Job Details

Reports to: Country Manager

Responsible for: n/a

Start date: 1 July 2024

Term: Full time, 12-month contract, with extension dependent on continued project funding

Based in: Lusaka, Zambia, with regular national travel.

Salary: £12-14,000 per annum gross, exclusive of gratuity, depending on experience. Health insurance provided.

Application deadline: 23:59 CAT, 26th May

Date of first round interview: w/c 27th May

About DMI

Development Media International (DMI) delivers media campaigns aimed at changing behaviours, promoting health and saving lives in developing countries. We are the first organisation to scientifically demonstrate that mass media can increase life-saving behaviours (see the results of our RCT that proved our interventions can save thousands of children’s lives, here ).

DMI has two priorities: first, to continue to generate ground-breaking research, second, to take our proven strategies to scale, saving as many lives as possible. We work across a range of health issues, including child survival, reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene, and early childhood development. DMI works in close partnership with leading experts in health, including WHO, UNICEF and LSHTM and has been funded by some of the world’s most prestigious organisations including the Wellcome Trust, DFID, Comic Relief, the Global Innovation Fund, Unorthodox Philanthropy, and the Mulago Foundation.

We are an innovative and rapidly growing organisation, working at the nexus between science and creativity. DMI has demonstrated that knowledge is not only a human right but is also the key to saving lives in a cost-effective way. Our intellectual rigour, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn from both our successes and mistakes, makes us distinct. Our ethos is non-hierarchical: all our staff are intellectually high-powered, and we have a “best idea wins” culture. By working at DMI you will have a genuine, measurable impact on improving lives in low-income countries.

DMI has a permanent presence in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Mozambique and Tanzania and also currently works in Mauritania, Uganda, and Zambia. DMI’s headquarters are in London and provides the strategic direction for the whole organisation.

DMI is ranked as one of the most cost-effective non-profit organisations in the world by The Life You Can Save .

Find out more on our website .

Job Description

DMI has been established in Zambia since 2019 and works in close partnership with the Ministry of Health to deliver campaigns in support of government priorities. To date we have run national radio, TV and social media campaigns and have delivered discreet pilot and research projects addressing a range of issues including modern contraceptive uptake, Covid-19 prevention and vaccination, and mental health. Over the next two years DMI will be running an ambitious national radio campaign addressing reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, piloting a project evaluating the impact of an SBC radio campaign on reading glasses uptake, and pursuing several new funding opportunities in our pipeline.

The Zambia office is a small team comprising six staff covering all DMI’s core specialisms, including strategy, operations, research, production, and campaign management. The Campaigns Officer will play a critical role within the team, analysing mass media consumption data and trends, managing relationships with distribution partners and monitoring of DMI Zambia campaigns. Key working relationships include the Country Director, the Production Technician, DMI’s UK-based team and distribution partners.

More specifically, the Research Officer role will include the following responsibilities:

• Keeping abreast of mass media consumption trends in Zambia relating to radio, TV, social media and other technologies, including media consumption and audience measurement research and analysis conducted by third parties.
• Analysing mass media consumption data and habits at national, provincial and district-level to identify the most impactful channels (radio, TV, social media, etc) and combination of distribution partners (stations, platforms, etc) for DMI’s campaigns.
• Brokering and managing relationships with distribution partners, including negotiating airtime (or equivalent) rates, developing and managing contracts, and supporting capacity development.
• Ensuring comprehensive monitoring of DMI campaigns through a combination of third-party monitors, direct broadcast reporting, and spot check verification systems to ensure DMI is value for money and achieving impact.
• Tracking and analysing campaign reach and exposure, working closely with DMI’s research staff.
• Support other DMI staff as required to ensure that DMI Zambia remains an effective, credible, and professional organisation.
• Other tasks as required.

Person Specification

Required knowledge, skills and experience :

• Minimum 3 years relevant professional experience working in media buying, media planning or campaign management.
• Experience managing mass media campaigns within NGOs and working with community radio stations.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, Business Administration, PR, other relevant subject or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Excellent organisational skills with attention to detail, the capacity to prepare or work on detailed planning documents and know how to archive complex information in an organized way.
• Good analytical skills and ability to present and report findings verbally and in writing.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other routine IT skills.
• Fluent English (written and spoken) and able to travel within Zambia at least 30% of the time.

• knowledge, skills, and experience :

• Experience working on large scale campaigns with multiple stakeholders.
• Understanding of radio monitoring tools and technique.
• Able to speak other Zambian languages.

DMI is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

DMI operates a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and is committed to the protection and safeguarding of vulnerable individuals. Where appropriate, successful candidates will undergo background and reference checks. All DMI employees will be required to self-declare prior issues of sexual or other misconduct, termination of past employment, criminal records, and concerns registered with government authorities regarding contact with children.