Online Communications Specialist – Morogoro – Sokoine University Of Agriculture

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania, is seeking a full-time Online Communications Specialist. An Online Communications Specialist or Web Designer is responsible for the written and visual communication aspects a new website for SUA.
The Online Communications Specialist will manage the creation of content, design the user interface, edit content and ensure a positive customer experience. This includes overall navigation flow, layout of specific pages, and the knowledge and use of the website.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:
(a) Training, organizing, and supporting SUA staff as they create and edit web content;
(b) Collecting and preparing content for the website;
(c) Ensuring content on the SUA website communicates clearly, effectively, and consistently;
(d) Designing a maintenance mechanism for all pages on the SUA web site;
(e) Providing technical and user training and manuals to SUA staff;
(f) Working with the university-wide website committee on style and approach for the project;
(g) Providing design elements, comps, templates, and finished solutions;
(h) Testing new content before move to production;
(i) Creating and maintaining metadata and other inputs in the system to optimize search engine results;
(j) Performing image manipulation tasks such as creating thumbnails, image resize, file format conversion and simple image edits;
(k) Creating and maintaining multimedia, including photo galleries, slideshows, and videos embedded in Web pages;
(l) Improving the website information architecture to provide easier navigation and accessibility of the site to stakeholders;
(m) Participating in efforts to improve quality of SUA web pages as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
(a) Online communications specialist;
(b) Superior English writing, editing, and proofreading skills
(c) Creative, dynamic and forward thinking individual;
(d) Innovative – able to identify new opportunities and make them happen;
(e) Experience managing websites, including management of design and developer staff;
(f) Comfort with cross-cultural interaction across language barriers;
(g) Team player who can work independently;
(h) Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and work with minimal supervision in a team environment;
(i) Strong organization skills with emphasis on being conscientious and detail-oriented;
(j) Excellent computer skills and proficiency with image editing, desktop publishing, word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software;
(k) Conversant in web basics;
(l) Knowledge of multimedia/creative: e.g., interactive/web content, digital graphics/optimization.

Required Qualifications/Experience
(a) Advanced diploma or Degree in Communications or related field and/or a satisfactory combination of experience and training which demonstrates ability to perform the duties above. Bachelors preferred;
(b) Minimum 2 years as a web content specialist, preferably in a university setting or similar environment, with content development and maintenance responsibilities;
(c) Excellent oral and written communication skills;
(d) Experience editing various types of web content ranging from general text content to specialized digital content;
(e) Graphics experience with image editing and desktop publishing software required;
(f) Experience in coaching, training and mentoring staff;
(g) Working knowledge of software such as operating systems, desktop publishing, word processing, and presentation software, as well as experience with social networking websites;
(h) Experience with WordPress, Drupal, Joomla or other open source CMS, including template development and customization;
(i) English language fluency is required.

How to Apply
Qualified candidates should send their applications by 18th December 2015. To apply for either opportunity, please send a cover letter referencing the position you are applying for, CV or resume, and at least two samples/links of your previous website related work to:

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration and Finance)
Sokoine University of Agriculture
P. O. Box 3000
Morogoro
Tanzania

A copy of the application dossier must be sent by email to: dircc@suanet.ac.tz

[yuzo_related]