Corporate Communications Manager – Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco)

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN COTTCO

The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) is hiring individuals with suitable qualifications, experience and competencies for the following position:

Corporate Communications Manager

Job Overview

This role provides advice and guidance to COTTCO for internal and external stakeholder management including effective communication, and engagement and provides leadership in building collaborative working relationships with stakeholders through strategic planning processes. The role is also responsible for programs that enhance positive relations, both internal and external which are of mutual benefit to COTTCO and all its stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities

• Formulates and implements the stakeholder’s strategy.
• Provides guidance on contentious issues pertaining to stakeholder interests and provides direction to Management and the Board.
• Leads the monitoring and assessment of public attitudes and stakeholder concerns in order to develop and implement proactive and mitigative protocols to enhance collaborative relationships with proponents and stakeholders.
• Establishes goals and objectives, and recommends changes and improvements to build the profile and public confidence in the business’s Stakeholder Engagement Strategies.
• Develops and implements the organization’s communication strategy in line with the overall COTTCO strategy that builds and maintains a positive corporate brand.
• Acts as the corporate spokesperson and responds to members of the media in a timely manner as assigned by the Managing Director and/or Board Chairperson.
• Prepares detailed media reports, press releases, and marketing materials.
• Oversees and coordinates all internal and external events.
• Plans, executes and manages public relations, promotional and advertising services and communication programmes.
• Maintains the organisation’s brand through effective stakeholder management.
• Participates in provincial and district multi-agency committees regarding stakeholder issues and key initiatives to promote collaborative working relationships with other agencies.
• Develops and maintains working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, industry representatives and other agencies to facilitate the ongoing identification and resolution of respective concerns.

 

• Carries out organisational profiling undertakings in order to enhance visibility and positive image in line with the business strategy and stakeholder interests.
• Formulates programs that give back to the community with a mandate of promoting corporate social responsibility.
• Formulates and implements communications and stakeholder relations budget.
• Prepares monthly and quarterly communication and stakeholder relations reports.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations or Marketing or equivalent.
• Masters in Communications or Marketing or any related qualification is a must.
• Diploma in Stakeholder Relations/Engagement, Conflict Resolution will also be an added advantage.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a similar senior role, i.e., Communications / Public Relations/Stakeholder management with traceable examples of this
• Strong knowledge of communications/public relations/stakeholder management practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of government decision-making processes.

Skills 8t Abilities

• Ability to connect the dots between different stakeholder needs and demands.
• Excellent verbal, presentation, written communications skills and attention to detail.
• Exemplary tact and diplomacy; able to handle highly confidential material; advanced knowledge of governmental protocols.
• Being multilingual, having the ability to speak different languages.
• Ability to influence, persuade and negotiate.
• Ability to influence, persuade and negotiate with individuals and groups having diverse or competing interests to reach an agreement or resolve conflict.
• Ability to anticipate the short- and long-term consequences of strategies and develop backup options to effectively manage potentially negative outcomes.

Competences

Impact-driven, Can-do attitude, empathetic, adaptable, focus on priorities, process

improvement, professionalism and service orientation.