Create Manager -Maternity Cover

Reporting Lines: Country Director

Location: Ethiopia

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract, Maternity cover – 8 months

Band: Manager

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit organization dedicated to addressing challenges faced by adolescent girls and youth in Ethiopia. Operating in the country since 2013, the organization leverages Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategies, combining media and on-the-ground interventions to tackle various societal issues and empower young people. Girl Effect Ethiopia created the youth brand Yegna in 2014, since then has reached over 10 million people through multiple products, outreach programs, girl networks, and research pieces done all for the betterment of adolescent lives.

We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, relationships, etc. And we use innovative technology so we can reach girls at scale. We arm girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible, so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning and livelihood.

When a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, community, and country.

That’s the Girl Effect.

Background

Girl Effect uses a branded media approach towards delivering behavioural change messaging.

We reach girls across the world, where they are -online and offline, to support them at the critical moments in life when choices around their health, education and economic future need to be made.

We use our expertise in behavior change science to motivate and equip girls with information and support to help them see a different future for themselves, act on those choices, and drive greater demand for the opportunities and services available to them.

Chhaa Jaa in India, Tujibebe in Tanzania, Yegna in Ethiopia – are some of our youth brands. They exist across multiple channels – digital ( Meta, Google and other SM platforms), TV, radio, print and offline. Together, these brands form Girl Effect.

The Brand

Yegna, Girl Effect’s branded multi-media platform established in Ethiopia in 2014, focuses on empowering adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) through fun, factual and fictional content using role-modelling and storytelling to inspire them to think and behave differently.

Meaning “Ours” in Amharic, Yegna brings young people together to overcome life’s challenges and realise their ambitions. Our platform comprises a national TV drama, radio talk shows, music, digital and social media channels, and club activities.

All our content is research-driven and co-designed with our audience. Testing, tracking and learning are critical to our design process. We aim for our content to be authentic, relevant, relatable to our audiences, and as engaging as possible. Yegna, the story of all of us, is the first-ever adolescent-focused TV drama in Ethiopia and has had a successful six-season run.

Context of the Role

As the Create Manager, you will ensure that the Ethiopia Create function utilises the right people, processes, and principles to achieve exceptional results, while guiding and inspiring teams. Your role will involve seamlessly transitioning from detailed, hands-on evaluations of scripts or product features to high-level strategic discussions.

Create Management Responsibilities:

• Product Management: Oversee the development and execution of creative products that meet the needs and objectives of Girl Effect Ethiopia and the program team.
• Agency Collaboration: Collaborate closely with production and advertising agencies to ensure the delivery of high-quality creative content.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and manage the creative team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement strategic plans for creative projects, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and timelines.
• Project Oversight: Monitor the progress of creative projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
• Communication: Serve as the primary point of contact between the program team and the creative team, ensuring clear and effective communication.
• Onboarding: Identify, recruit, and onboard the right talent to enhance the creative team’s capabilities.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure all creative outputs are aligned with Girl Effect’s brand standards and objectives.
• Innovation: Stay updated with industry trends and incorporate innovative approaches to keep the creative content fresh and engaging.
• Innovation in Content Creation: Innovate and evolve methods for creating and delivering content and product experiences that align with the goals of the Yegna Brand and Ethiopia country strategy.
• Content Development and Delivery: Collaborate with an in-house creative team and external suppliers to develop and deliver engaging, strategically relevant content across all of Yegna’s touchpoints, including social media, communities, and both analogue and digital media.
• Brand, Content, and Product Oversight: Oversee the brand, content, and product creation process for Yegna and other products. Work with technical experts and creators to develop scripts, casting ideas, frameworks, and treatment designs that help adolescent girls and young women from vulnerable contexts navigate complex challenges and opportunities.
• Budget Management: Manage the annual budget for creative delivery in Ethiopia. Support the Country Director in budget creation, forecasts, and adjustments in collaboration with the Programs team.
• Procurement and Tender Processes: Collaborate with the procurement team in the procurement and tender process.
• Production Problem-Solving: Address production timelines, conflicting priorities, and external factors while ensuring adherence to Girl Effect processes.
• Safeguarding and Youth Participation: Work closely with the safeguarding team to integrate safeguarding measures and youth participation efforts into the production process and campaigns.
• Audience Growth: Collaborate with the Marketing (Audience Acquisition) team to meaningfully reach and grow our audiences.
• Content Evolution: Work with technical experts to evolve content offerings, ensuring they meet key annual strategic goals and funder objectives. Key stakeholders include those in Social & Behaviour Change Communication, Gender, Youth Participation, and Safeguarding.
• Data-Driven Improvement: Understand and apply learnings and data presented by the Impact team. Collaborate with the Programme team and technical experts to improve Yegna’s creative products and content as part of the MERL (monitoring, evaluation, and learning) process.

This list should not be considered exhaustive; the post holder will be expected to deliver other duties relevant and appropriate to this position.

Organization Accountabilities

• Lead by example as a role model for Girl Effect’s values and professional standards.
• Support the delivery of organisational and team goals.
• Seek continuous improvement within your own areas of responsibility.
• Maintain full awareness of and active compliance with Girl Effect’s policies and procedures relevant to your own responsibilities and to broader policies, including (but not limited to) equality, health and safety, confidentiality, and data protection.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, the number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow.

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organizational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found here. We have zero-tolerance for all forms of violence against children, beneficiaries and staff.

Equal Opportunities

Girl Effect Services is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an organization that is increasingly representative of and works extensively with the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy service organizations and individuals with diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

Who You Are:

• Experience: Five or more years of experience in product management within the creative, advertising, or production industry.
• Project Management: Proven success in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Communication: Strong ability to communicate and build relationships with senior stakeholders, consultants, vendors, and clients.
• Creative Collaboration: Experience working directly with creatives across various disciplines.
• Proactive Self-Starter: Confidently takes initiative.
• Adaptable: Able to work in complex, unfamiliar, and changing environments.
• Approachable: Skilled at navigating and diffusing high-pressure situations.
• Critical Thinking: Excellent analysis and thinking skills.
• Commitment: Dedicated to realizing the potential of girls and aligning with the vision and values of Girl Effect.
• Culturally Aware: Curious and sensitive to the cultures in which we operate.
• Team Player: Effective in multicultural teams with varying expertise, skills, and backgrounds.
• Problem Solver: Quick thinking and able to troubleshoot issues during production to keep projects on track and deliver high-quality results.
• Attention to Detail: Ensures accurate execution and high-quality output in media production projects

Requirements (including but not limited to):

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, or a related field.

Experience:

• • Minimum of 5 years of experience in product management within the creative, advertising, or production industry.
  • Proven track record of leading successful productions of PSAs, TV and radio dramas, talk shows, and advertisements.
  • Extensive experience in working with production and advertisement agencies.
  • Demonstrated experience in managing and leading creative teams.
  • Experience in creating content related to impact youth and women.
  • Experience working with development sector communications.

Skills:

• • Strong project management and organisational skills.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
  • Creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Proficiency in creative tools and software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, project management tools).
  • Proficiency in relevant media production software, equipment, and tools (such as editing software, cameras, and audio equipment) for seamless project execution.
  • Familiarity with tools such as Asana and Slack is an added bonus.

Attitudes we are looking for:

• A keen eye for detail and a strong aesthetic sense.
• Ability to translate complex ideas into compelling creative products.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong leadership qualities with the ability to inspire and motivate a team.
• Comfortable with complex organizational structures and multiple stakeholders
• Comfortable with shared decision making
• A ‘do-er thinker’
• Enthusiastic about talking to and interacting with people across cultures and geographies – this role will require extensive conversations, presentations, documentation and fire-fighting
• Highly empathetic and context-sensitive – able to balance conflicting needs and priorities decisively
• Mission-driven and cares about making a difference in the lives of young people and vulnerable sections of society