Afghanistan: Head of External Affairs

Roles and Responsibilities

The Head of External Affairs will:

• Help to develop and implement Turquoise Mountain Afghanistan’s overall communications strategy. This will include, but is not limited to:

· Supporting and mentoring Turquoise Mountain’s Communications team in the development and updating of Turquoise Mountain’s website, newsletter and other communications materials;

· Building Turquoise Mountain’s social media presence;

· Contribute to Turquoise Mountain’s reflection on the task of “re-branding” the Afghan artisan sector around the world;

· Working closely with Turquoise Mountain’s partners – whether donors, retailers, Afghan businesses, or the government – to ensure coherence of messaging about the Afghan artisan sector;

· Creating press releases and managing international press relations;

· Oversee the development of video and photographic content.

• Support senior management in specific tasks including, but not limited to:

· Initiating a sector-wide discussion about potential sector-branding;

· Seeking out and liaising with potential new donors;

· Development of donor proposals;

· Outreach with other organisations of importance for Turquoise Mountain’s work and the development of the artisan sector, such as relevant government ministries, other NGOs, embassies, and journalists;

· Advocacy work on behalf of Turquoise Mountain and the Afghan artisan sector;

· Working with Turquoise Mountain’s new projects in Myanmar and Saudi Arabia to support them in their communications and advocacy needs.

• Assist in the development and implementation of Turquoise Mountain’s communications strategy for the 2016 Freer-Sackler exhibition. This will include, but is not limited to:

· Developing a comprehensive strategy to communicate the main messages of the exhibition to many diverse audiences in Afghanistan, the US, and elsewhere. This includes working with Turquoise Mountain’s artisans, videographer/photographer, exhibition manager, exhibition curator, and US director;

· Working closely with the press and public affairs officers of USAID Afghanistan, which is supporting the exhibition financially;

· Supporting the Business Development department to develop an effective marketing and sales strategy in order to leverage the exposure generated by the exhibition for the benefit of Afghan artisan businesses.

This is a new role. It will report to the Afghanistan Country Director. It will work closely with the Communications & Reporting and Business Development departments in Kabul, as well as with the exhibitions manager and videographer based in Kabul, the exhibition curator in London/D.C., the US Director, and, as required, with the programme heads in Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. It is a role which requires self-direction, in an organisation which values and supports initiative, creativity, and bold ideas.