Strategic Communications Manager

World Vision International (WVI) began emergency relief operations in Afghanistan in 2001 by addressing the urgent needs of children and families affected by natural disasters and decades of conflict. More than a decade later, World Vision Afghanistan’s (WVA) programs have expanded to development sectors such as health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, and education, empowering women to engage in civil and social change through interfaith partnership.

WVA targets the most vulnerable in its interventions; including children, women, Internally Displace Persons (IDPs), and returnee refugees, as well as the most impoverished and marginalized families. These priorities have been chosen to contribute to our Goal of: “Improved survival and well-being of Afghan girls and boys, building the foundations for a better future for Afghan children and their communities.” 

Our work is well established in Herat, Badghis, Ghor, and Faryab provinces in the western region of Afghanistan. We work closely with all levels of society including children, parents, teachers, village councils, religious leaders, ministries, provincial departments, and other national and international agencies.

Job Porpuse
This position leads World Vision Afghanistan’s (WVA) Communications Unit and must establish good practice in grant communications, strategic communications, partnership communications and internal communications. Investing effort in connecting each of these functions to a coherent communications strategy, aligned with the National Office brand, identity and mission, the Communications Unit will become increasingly effective, reliable, and creative. The position will oversee the Communication Unit’s support for project teams and the wider the production of key communications resources for donor and public engagement; position the ministry of WVA with in-country and international media; lead external communications on a range of development issues; oversee communications in emergency and reputation risk issues; and manage internal and employee communications processes which support and advance the strategic goals of WVA and its core ministry functions. Effective grant communications, as part of an overarching strategy for advancing World Vision Afghanistan’s brand and reputation, is a particular priority. The position holder should provide leadership to the Communications Unit to ensure its successful operation in compliance with all WVI and National Office policies and standards.

Required Education, training, license, registration, and/or Certification

A degree in journalism or communications/public relations/marketing or equivalent professional experience

Required Professional Experience

At least five years professional experience in journalism or public relations

Experience in project management, including the production of diverse communications resources such as publications, multi-media, websites/pages, photo and video reports, social media, etc

Demonstrable ability to create content sensitive to the Afghanistan context, taking account of risks

Cross-cultural communication skills

Required Language(s)

Dari, English

Required travel and/or work environment accommodations

Approximately 20% time traveling in the field

A full commitment to World Vision’s core values and mission statement.

Full adherence to World Vision Child Protection, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policies.

Full Adherence to security protocols

Willingness and ability to continue to function during a crisis situation, including during a World Vision response to a manmade or natural disaster

Preferred Experience, Knowledge and/or other Qualifications

Skills in photography and/or video production

Past experience of marketing departments or media agencies

Experience developing or contributing to the development, execution and reporting on strategies, preferably as part of a cross-functional team

Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the construction of World Vision Afghanistan’s communications strategy and workplan aligning it to the overall WVA Country strategy etc. .
• Work collaboratively with relevant teams in in the National Office and throughout the Partnership towards the realisation of WV Afghanistan’s mission.
• Ensure communications activities are prioritised according to a clear strategic vision, processes of coordination with other teams are simplified where possible, and overlaps avoided.
• Resource programme-grounded content creation such that it conforms to, expresses, and advances the overall strategic vision.

Supporter and Community Engagement

• Oversee the consistent incorporation of communications deliverables, and adequate budget allocations, into grant project design
• Collaborate with Business Development Unit to provide support throughout the grant prepositioning, acquisition and management cycle.
• Manage the planning and production of on-brand, compelling evidence-based and issues-oriented fundraising, advocacy and publicity materials (web-based, digital, print and video) for effective donor and public engagement – both in-country and internationally, and in collaboration with other World Vision Offices, as appropriate.
• Oversee the consistent and timely offering and development of social media content, maximising engagement within an agreed risk appetite.
• Managing the quality of content, commensurate with the audience requirements, and appropriate for informing, educating and engaging donors and publics via partnership websites, magazines, adverts, donor appeals, media releases and other communications channels and outlets.
• Support partnership resource gathering visits and media visits.
• Coordinate public events to best share WV’s messages and branding.
• Establish good practice for the emergency communications readiness, in response to both slow- and rapid-onset emergencies, and ensuring that the WV Partnership is quickly provided with quality stories, photos and media interviews from the field response.
• Ensure that the communications team is equipped for rapid deployments to, and communications from, the field.
• Ensure the external communication resources use correct WV identity and branding.
• Collaborate with in country advocacy colleagues to define key issues, messaging, and communications channels for public advocacy initiatives (e.g. the ENOUGH campaign).

Staff Engagement

• Support NO leadership in communicating areas of their work that create unified identity across the programme, contribute to a shared understanding of strategy and goals, and facilitate change management.
• Ensure information about all aspects the NO ministry and operations are accessible to the WV Partnership.
• Establish systems and safeguards for the appropriate and effective flow of relevant information to and from WV staff when required.

Media reputation and influence

• Position WVA in mainstream and social media to mobilise publics for social and policy change.
• Ensure NO designated spokespeople and technical experts are identified, trained and offered to media for proactive, positive public engagement.
• Ensure World Vision staff are aware of, and adhere to, media relations protocols.
• Support the monitoring of national media and establish the overall capacity of NO to initiate and respond to media contacts with required speed and skill.
• Effectively utilise Meltwater analytics.
• Manage reputation and risk issues.
• Serve as media advisor to relevant staff members.
• Engage media to gain exposure and credibility and increase public discussion. Organisational positioning in mainstream and social media to mobilise publics for social and policy change
• Support the development of contacts with international media via Support Office colleagues to increase uptake of World Vision external-facing products.

Capacity building

• In collaboration with the People & Culture (P&C) Department improve the capacity of the Communications team and work towards talent identification.
• Build capacity of NO staff in Comms-related issuesIdentify and train NO and ADP staff that can provide information on their projects for use through local and international communication channels, if required.

Other

Adhere to WV accountability standards.

• Adhere to WV Child and Adult Safeguarding policy and standards.
• Adhere to WV accountability standards.
• To be aware and prepared to implement WV Afghanistan Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs plan

The application closing date is (08-Nov-2026). Qualified applicants can apply for the position by filling in the online application form in WV Career portal. Please note that only the applications received through the online portal will be considered for this position.

Submission Link

Applicants can login to WV online application system by copying and pasting the following link

https://worldvision.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/WorldVisionInternational/job/Herat-Herat-NO-Afghanistan/Strategic-Communications-Manager_JR53599

Important!

World Vision is committed to safeguarding any child anywhere and adults living where World Vision has a programming presence and maintains zero tolerance for any forms of violence, abuse, exploitation, or harm committed either by employees or others affiliated with our work. All successful candidates will undergo appropriate screening, background, and reference checks and are expected to uphold World Vision’s safeguarding policies and standards at all times. We are also committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace, providing equal opportunities for all and encouraging applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, while ensuring a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment.

Note

We thank all applicants for their interest in joining our organization. Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process, we regret that we are unable to provide individual notifications or feedback to applicants on the outcomes of their interviews and tests and only the candidates at the final stage of interviews will be informed of the outcome.

Applicants and our staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity throughout the recruitment process. Any form of canvassing, undue influence, or attempts to directly or indirectly influence the selection process will result in immediate disqualification from consideration.

Please note that we do not respond to recruitment or interview-related inquiries by telephone or WhatsApp.

All recruitment-related inquiries should be directed to: [email protected].

We strongly discourage applicants from contacting individual staff members or hiring managers regarding the status of their applications or during the selection process.

If any applicant has concerns regarding the fairness, integrity, or conduct of the recruitment process, such concerns may be reported through the World Vision Integrity and Protection Hotline: worldvision.ethicspoint.com where they will be reviewed in accordance with the organization's established procedures.