Overview

Mtandao – Africa Social Work and Development Network invites applications for the position of Communications Officer. This role is suitable for someone in Nairobi, Kenya. Our Communications Officers support the visibility and dissemination of African-centred scholarship in social work and development by managing newsletters, blog posts, website content, and social media communication, and by promoting the network’s journals, books, and events. The Officers maintain oversight of the website, promoting the network’s hosted journals including African Journal of Social Work, Journal of Development Administration, Journal of Social Issues in Non-Communicable Conditions and Disability, and Journal of Ubuntu. The Officers support communication for events such as the Africa Day Indaba, Annual Ubuntu Lecture, ASWDNet Student Conference, Day of the African Child, Mzee Day of Older Persons, Annual Members Symposium, Masterclasses, exhibitions and digital engagement through platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp. These are voluntary positions at times with project-based incentives. The positions require reliable and strong internet access. For this advertised position, fluency in Swahili (speaking and writing) is a major advantage. The position reports to the Director.

Key details

Job title: Communications Officer

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Organisation: Mtandao – Africa Social Work and Development Network

Role summary: The Communications Officer manages communication and information dissemination for Mtandao – Africa Social Work and Development Network. The role focuses on promoting African-centred social work and development knowledge, supporting the visibility of the network’s journals and books, coordinating communication for events, and maintaining engagement with members, scholars, and partners.

Key responsibilities

Matandao has a pool of responsibilities for Communications Officers, individual roles are derived from this pool, and vary from time to time.

Communication and member engagement

• Manage communication with network members, committees, and partners.
• Respond to enquiries from scholars, practitioners, and students.
• Maintain and update membership mailing lists.
• Prepare and distribute newsletters and announcements.

Website and content management

• Maintain and update the network website.
• Upload blog posts, articles, research resources, and announcements.
• Ensure website content is accurate, accessible, and regularly updated.

Promotion of journals and publications

Promote the network’s scholarly journals, including:

• African Journal of Social Work
• Journal of Development Administration
• Journal of Social Issues in Non-Communicable Conditions and Disability
• Journal of Ubuntu

Responsibilities include:

• Promoting calls for papers and new issues.
• Disseminating research outputs through newsletters, website updates, blog posts, and social media.
• Increasing the visibility and readership of the journals.

Book publishing support

• Support preparation of books produced by the network.
• Format and typeset manuscripts for publication.
• Assist with editing and preparation of book files for digital or print distribution.
• Promote newly published books.

Social media and digital communication

Manage the network’s digital presence through:

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• X (Twitter)
• Instagram
• YouTube
• WhatsApp

Responsibilities include:

• Sharing updates on research, publications, and events.
• Supporting online engagement and visibility of African-centred scholarship.

Event support and communication

Promote and support communication for network events including:

• Africa Day Indaba
• Annual Ubuntu Lecture
• ASWDNet Student Conference
• Day of the African Child
• Mzee Day of Older Persons
• Annual Members Symposium
• Masterclasses

Tasks include:

• Preparing promotional materials.
• Circulating announcements and event information.
• Sharing outcomes and reports after events.

Communication materials

• Prepare newsletters, blog posts, reports, announcements, and promotional materials.
• Produce communication content such as summaries, flyers, or infographics.

Exhibitions

• Exhibit for Matandao at relevant events

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in communication, media studies, publishing, social sciences, social work, development studies, or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant field is desirable.

Skills and experience

• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Skills in formatting, typesetting, and document preparation.
• Ability to prepare and edit website content.
• Experience managing digital communication platforms and social media.
• Ability to prepare newsletters, blog posts, and communication materials.
• Basic knowledge of academic publishing processes is desirable.
• Fluency in Swahili (speaking and writing) is a major advantage.
• Ability to work independently and coordinate with an international scholarly network.

Remuneration

This is a voluntary position. Incentives are project-based, that is, depend with the nature and guidelines of each project.

Requirements

Strong and reliable internet access is essential for performing the duties of the position.

Reporting

The Communications Officer reports to the Convenor/Director of the Network.

Submission of applications

Submit your applications to asw@africasocialwork.net, submission date extended to 05 May 2026.