Programs and Communications Manager

Responsibilities:

Communications and Content:

• Set up and manage the Foundation’s Substack newsletter, publishing at least one edition per month with content drawn from beneficiary stories, partner updates, and Foundation milestones.
• Develop a social media content calendar and produce regular posts across platforms, drawing from the Foundation’s library of existing beneficiary and partner stories.
• Write and edit all public-facing content: press releases, social media copy, website pages, email communications, and event materials.
• Support the development and ongoing management of the Foundation’s website, ensuring content is current, accurate, and positioned to attract institutional funders and corporate partners.

Program and Event Delivery:

• Build and manage the 2026 project calendar, including the call-for-entries launch in August, the selection process, and the annual awards event in late November.
• Coordinate the virtual webinar series running alongside the annual project cycle, including content planning, speaker coordination, platform management, and promotion.
• Manage the end-to-end beneficiary experience from application through to post-support engagement, ensuring clear communication and timely follow-up at every stage.
• Track progress against program objectives and prepare regular updates for the Board of Trustees and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate logistics for both virtual and in-person events.

Stakeholder and Community Management:

• Build and maintain relationships with current and prospective partners, and other training and media partners.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for beneficiaries, sponsors, donors, and community members, ensuring responsive and professional communication.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all contacts, engagement activities, and partnership status
• Identify and pursue new partnership opportunities aligned with the Foundation’s mission and 2026 goals.

Fundraising Support:

• Research and identify grant opportunities from institutional funders and prepare supporting documentation for grant proposals.
• Support the development of corporate sponsorship packages tied to the annual awards event and webinar series.
• Coordinate the setup of a website-based donation system with a recurring payment option.
• Prepare fundraising materials, impact summaries, and outreach documents as needed.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in program coordination, communications, or community management, preferably within a nonprofit, social enterprise, or mission-driven organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear, engaging content across formats: newsletters, social media, press releases, reports, and email.
• Hands-on experience managing social media accounts and content calendars for an organisation (not personal accounts).
• Experience in planning and coordinating events, whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders at the same time.
• Comfortable working independently with minimal supervision in a lean, fast-moving environment.
• You are a self-starter who takes ownership of your work and does not wait for instructions to move things forward.
• You are organised and detail-oriented, especially when managing multiple projects with different timelines.
• You care about the mission. You understand why supporting women-led businesses matters and that energy shows up in your work.
• You know how to prioritise, escalate when needed, and get things done without a large support structure.
• You are a strong communicator, both in writing and in person, and you represent organisations with professionalism and warmth.

Preferred:

• Experience with Substack or a comparable newsletter platform.
• Familiarity with grant writing or institutional fundraising.
• Experience working with or supporting women-led businesses or gender-focused organisations in Nigeria.
• Basic understanding of website content management (WordPress, or similar).
• Existing relationships or familiarity with Nigeria’s SME support ecosystem (SMEDAN, LSETF, or similar organisations).