer and Producer Coalition in the region that guarantees a certain quality standard and enables increased sales in domestic market, combined with a communication and marketing campaign (that includes local and regional go to market plans) about healthy food that will motivate consumers to buy local, healthy, and decently priced production; and oversees the campaign development and execution.
● Supports the Farmer and Producer Coalition with the development of commercial and marketing strategies, targeting the identification of suitable markets and pricing policies, to find and access new profitable marketing channels (local and international markets).
● Develops needed promotional materials as part of encouraging participation of the cooperatives in B2B Meetings (local and international) which strengthens their commercial relationships with the buyers.
● Supports the development of brands to improve market positioning (locally and regionally) and reflect producer commitment to collective production rules; and supports the 7 farmer and producer organizations in implementing the tailored commercial strategies, including branding, packaging, and market positioning.
● Develops alternative marketing strategies for international and domestic markets and product diversification with a close oversight given by the Marketing Manager expertise.
● Develops, facilitates, and monitors several communication and awareness raising activities including but not limited to Farmers and Producers, regular peer-to-peer meetings, promotion and marketing of products, as well as campaigns on the quality of food to ensure its safety. S/he gets directly involved in raising awareness on job opportunities with students through strong communication channels, advocacy and communication activities in support of the Regional Development Committee and a campaign to reduce social tensions.
● Supports the Business Coach in planning and conducting training on marketing strategies and brand development for 7 farmer and producer organizations, at least 100 farmers and producers, and several agri-food businesses.
● Manages all ARED's social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube) and updates content monthly with various stories to be aligned with Nawaya's General Strategic Dimension through the Marketing Manager.
● Develops and maintains Nawaya and ARED's brand identityl and other branding elements as will be requested.
● Supports the Marketing and Communications Manager in developing a strategy to strengthen Nawaya’s visibility online and offline, locally, regionally, and internationally.
● Maintains an ongoing interaction with online followers on a daily basis (or as requested by the Manager) and manages ARED's database of beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
● Ensures an ongoing follow up with partners, donors, sponsors, and supporters online and offline.
● Coordinates with concerned internal stakeholders as well as MSMEs and Farmers & Cooperatives training participants, Business Support Specialists, Peer-to-Peer program beneficiaries, Graphic Designer, and Videographer with the purpose of collecting various content for online information to be displayed in a timely manner.
● Curates and reports on success stories and visibility to donors, on a quarterly basis with the final review to be made by the Marketing Manager.
● Supports The Mareketing and Communications Manager in developing the Monthly Nawaya Newsletter to database, trainers, staff, LCRP.

Requirements:

● Education: Degree in Communication, Marketing and Advertising, or Public Relations- Masters is a plus- Agriculture or Agribusiness-related background is mandatory.
● Experience: 5 to 7 years of working experience in the field of Marketing and Communication. Working experience in Marketing/Branding/Packaging for Agri-Food Businesses is mandatory.
● Competencies: Social Media skills, Advanced knowledge in Marketing and Communication and Agribusiness, Business ability, Self-discipline, Ability to deal eloquently and effectively with internal and external stakeholders, Attention to detail prior to online posting, Process and Result oriented, knowledge in KPI reporting as agreed upon with Management, Donor Engagement experience is a plus.
● Languages: English, Arabic, French (is a plus)
● Deep Understanding of various Social Media Platforms
● Communication and Presentation Skills 
● Basic skills in website design/ uploading content material
● Strategic Management and Planning Skills
● Organizational Management Skills
● Time Management Skills
● Software Skills - Basic Computer Skills
● Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills