Strategic Communications Consultant - BRIGHT Project

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live. 

Summary of the assignment

In collaboration with the BRIGHT project regional teams, and in coordination with the IFDC Global Communications team, the consultancy seeks to develop multimedia content that showcases our impact while providing insights to reinforce and inform our existing communications strategy, as well as to build the capacity of staff in multimedia storytelling and communication for effective and sustained impact messaging.

1. Provide and recommend insights to reinforce and inform the existing BRIGHT project communications strategy;
2. Produce high-quality multimedia content (photography, graphics, videography) that effectively communicates:
   • The impact of our work on beneficiaries and other stakeholders (farmers, donors, potential donors, government, implementing partners, the private sector);
   • Our strategic direction and thematic focus areas as BRIGHT project;
   • Stories of change, intervention and impact that demonstrate the effectiveness of our interventions;
   • Develop content for social media for effective outreach and visibility.
3. To support internal engagement for staff to build capacity and inspiration in multimedia storytelling including knowledge-sharing efforts for sustained impact messaging.

Responsibilities

Content development:

1. Plan content and strategy by collaborating with BRIGHT project staff and partners to understand key themes, priority impact areas, and target audiences. Develop a content strategy that aligns with IFDC communication and strategic objectives, including advisory on effective storytelling approaches for the project’s audiences;
2. Develop content and produce short films and videos (including interviews, field footage, and testimonials). Capture high-quality photographs that tell compelling visual stories. Write success stories (stories of change, intervention and impact) that highlight key project successes and challenges including for social media use;
3. Submit edited productions, finalize videos with subtitles, voiceovers, and brand elements as needed including written stories for publication in reports, social media, and donor communications;
4. Deliver and disseminate support, the consultant shall provide all multimedia content in suitable formats for web, print, and social media use.

Internal Engagement and capacity building:

1. Develop relevant promotional documents, such as briefs and intervention fact sheets, including editing, formatting, illustrations and graphics;
2. Organize the BRIGHT project’s photos and videos library in IFDC’s cloud and SharePoint;
3. Support field teams during field visits to apply skills in real time story collection, interviewing, documentation including photography;
4. Provide best practices for using digital platforms to amplify impact stories and engage stakeholders including protecting IFDC brand and reputation.

Deliverables for the consultant

By the end of the contract, the consultant will be required to deliver the following:

1. A detailed content strategy and work plan aligned with the IFDC communication strategy;
2. At least 5 short films/videos (duration: 3-5 minutes each) capturing key milestones, success stories and impact;
3. A minimum of 150 high-quality photographs capturing key project themes and focus areas
4. At least 15 written stories- stories of change, stories of intervention and stories of impact including biweekly social medial content as outlined by the IFDC communication strategy;
5. A minimum of 10 graphics promo-materials on project impact (project brochures, factsheets, infographics);
6. A minimum of 3 field visit and mentorship sessions in three regional offices with project and partner staff for hands-on documentation of stories including photography;
7. All final multimedia content edited and formatted for dissemination to be submitted to IFDC global communications team and archived in IFDC cloud and SharePoint;
8. A comprehensive handover of ALL, including strategy document, raw footage, edited content, promo-materials and documentation generated from the engagement to IFDC global communications team;
9. Confidentiality agreements include the forms of consent that may be necessitated arising from the engagement with beneficiaries consistent to IFDC’s protection and copyright guidelines.

Requirements

1. Proven experience in multimedia production, storytelling, photography and videography including post-production editing for similar work in a ‘communications-for development’ context;
2. Proficiency in graphics and design tools like CANVA, Adobe- InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. Also, proficiency in Microsoft tools such as SharePoint and Cloud;
3. Proven communication skills, particularly a high level of written communication skills and reporting including a clear and persuasive verbal presentation style. Strength in script writing and documenting success stories is necessary;
4. Relevant experience in media and public relations preferably in agriculture and nutrition projects;
5. Must hold a degree in communications or any other relevant qualification.

Duration

The contract assignment is anticipated to be effective from the 1^{st of} April 2025, through to 30^th June 2025 unless amended in writing and agreed upon by both Parties.

Reporting and Work Relationships

The consultant will report to the Project Manager and work closely with the IFDC Global Communications team as well as other project technical staff.

Location

The consultant will be responsible for supporting the BRIGHT project in all its regional offices (Rwenzori, Elgon and Kigezi) in coordination with IFDC’s Global Communications team.

Mode of application

The Team Leader of Interested firm/individual consultants should submit their CV online via the IFDC career page. Additionally, they should send the requested documents to hanyago@ifdc.org copying ysrivastava@ifdc.org and kibrahim@ifdc.org,[YS4]  not later than 31^st March 2025.

• Technical Proposal: A detailed proposal outlining the firm’s approach to the project, including step-by-step workflow, project timeline, and any technical specifications.
• Financial Proposal: A clear breakdown of the project costs, including material, labor, and any other expenses.
• References: At least two references from previous clients for similar projects.
• Key Personnel CVs: CVs of key staff who will be involved in the project, highlighting their qualifications and experience.

NOTE: A portfolio of previous similar work (videos, photography, impact stories) should be submitted as links.

About Program/Project

Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth of Highland farming systems for rural Transformation (BRIGHT) is a four-year project, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) through the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Dutch development policy. The project is being implemented by IFDC, in collaboration with Agriterra, the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), district local governments, and private sector actors.

The vision of the BRIGHT project is to promote inclusive economic growth and rural transformation through equitable integration into value chains. BRIGHT aims to build the resilience of 106,560 highland farm households in Kigezi, Mt. Elgon, and Rwenzori regions by supporting Uganda to recover from external shocks in an ever-changing context through absorption, adaptation, and transformation. In doing so, the project will improve the food and nutrition security and incomes of farmers, transition subsistence-oriented farm households to more of a market orientation by supporting them in integrated farm planning and inclusive decision-making, introducing appropriate climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies to strengthen local farming systems, ensuring natural resource conservation, and developing strategic value chains.