Communications Strategist (Social Media Consultant)
Media / Advertising / Communication
About the Employer
Job Description
Communications Strategist (Social Media Consultant)
Period: 20 June – 15 August 2025 (8 weeks)
Supervisor: Executive Director, VILUTHU
Location: Colombo, with field-related outreach as required
1. Background & Rationale
VILUTHU works across gender equality, women’s empowerment, economic justice, peacebuilding, and governance. Much of this critical work remains under-visible. There is an urgent need to raise VILUTHU’s profile to engage donors, stakeholders (state/regional/global networks), and rights holders more effectively.
2. Objective
To design and guide implementation of a robust communication strategy for VILUTHU, ensuring cohesive, high-impact outreach across themes and audiences. The strategist will lead oversight of a communications contractor over the assignment period.
3. Scope of Work & Responsibilities
Key deliverables:
- Roadmap for VILUTHU’s communication strategy (vision, objectives, audiences, messaging, channels, timeline, KPIs).
- Communication plan together with social media/communications contractor for 20 June – 15 August 2025 (detailed tactics, content calendar, resource/milestone matrix).
- Oversight support: guide and monitor the communications contractor—ensuring timely delivery, quality control, regular coordination meetings, adapt as needed.
Core activities:
- Understand gaps and strengthen roadmap recommendations and steps.
- Define key message frameworks tied to each programme area.
- Create or update communication tools – e.g. templates, social media toolkits, media outreach materials.
- Guide contractor on implementation, review outputs (posts, op-eds, newsletters, website content, media materials).
- Monitor performance: track media/social analytics, oversee weekly reports and provide recommendations.
- Provide mentoring to contractor on effective communications.
4. Deliverables & Schedule
- Inception report (strategy Map) - Deadline: 27 June 2025 - Supervision: Executive Director
- Communications plan development together with contractor - Deadline: 5 July 2025 - Supervision: ED approval
- Oversight of the communications plan - Deadline: 12 July 2025 - Supervision: ED approval
- Final Report & Lessons & Recommendations - Deadline: 15 August 2025 - Supervision: Final sign-off
5. Qualifications & Competencies
Education & Experience
- Master’s or Bachelor’s (with 5+ years) in Communications, Journalism, Public Policy, Development, or Social Sciences.
- Minimum 5 years in strategic communications—ideally with UN/development context in Sri Lanka.
- Past experience in developing and implementing communications strategies.
Technical Skills
- Excellent written/verbal English (Sinhala/Tamil an advantage).
- Strong analytical, creative, and strategic thinking.
- Proficiency with social media, websites, newsletters, media outreach.
- Competent in monitoring metrics and report-writing.
Behavioural Competencies
- Stakeholder engagement, diplomacy, team orientation.
- Gender sensitivity, understanding of VILUTHU’s thematic areas.
- Deadline-driven, adaptable, proactive.
6. Supervision & Management
Works under direct supervision of the Executive Director, with weekly check-ins where necessary. Social media/communications Contractor management includes weekly coordination, daily check of the outputs if any and on-demand reviews.
7. Contract & Payment
Consultant will be paid in four instalments based on deliverable milestones:
- 20% on gaps identification + roadmap
- 30% on communication plan
- 30% oversight of plan till 31st July
- 20% at the end of the oversight period on delivery of final report of recommendations
8. Confidentiality & Deliverable Ownership
All materials produced are property of VILUTHU. The consultant must maintain confidentiality of internal documents and personal data.
10. Application Process
Interested candidates are requested to submit the following by 20th June 2025:
- CV
- Demonstrate past experiences related to assignment
- Financial quote
Please email your application to: [email protected] (Subject line: Application for Communications Strategist (Social Media Consultant)) before 20th June 2025.
Deadline for submission of proposal 20th June.
