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JOB SPECIFICATION - ACTIVE VACANCY


Overview of Role

 

Are you a strategic communicator who understands the power of stories to shift narratives, influence decision-makers, and inspire collective action? Do you thrive at designing campaigns, growing communities, translating complex ideas into simple, relatable but compelling content, and building public support for social change?

Youth Capital is looking for a Communications Lead to strengthen and amplify our growing national voice. This role sits at the intersection of communications, advocacy, and movement-building; ensuring that young people's experiences, ideas, and solutions are visible in public discourse and influence the decisions that affect their lives. The Communications Lead will be responsible for developing and implementing Youth Capital's communications strategy, growing our community, strengthening our media presence, and leading a small communications team to deliver impactful campaigns that advance Youth Capital's advocacy goals.

Responsibilities

Strategic Vision

  • Contribute to the refinement and execution of Youth Capital's overall communications and advocacy strategy.
  • Lead efforts to shape and strengthen public narratives around youth unemployment, economic inclusion, and young people's participation in society.
  • Ensure that the team's culture is informed by Youth Capital's values and commitment to learning.
  • Share communications insights across the organisation and contribute to strategic decision-making.
  • Promote collaboration, experimentation, and continuous learning within the team.
  • Identify opportunities to strengthen Youth Capital's visibility, influence, and impact.

Design & Manage Communications Strategy

  • Design and oversee Youth Capital's communications strategy, ensuring that campaigns, media engagement, digital content, and community-building activities contribute to a coherent national narrative.
  • Work in partnership with the Multimedia Strategist to design and deliver impactful campaigns.
  • Conduct audience and user research to understand motivations, behaviours, and opportunities for engagement.
  • Design user journeys and calls to action that support participation, mobilisation, and advocacy objectives.
  • Collaborate closely with the Advocacy Strategist to ensure alignment between communications and advocacy priorities.
  • Translate complex policy, research, and lived experiences into compelling and accessible communications products.
  • Identify opportunities to elevate youth voices and lived experiences in public discourse.
  • Manage a portfolio of suppliers and service providers to ensure the delivery of high-quality communications products and assets.
  • Lead the monitoring, evaluation, and learning of communications activities.
  • Leverage media opportunities to increase visibility, influence public debate, and strengthen Youth Capital's profile.

Online Community Development

  • Strategise, manage, and grow Youth Capital's online community across platforms.
  • Design and map end-to-end user journeys, integrating insights from offline engagement and community organising.
  • Develop and oversee the mailer strategy, including database management, segmentation, POPIA compliance, and campaign implementation.
  • Monitor digital performance and use data and insights to improve engagement and reach.
  • Build meaningful relationships with Youth Capital's supporters, partners, and broader community.
  • Support the development of a vibrant and engaged movement of young people and allies.

Budget Management

  • Develop and manage the communications budget in line with Youth Capital's strategy and priorities.
  • Track expenditure and prepare regular budget reports.
  • Ensure value for money across communications activities, suppliers, and campaigns.


Qualification

  • A relevant degree related the work and it's output


Experience

  • Strong background in communications, campaigns, advocacy, journalism, public engagement, or brand strategy, with at least 5 - 7 years of relevant experience.
  • Proven track record in designing and implementing integrated communications strategies across digital and offline platforms.
  • Experience working in the development, social justice, public interest, philanthropy, or civil society sector.
  • Experience managing and growing online communities.
  • Excellent writing, storytelling, and narrative-building skills, with the ability to translate complex policy, research, and lived experiences into accessible and compelling content.
  • Experience communicating evidence, research, and policy issues to non-technical audiences.
  • Strong experience in audience research, persona mapping, and designing user journeys.
  • Strong leadership skills, including experience managing small teams, budgets, and external suppliers.
  • Strong understanding of South Africa's socio-economic and political context, particularly youth unemployment, inequality, education, livelihoods, and economic inclusion.
  • Experience working with advocacy campaigns, public participation initiatives, or movement-building efforts.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including young people, media, policymakers, civil society organisations, and funders.


Personal Characteristics

Desired Skills

  • Strong analytical and monitoring skills, with the ability to measure and communicate impact.
  • Strategic thinker with strong project management capabilities.
  • Ability to balance creative storytelling with detail-oriented execution.
  • Strong media relations and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Experience developing campaigns that mobilise participation and collective action.
  • Understanding of South Africa\'s development, philanthropy, and public policy landscape.
  • Experience using digital tools, analytics, and audience insights to inform strategy and decision-making.

Personal Attributes

  • Deeply curious about young people, their lived experiences, and the systems that shape their opportunities.
  • A strong listener who can translate complexity into clarity without losing nuance.
  • Comfortable working in ambiguity and able to navigate a fast-moving environment.
  • Collaborative and relationship-oriented, with the ability to build trust across diverse stakeholders.
  • Politically aware and able to engage thoughtfully with complex policy and advocacy issues.
  • Energised by collective action and motivated by the belief that young people should play a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their lives.
  • Able to hold both hope and frustration at the same time: recognising the scale of South Africa\'s challenges while remaining focused on solutions and opportunities for change.
  • Confident enough to challenge ideas, and humble enough to be challenged in return.
  • Self-driven, adaptable, and comfortable taking initiative while remaining accountable to the team and the organisation\'s goals.


Take Note

Interested parties may submit their CV's and motivation letters by clicking the Äpply"button. All applications must be received by 10 July 2026.