Lead - Social Media, Engagement and Outreach

Job Description

The International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST), is looking for an experienced and dynamic professional for media and outreach for the organisation.

A successful applicant must have a proven aptitude for engagement and outreach, multi-stakeholder engagement and excellent communication skills. The candidate must clearly understand and appreciate the role of think tanks in shaping public policy and supporting their implementation.

The Role

As the Lead - Social Media, Engagement & Outreach, you will be instrumental in developing and implementing strategies to enhance the organisation's visibility, community engagement, and communication efforts - supporting iFOREST in building and extending its presence.

We are looking for a detail-oriented and creative professional with a strong interest in environmental issues, the social sector, and international development, and with proven experience in social media strategy, media engagement, digital communications, and online outreach. The role requires close coordination with research, policy, and programme teams to ensure consistent and impactful digital communication aligned with organisational goals.

Strategy Development

• Lead the programmes on communication and outreach.
• Develop and implement strategic media outreach plans aligned with organizational goals and objectives.
• Identify key media channels, outlets, and influencers relevant to our industry/sector.
• Collaborate with internal teams to integrate media outreach into broader communication and marketing strategies.
• Manage and grow iFOREST's presence across key social media platforms (including X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and others as relevant).
• Plan and execute platform-specific content calendars, campaigns, and engagement initiatives.
• Monitor analytics and performance metrics, generate insights, and optimise content to improve reach, engagement, and impact.

Media Relations

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, bloggers, and other media professionals.
• Proactively pitch story ideas, press releases, and thought leadership content to secure media coverage.
• Respond promptly to media inquiries and interview requests, serving as a primary point of contact for media interactions.

Content Development & Digital Storytelling

• Translate complex research, policy outputs, and programme insights into clear, engaging, and accessible social media content.
• Create and oversee production of posts, threads, short videos, reels, carousels, infographics, and explainers.
• Collaborate with internal teams and designers to ensure visual consistency and high-quality digital assets.
• Maintain editorial standards and brand voice across all social media channels.

Digital Engagement & Online Outreach

• Build and engage online communities including policymakers, practitioners, researchers, media, and civil society actors.
• Proactively engage with relevant influencers, institutions, partners, and networks in the climate, energy, and development space.
• Support digital amplification of campaigns, reports, events, and policy advocacy initiatives.

Event & Campaign Promotion

• Lead social media promotion for events, workshops, report launches, and webinars before, during, and after events.
• Manage live-tweeting, reels, highlights, and post-event content to maximise digital visibility and engagement.

Regional Office & Internal Coordination

• Work closely with iFOREST's Regional Office(s) to highlight regional work, field insights, and local impact through social media.
• Support internal teams with social media guidance, templates, and best practices.

Annual Report and Newsletters

• Support development and dissemination of annual report and newsletters, with a focus on repurposing content for social media channels.
• Coordinate with internal teams to source stories, updates, and visuals for digital dissemination.

Qualification and work experience

Education Qualification: Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, Communications or relevant field from a reputable institution is a must. A master's degree is preferred.

Work Experience: 8- 10 years of experience in communication, social media and outreach in the relevant field with successfully managing and handling stakeholder engagement is preferred.

What we offer

At iFOREST, we offer an inclusive and amicable work environment. In addition, our institution strongly supports professional development through education, training and capacity building.

Remuneration

We offer highly competitive salaries in a think tank space, and reward performance through annual appraisals. The final designation of a successful candidate will be based on qualifications and experience.

Application instructions & deadline

We prefer that candidates submit online applications at https://iforest.global/careers/. In case of any difficulties, you may also send your application to [email protected].