Manager, Global Engagement

Aceli Africa•,, ,

About The Position

Based in the US and reporting directly to the CEO, the Manager, Global Engagement shapes how Aceli tells its story to international audiences, including funders, investors, development finance institutions, policymakers, and sector peers. The role combines writing, editing, project management, and strategic advising to the CEO and Executive team. It identifies, produces, and presents Aceli’s stories; owns the messaging framework and brand; leads the thought leadership calendar and digital channels; and helps shape fundraising narratives. The Manager works closely with the Kenya-based Communications team to align communications with Aceli’s organizational strategy. The regional team focuses on communications with partners in Africa, events in focus countries, internal communications, and communications capacity building. The position calls for a skilled writer and project manager with experience in thought leadership and communications in international development, impact investing, philanthropy, and/or financial services. The Manager must translate complex, data-rich work into narratives that resonate with senior global audiences, especially donors. The role leads thought leadership and editorial work, external messaging and brand, fundraising communications, and digital platforms. This includes drafting and shaping publications and executive communications; managing the editorial calendar and design partners; maintaining consistent messaging and visual standards; supporting proposals and funder materials; updating and maintaining the website; producing newsletters and publication announcements; developing LinkedIn content; and tracking digital engagement analytics. The Manager also collaborates with the regional Communications team on training, templates, audience-focused collateral, and digital communications for events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, International Development, Economics, or a related field.
At least 7 years of experience in strategic communications, thought leadership, editorial, or brand roles, including at least 3 years in international development, impact investing, philanthropy, or financial services.
Familiarity with agricultural finance, SME finance, or blended finance, ideally in African markets.
Demonstrated record of writing and publishing thought leadership for senior international audiences, such as reports, articles, op-eds, or briefs.
Exceptional English writing and editing skills, including the ability to translate complex financial and data-heavy content into clear, compelling narratives.
Experience advising senior executives on messaging, positioning, and narrative strategy.
Experience developing messaging frameworks, style guides, or brand standards, and managing external design and creative partners.
Proficiency with website content management systems, email marketing platforms, LinkedIn, and web and social analytics tools.
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple publications and priorities simultaneously.
Collaborative team player with a strong work ethic and the ability to work effectively and independently in a remote, multi-country team.
Willingness to travel to East Africa, Europe, and Washington, DC.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing fundraising communications for bilateral and philanthropic donors.
Experience with data storytelling and data visualization.
Experience building communications or storytelling capacity across distributed teams.
Working knowledge of design tools for producing on-brand collateral.

Responsibilities

Draft and co-author thought leadership content, including articles, op-eds, reports, speeches, and talking points, and advise the CEO and senior leaders as they develop and refine ideas.
Own the thought leadership calendar and sequence publications around organizational milestones and international sector events.
Help team members shape narratives about topics such as climate, economic opportunities for women and youth, and nutrition for international audiences.
Advise the CEO on narrative approaches for publications; review drafts and provide copyedits and recommendations for clear, compelling messaging.
Manage design partners from procurement through publication, leading feedback cycles and final quality control.
Work with the regional Communications team to build internal writing skills through training and templates aligned with Aceli’s style, tone, and editorial conventions.
Lead development and maintenance of clear, consistent key messages for staff, and work with the Communications team to promote staff familiarity and provide capacity building.
Partner with the regional Communications team to maintain visual brand standards and ensure public-facing materials reflect a consistent, professional identity.
Advise the Executive team and regional Communications team on external brand and messaging decisions.
Use engagement analytics to assess how messages and stories resonate with funders, partners, and other international audiences, and refine messaging accordingly.
Partner with the fundraising team on narratives for proposals, reports, and pitch materials that combine data and human impact for external audiences.
Provide writing support and input for funder proposals and other external materials as needed.
Coordinate with the regional Communications team to ensure quotes, photography, and videos meet international and funder audience needs.
Support the regional team in identifying and developing effective collateral that shares human stories behind Aceli’s data, and provide editorial support for local and international audiences.
Update website content and oversee technical maintenance to support security and user experience.
Design quarterly newsletters and publication announcements, and deliver campaigns optimized for Aceli’s audiences.
Develop and distribute LinkedIn messaging and content in collaboration with the regional Communications team to maximize engagement.
Track website, newsletter, and LinkedIn analytics to measure engagement and inform communications strategy.
Support the regional Communications team with digital communications for events, including invitations using MailChimp.