Role purpose:

The position holder will be responsible for planning and executing regional public affairs strategies. The role is also responsible for regional government relations, CSR activities, managing regional media, playing a coordination role in regional activities, engaging the community, supporting ESG implementation, and representing Safaricom Ethiopia in the region to enable the company to achieve its commercial strategy and proactively mitigate risks for the operations of the company, contributing to the digital Ethiopia objective.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Key accountabilities and decision ownership:

• Plan and execute Public Affairs strategy, to deliver Public Affairs priorities in the region. (Policy Priorities, Social Contract, CSR ESG).

• Built and maintain a relationship with the communities, regional authorities, media agencies etc..

• Plan and execute day-to-day engagement with relevant government offices, statutory organizations, Commissions, Authorities, and any other organizations holding administrative authority that affects Safaricom Ethiopia’s operations.

• Enable Technology and Commercial team to contribute to regional business KPIs in the region.

• Lead and coordinate beneficial professional relationships with local government offices to ensure that Safaricom Ethiopia’s day-to-day commercial and technological objectives are not adversely affected.

• Provide support and prepare detailed reports on the progress of network roll out and commercial activities from External Affairs perspective.

• Develop and implement comprehensive stakeholder map, measuring engagement against KPIs.

• Engage government officials of the region, community leaders and local administrations on a wide range of business issues

Job Requirements 

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

Business Competencies:

•  Consciously takes steps to make the most of every conversation/interaction.

•  Identify areas of intervention that can positively influence the regional government and the community that enable the business operation.

• Identifies people’s needs, interests, and motives to be able to influence the decisions they make.

• Communicates simply to excite and engage people

• Proactively adapts own style and approach to build rapport, and work with the regional team more effectively.

Operational Excellence:

•         Targets effort and resources on high-value, high-impact activity.

•         Staying updated on laws and regulations that affect the operation of the business and proactively adapting strategies to remain compliant.

•         Maintain the relationship with the regional government and proactively engage them.

•         Focuses on achieving maximum performance and driving continuous improvement.

•         Plan to respond to grievances and crises that could impact the business reputation and operations in the region.

•         Engaging with various stakeholders including media in the region

•         Identify possible areas of initiative to do CSR initiatives that demonstrate the company's commitment to social causes, social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and community development that are aligned withthe company's values and goals. 

•         Uses knowledge of products, technology, process, systems, and policy to solve problems.

Creativity and Innovation

•    Finds creative ways to exploit opportunities and solve problems.

• Strategically communicate issues that need support from stakeholders with story-telling techniques that help in easy understanding of  technical matters.

• Creative problem-solving skills to address emerging issues or crises, thinking outside the box to find unconventional solutions with an adaptable approach.

• Takes risks and pushes what is possible

•    Identify and foster creative partnerships with stakeholders on implementing CSR projects that focus on community development or environmental sustainabilit

•   Collaborate and coordinate with the regional teams to integrate innovative approaches to tackle obstacles and achieve business objectives.

•  Experiments with unorthodox approaches

Business Know

•    Uses data and research to make decisions that are competitively and financially robust.

• Understanding the needs of the local community to implement CSR projects

• Balances current and future need

•  Thinks and acts like the owner of the business.

•   Identifying potential risks that can impact business revenue and coming up with a mitigation plan

• Acts in line with legal, regulatory, professional, and ethical standards

Working with Change

•  Responds flexibly to changing situations

•   Foster for collaborative environment.

•   Manages the business and people aspects of change to drive performance.

•  Effectively communicating and managing change within the organization.

• Addressing evolving expectations of stakeholders through adaptable and responsive strategies.

Project and Program Management

• Strategic alignment on key intervention areas with the regional team to ensure maximum support from stakeholders.

•    Overseeing the business operations in the region in line with IFC standards and the socioeconomic nature of the region.

•   Identifying potential risks and developing mitigation strategies.

•   Coordination of the business operation in the region.

•    Effective management of stakeholders to ensure alignment and smooth execution.

Technical Competencies: Relationships:

• Ability to builds networks with other teams in the business. Sets high standards for what they and their teams do. Takes responsibility for targets.

•  Decision making: Holder provides information and makes recommendations (regional and local interconnect reports).

• Communication: clear and concise in talking and writing, keeps all relevant people informed of progress in work, presents complex information and concepts in a way which is simple to understand. Good organizational skills, initiative-taking, and self-drive for results

•   Speed: Relentlessly prioritize and pursue the outcomes that matter to our business.

•    Simplicity: Make things simple for customers, partners, and colleagues.

•  Trust: Dependable and transparent to deal with. Deliver for others, and trust others to do likewise.

Must have technical / professional qualifications:

·         Bachelor's degree in in political science, law, economics, communication, or similar discipline ·

·         More than 10 years experience in similar/ related role in government or a corporate entity

·         Good relationships with stakeholders in the region.

·         Professional usage of the region’s working language

·         Must know the socioeconomic and political situation of the region and preferably work in the region.

·         Experience in community engagement in the region.

How to Apply:

If you feel that you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualification and experience, apply online using THIS LINK. Remember to attach your resume. The closing date for receiving applications is March 15, 2024.