Manager, Knowledge & Editorial

Qualifications and Education

• Master’s degree and 6 years of experience or Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of experience in Communications, Journalism, Development Studies, Public Policy or a related field
  
• Professional training or proven experience in editorial practice, publishing, knowledge management or communications for development is an added advantage
  

Strategic Influence & Positioning Support

Contribute substantively to the development of Communications & Engagement strategy, bringing evidence-based insight that strengthens delivery of FSD Africa’s strategic goals.

• Work with the Director and Communications team to analyse programme portfolios and identify priority audiences and spheres of influence across pillars.
  
• Collaborate with Development Impact colleagues to gather relevant evidence, data and insights that inform positioning and influence priorities.
  
• Support the definition of influencing goals linked to policy / strategy windows and programme outcomes.
  
• Contribute to the development of influence strategies and messaging frameworks aligned to agreed objectives.
  
• Develop structured content plans aligned to agreed strategic and influencing priorities.
  

Institutional Learning & Evidence Synthesis

Translate organisational experience and Development Impact evidence into clear, credible insight that directly supports delivery of FSD Africa’s strategic goals.

• Establish regular engagement with pillar teams and Development Impact to capture emerging lessons, including practitioner and ‘voices from the field’ insights.
  
• Review research outputs, evaluations and programme documentation to extract transferable learning.
  
• Distil complex technical material into concise insight briefs and thematic summaries suitable for different audiences.
  
• Identify recurring cross-cutting themes relevant to market systems development.
  
• Ensure synthesised insights are structured and shared in ways that inform decision-making and communications planning.
  

Content Development & Editorial

Produce clear, credible content and apply FSD Africa’s editorial standards to ensure consistency and quality across communications.

• Draft and structurally edit substantive materials including case studies, briefing notes and core knowledge products.
  
• Commission and manage external writers or editors where specialist input is required.
  
• Develop and uphold editorial standards, templates and style and branding guidelines across knowledge products.
  
• Review content produced across the organisation to ensure clarity, analytical coherence and consistency of voice.
  

Knowledge Systems & Asset Stewardship

Design and sustain knowledge systems and practices that protect institutional memory and enable efficient retrieval and utilisation of evidence and insight.

• Design structured workflows for capturing, curating and archiving lessons and evidence from programmes and reviews.
  
• Develop and maintain repositories of insight, proof points and knowledge assets.
  
• Create clear filing, tagging and referencing practices to support ease of retrieval.
  
• Work with Communications & Engagement colleagues to ensure knowledge materials are stored, updated and maintained within agreed systems.
  
• Promote consistent use of knowledge systems and practices across pillars and teams.
  

Senior Support & Strategic Enablement

Support the Director and Senior Communications Manager in equipping senior leaders and pillar teams with persuasive, evidence-based narratives for purposeful engagement in policy / strategy and market forums.

• Prepare tailored briefing materials and insight summaries for senior leadership engagement.
  
• Work with leaders to clarify key messages ahead of policy / strategy and market engagements.
  
• Develop narrative summaries that link programme evidence to agreed strategic positioning.
  
• Coordinate with Outreach & Campaigns to align substantive content with engagement priorities.
  
• Provide timely, high-quality drafting support for priority external moments.
  

Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management