Exciting Remote Work Opportunity: Join WRI Africa as a Strategic Communications Consultant
Closing Date: 7 July 2026
Exciting Remote Work Opportunity: Join WRI Africa as a Strategic Communications Consultant
Summary of Procurement
World Resources Institute (WRI) intends to award a Fixed Price type contract for a Strategic Communications Consultant under WRI Africa Food Program to support agenda-setting at global policy moments by building compelling narratives that mobilize funders, governments, private sector actors and communities. To support this ambition, WRI Africa Food Program seeks to engage an experienced communications consultant or firm for the period July to December 2026.
About the World Resources Institute
Founded in 1982, The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. WRI works with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future.
About the WRI Africa Food Program
The World Resources Institute (WRI) Africa Food Program works to transform food and land-use systems across the continent to deliver better outcomes for people, nature and the climate. The program houses several flagship initiatives including FLARE (Food Loss and Waste Africa: Reduce and Eliminate), Restore4Food, and a Circular Food Systems portfolio.
Scope of Work
The overall objective of this remote work opportunity is to deliver high-quality, integrated communications support across the WRI Africa Food Program’s key initiatives and milestone events in the second half of 2026, while strengthening the program’s visibility, influence and thought leadership.
Through strategic communications, the remote consultancy will elevate research, policy recommendations and implementation outcomes, engage priority audiences and support advocacy that advances sustainable food systems across Africa.
The Strategic Communications Consultant/firm will provide strategic and exceptional communications expertise spanning the following core service areas:
- • Communications strategy development and execution
- • Media: Op-Ed development, placement and amplification and staff media training
- • Events communications support
- • Social media planning
- • Video production and scripting
- • Staff media training
1.1 Events Communications
- • Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), Kigali — August 31–September 2026
- – Develop and publish an Op-Ed on food loss and food waste aligned with FLARE objectives
- – Design and execute a social media plan (pre-, during, and post-forum)
- – Contract and manage on-site photography and videography (3 days)
- – Provide on-ground communications support, including FLARE soft-launch communications if approved
- • COP 17 UN Convention on Combating Desertification, Mongolia — August 17–28, 2026
- – Co-create and support partner events
- – Manage social media and media posting throughout the event
- – Photo coverage of events
- • COP 31 UNFCCC, Antalya, Turkey — November 9–20, 2026
- – Organize and support 2–3 high-level events on food loss, waste and circularity with strategic partners
- – Support WRI leadership in event scheduling and speaking engagements
- – Draft and publish a COP-aligned Op-Ed on food circularity
- – Draft an article for WRI’s Insights channel on food circularity
- – Scope and support donor roundtable engagements throughout the preparatory period
- – Manage media presence and coordinate speaking points for media engagements
1.2 Strategy Development and Editorial Production
- • Develop FLARE Communications Strategy and Media Plan
- • Develop Restore4Food Communications Strategy and Media Plan
- • Create narrative frameworks and messaging playbooks for FLARE and Restore4Food
- • Produce farmer storytelling content for Restore4Food
- • Write video and documentary scripts for Restore4Food
- • Support language translation of key materials
- • Identify and align internal and external champions to carry program messaging
1.3 Media, Thought Leadership and Staff Training
- • Design and deliver a media training session for WRI Food Program staff during the team retreat
- • Training to cover: understanding the media landscape, crafting pitches, writing press releases and Op-Eds, and digital media.
1.4 Digital Infrastructure and Distribution
- • Coordinate the development of branded digital assets for FLARE, Restore4Food, and Circular Food Systems
- • Establish newsletter distribution platform and project-branded digital presence
- • Execute social media advertising campaigns with audience targeting and segmentation
- • Engage relevant digital influencers
- • Set up SEO and analytics monitoring tools in collaboration with the WRI web leads
Deliverables Summary Table
| Activity | Key Outputs | Target Audience | Timeline | Budget (USD) |
| Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) — Aug 31–Sept 2026 | Op-ed on food loss & waste (FLARE); social media plan; photography & video; on-ground communications support | Funders, policymakers, farmer groups/associations | July 13 – Sept 11, 2026 | Indicate |
| COP 31, Turkey — Nov 9–20, 2026 | 2–3 high-level events on food loss, waste & circularity; Op-Ed on circularity; donor roundtable support; media presence | Global policymakers, funders, WRI leadership | July – November 2026 | Indicate |
| COP 17, Mongolia — Aug 17–28, 2026 | Co-created partner events; social media & media posting | Regional policymakers, partners | July 20 – Aug 28, 2026 | Indicate |
| Content & Editorial Production | FLARE & Restore4Food comms strategies; narrative frameworks; messaging; farmer storytelling; video scripts; language translation | Internal team, partners, funders, private sector, communities | July – November 2026 | Indicate |
| Media, Thought Leadership & Staff Training | Media landscape briefing; message crafting training (pitch, press release, Op-Ed) and digital media, for WRI Food team retreat | WRI Food program staff | During team retreat (2 days) | Indicate |
| Digital Infrastructure & Distribution | Branded digital assets (FLARE, Restore4Food, Circular Food Systems); newsletter platform; social media ads; SEO/analytics tools | Target audiences across all three projects | 30 days (July–Aug 2026) | Indicate |
Budget
The total available budget for this assignment is TBD for the full contract period (July–December 2026). The budget covers professional fees, event participation costs (registration, travel, accommodation and per diem), and sub-contracted services (e.g., photography, videography).
The budget proposal must be submitted as a separate document and include:
- • A detailed breakdown of professional fees by activity and number of days
- • Itemized costs for travel, accommodation and per diem where applicable
- • Any sub-contracting costs (e.g., photography, videography, translation)
- • The proposed daily/monthly rate and total contract value in USD
- • Any assumptions underpinning the budget
Please note that WRI is a United States IRS-registered 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization. WRI is not VAT exempt. All prices or quotes should include VAT and tax, as applicable.
Guidelines for proposal submission
Essential Requirements
The selected vendor will be able to demonstrate capacity in similar work, particularly:
- • Proven track record in communications strategy development and execution, ideally within food systems, environment, agriculture or international development sectors
- • Demonstrated experience in Op-Ed development, editorial pitching and placement in high-profile media platforms
- • Hands-on experience managing communications at major international events and/or COP processes
- • Strong social media strategy and management capabilities, including paid digital advertising
- • Experience producing or overseeing video content, including scripting and directing
- • Experience in designing and delivering media or communications training to professional teams
- • Familiarity with Africa’s media landscape and ability to work across multi-stakeholder environments
Desirable Requirements
- • Prior experience working with international organizations
- • Knowledge of food loss and waste, circular food systems, or climate-food nexus issues
- • Multilingual capacity (English essential; French an advantage)
- • Established network of African and global media contacts
- • Availability for travel to Kigali, Ulaanbaatar and Antalya as required
Location
Remote work opportunity with ability to travel as required (Kigali, Antalya, Ulaanbaatar)
Proposal content
Prospective vendors should submit :
- · A completed conflict of interest declaration (Annex 1)
- · A statement of interest describing the proposed team and how it meets the above requirements;
- · CVs of team members;
- · Examples of and references for similar previous work;
- · An outline of the proposed methodology and workplan;
- · An account of how the work and/or organization is sustainable
- · A proposed budget with a breakdown of costs sufficient to assess reasonableness and compliance with our funder requirements. If proposing for a Fixed Price contract, please also include a competitive payment schedule associating amounts with work milestones.
Expression of Interest, Deadline for Questions, and Proposal
Please send your EOI and budget proposal to Ivy Muigai ([email protected]) with a copy to Samuel Gaturu ([email protected]) with the subject line: “EOI — WRI Africa Food Program Strategic Communications Consultancy 2026” by 7th July 2026.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. WRI reserves the right to award the contract in full, in part, or not at all.
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