United States Embassy Information Specialist Job in Kenya

The United States Embassy – The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the Somalia Unit has an opening for the position of Information Specialist.

• The incumbent serves as the lead Locally Engaged Staff advisor to the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), the Special Representative for Somalia, the Deputy Special Representative and other agency and section heads on issues concerning Somali media.
• Monitors local and significant Diaspora Somali media, flagging and providing English language summaries for stories of interest.
• Prepares media reaction reporting as needed and a weekly media report for the Somalia Unit on local news items of significance.
• Places Washington and PAS materials in local media.
• Works with Somalia media to ensure accurate, positive, and frequent coverage of Somalia events, initiatives, and USG foreign policy priorities.
• Cultivates, develops, and maintains senior-level contacts at the TFG Ministry of Information as well as the Ministries of Information of regional administrations and with government and private media entities, and professional associations.
• Assists the PAO in organizing and coordinating media workshops, lectures, and conferences to promote Mission goals and build local media’s professional capacities.
• Assists in planning and implementing major information program events.
• Acts as press site officer for VIP and embassy personnel visits.
• Serves as the Somalia Unit’s Virtual Presence Post webmaster and, in coordination with the PAO, develops and implements a strategy for social media engagement.
• Submits Mission Activity Tracker (MAT) entries for all information programs and assists with the media portions of MAT entries as needed.
• Translates/transcribes from English to Somali, Somali to English as needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, marketing, liberal arts, political science or economics is required. At least five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, media, or policy analyst environment is required.
• Level IV English and Level IV Somali ability is required.
• Must have excellent general knowledge of the host country institutions, history, and key figures, particularly in the mass media.
• Must be able to develop and maintain effective working level contacts among senior and mid-level government officials, media owners/publishers, editors, broadcast managers, news directors, and working journalists.
• Ability to offer oral translation from Somali to English. Must be computer literate, with experience in Microsoft Office applications, face book and twitter.

Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit on line application to the following link: http://americanembassy.myjobsinkenya.com before May 2, 2012.