Senior Project Officer – Communications job at Catholic Relief Services ( CRS )

Job Summary

The Senior Project Officer – Communications will lead the development and production of high-quality, audience-focused communications products that showcase the impact, lessons learned, and successes of CRS Uganda’s programs. Working closely with project teams, local partners, and participants, this role will package these insights for donors and stakeholders, ultimately advancing CRS’ mission to serve the poor and vulnerable.

The Senior Project Officer – Communications will work proactively with CRS project technical teams and local partners to identify, gather content and produce case studies, success stories, videos, photos, social media content and learning pieces. You will also develop content production calendars that align with program implementation cycles and document the full story of project implementation and the transformative journey of project participants.

The Senior Project Officer – Communications will coordinate with CRS country, regional, and global communications and marketing teams to enhance the visibility of projects among diverse audiences. In this role, your skills and knowledge will help ensure the delivery of high-quality communications products that effectively support project objectives and strengthen program impact.

The Senior Project Officer – Communications works closely with the Country Program leadership team and Regional Marketing Strategist to create content and ensure strategic alignment of communications, consistent messaging, and a strong brand identity. The Senior Project Officer – Communications creates content and uses effective communication channels to reach diverse audiences and help strengthen CRS Uganda’s positioning for funding and influence. This includes stories, multimedia, reports, and other communications materials as required, while ensuring compliance with CRS and donor branding and marking requirements.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• Capture high-quality photography, videography, interviews, and testimonials directly from the field to showcase the impact of CRS Uganda’s programs.
• Collaborate closely with project teams, local partners, and project participants to maintain a consistent, active pipeline of human-interest stories and multimedia assets.
• Write, design, and produce creative visibility materials, including project fact sheets, two-pagers, brochures, presentations, and donor-facing marketing materials.
• Create tailored, engaging multimedia content for CRS global social media platforms (such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram) in coordination with project teams.
• Ensure all produced materials strictly adhere to CRS graphic identity guidelines and specific donor branding and marking requirements.
• Provide hands-on communications support for events, including managing signage, producing handouts, capturing event photo/video, and coordinating visibility assets.
• Develop and distribute simple, practical content collection tools for field staff and partners, such as basic interview templates and photo/video guidance.
• Provide casual, hands-on technical guidance and basic training to staff and local partners on how to capture quality photos, videos, and stories in the field.
• Manage relationships with local and national media outlets, identify opportunities to elevate program visibility, and package field content and press materials to support country leadership with external representation and media engagement.
• Adapt the writing, tone, and messaging of materials to fit the specific needs of different audiences, ensuring all materials are properly formatted and ready for distribution.

Required Languages

Strong written and spoken English required. Proficiency in Luganda and other local languages is highly desired.

Travel

Must be willing and able to travel up to 40 %.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Exceptional relationship management skills, with the ability to navigate high-level partner relationships and engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management, leading and coaching diverse, multi-disciplinary teams. Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.

Supervisory Responsibilities

No

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field; experience with INGOs or UN agencies preferred.
• Minimum 3 years’ of marketing and communications experience, ideally for an NGO or another organization involved in development and humanitarian programming.
• Individual must possess the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Ability and desire to work effectively with diverse staff, partners, and participants in a cooperative and professional manner.
• Must possess the ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated track record of successfully developing and disseminating information to a variety of target audiences.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and desktop publishing tools is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in graphic design, photo editing, and producing basic social media videos using the Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro) or Canva is strongly desired.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Please Note:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position, including individuals from marginalized backgrounds and people with disabilities. Please ensure you follow the instructions outlined below when applying.

This position is open to Ugandan nationals only.

• Capture high-quality photography, videography, interviews, and testimonials directly from the field to showcase the impact of CRS Uganda’s programs.
• Collaborate closely with project teams, local partners, and project participants to maintain a consistent, active pipeline of human-interest stories and multimedia assets.
• Write, design, and produce creative visibility materials, including project fact sheets, two-pagers, brochures, presentations, and donor-facing marketing materials.
• Create tailored, engaging multimedia content for CRS global social media platforms (such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram) in coordination with project teams.
• Ensure all produced materials strictly adhere to CRS graphic identity guidelines and specific donor branding and marking requirements.
• Provide hands-on communications support for events, including managing signage, producing handouts, capturing event photo/video, and coordinating visibility assets.
• Develop and distribute simple, practical content collection tools for field staff and partners, such as basic interview templates and photo/video guidance.
• Provide casual, hands-on technical guidance and basic training to staff and local partners on how to capture quality photos, videos, and stories in the field.
• Manage relationships with local and national media outlets, identify opportunities to elevate program visibility, and package field content and press materials to support country leadership with external representation and media engagement.
• Adapt the writing, tone, and messaging of materials to fit the specific needs of different audiences, ensuring all materials are properly formatted and ready for distribution.

• Strong written and spoken English
• Proficiency in Luganda and other local languages is highly desired
• Exceptional relationship management skills
• Ability to navigate high-level partner relationships
• Engage effectively with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally
• Demonstrated experience of successful program management
• Leading and coaching diverse, multi-disciplinary teams
• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Capacity to see the big picture
• Ability to make sound judgment and decisions
• Strong communications and presentation skills
• Able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
• Desktop publishing tools
• Graphic design
• Photo editing
• Producing basic social media videos using the Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro) or Canva is strongly desired

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field
• Experience with INGOs or UN agencies preferred
• Minimum 3 years’ of marketing and communications experience, ideally for an NGO or another organization involved in development and humanitarian programming
• Individual must possess the ability to influence without direct authority
• Ability and desire to work effectively with diverse staff, partners, and participants in a cooperative and professional manner
• Must possess the ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated track record of successfully developing and disseminating information to a variety of target audiences