The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.
In Nigeria, GIZ’s portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Communications Specialist
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Job ID: 049B
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Project: Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE)
Background
- As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
- The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity.
- Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries.
- GIZ has been operational in Nigeria since 1974, maintaining a country office in Abuja since 2004. Across its portfolio, GIZ supports programmes on sustainable economic development, climate and energy, governance, peace and security, and health systems strengthening.
Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE)
- The programme Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE II) is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
- SKYE II contributes to Nigeria’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by supporting employment and job creation to reduce poverty (SDG 1), improve the quality and relevance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems (SDG 4), promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls across all its interventions (SDG 5), foster decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and reduce inequality (SDG 10).
- SKYE II started on November 01, 2023, and will run until October 31, 2028.
SKYE II aims to improve employment and income opportunities for TVET students, graduates and job seekers in FCT, Edo, Enugu, Lagos, Ogun and Plateau, with particular attention to women, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. The programme focuses on five priority areas:
- Public-private dialogue: Strengthening dialogue between government and businesses to develop recommendations on TVET as well as employment policies and economic development.
- Quality and relevance of TVET: Supporting training institutions to introduce and implement demand-driven standards in sectors with high employment potential, including, construction, manufacturing, circular economy, creative, hospitality and ICT sectors.
- Employment promotion: Strengthening job centres and Active Labour Market Measures (ALMM), including career guidance, job matching and placement, short-term training and labour market information.
- Gender equality and social inclusion: Supporting government and relevant institutions in improving access to skills development and employment opportunities for women, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
- Private sector cooperation: Strengthening cooperation between TVET institutions and companies to align training with the demand of the labour market, expand practical learning opportunities and improve transitions into employment and self-employment.
Responsibilities and Tasks
- Develop and disseminate communication products for internal and external use (e.g., one-pagers, flyers, briefs, articles, newsletters, press briefing, presentations, factsheets, and thematic packages) and ensure professional layout and quality.
- Develop impact stories, videos, and content for awareness raising campaigns and measures for external and internal publication in collaboration with project teams and partners.
- Coordinate and develop timely social media communication based on the Activity Tracker and on request from project teams, including drafting, editing, scheduling and coordination of inputs from technical advisors.
- Support events with communication and visibility measures, including documentation through photography, videography, and event visibility materials.
- Track communication performance with simple metrics (e.g., reach/engagement, publication log, media mentions, product inventory) and provide short updates for management and reporting purposes.
- Plan, design, and support procurement of communication and visibility materials in line with procurement rules and visibility requirements.
- Coordinate, steer and manage assignments of communication external service providers and consultants, including briefing, quality control and timely delivery.
- Coordinate the execution of the GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS communication strategy for SKYE and Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC) and develop communication approaches to use in project.
- Other tasks as assigned by management team.
Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience
Qualifications:
- University Degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Studies, Public Relations, Political Science, Development Studies, or a comparable discipline; a Master’s degree is an asset.
Professional Experience:
- At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in strategic communication, visibility and content production, ideally in international cooperation, development programmes or a comparable stakeholder-rich environment.
- Experience producing high-quality communication products (e.g., impact stories, web stories, fact sheets, articles, briefs, presentations, social media packages, event communication materials).
- Experience in event communication and visibility, including coordination of photography/videography and documentation, media (print and digital) engagement, press conference management, and ensuring consent/usage rights and compliance with data protection requirements.
- Experience managing external service providers (e.g., graphic design, photography, videography), including drafting TORs, coordinating contracting processes, steering production and ensuring quality and deadlines.
Salary band
According to the GIZ Salary Band 4
Application Closing Date
18th September, 2026.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
