Digital Engagement & Visual Branding Specialist

Number of Openings: One (1)

Background/Context

The For Youth, By Youth (FYBY) movement is a youth-led initiative aimed at empowering young leaders to drive community, institutional, and societal transformation. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation, FYBY leverages the networks of the Talloires Network of Engaged Universities—a coalition dedicated to strengthening the civic roles of higher education institutions—paNhari, an organization that supports youth development and leadership, and the Next Generation Leaders (NGL) Alumni, a group of experienced youth leaders who actively contribute their insights and expertise to strengthen FYBY’s impact. Together, these critical stakeholders are building a collaborative environment where diverse voices worldwide engage in addressing urgent challenges through leadership, wellness, ethical AI, and participatory action research.

About the Role

The Digital Engagement & Visual Branding Specialist will play a key role in building visibility and engagement for the For Youth, By Youth movement across multiple online platforms. This role will ensure the program’s messaging, branding, and public interactions reflect the mission and objectives of FYBY. It will leverage social media, digital design, and strategic communication to build a strong online presence, attract a diverse participant pool, and engage with stakeholders effectively.

The role will also be responsible for leading the design competition for the FYBY inaugural cohort, crafting an identity that reflects the values and vision of FYBY participants. This will require a creative and collaborative leader to organize, mentor, and support the cohort in developing a distinctive brand that strengthens community spirit and program identity. They role will guide participants through the design process, from brainstorming to the final selection and application of the chosen design.

This role will be directly contracted and supervised by the paNhari team and involves close collaboration with the Talloires Network secretariat staff to ensure alignment with Mastercard Foundation values, emphasizing accessibility, inclusivity, and adaptability to meet evolving program needs.

As FYBY progresses, there may be adjustments in roles and responsibilities to meet the evolving needs of the program. Flexibility and adaptability are essential as we work together to uphold the FYBY mission and cultivate strong, impactful partnerships.

Timeline and LOE

This role requires ongoing engagement throughout the FYBY program phases, with a Level of Effort (LOE) of approximately 2 days (16 hours) per week, increasing to 3 days (24 hours) per week during high-activity periods.

Note: A “day” is considered an 8-hour workday.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Create FYBY-Branded Marketing Materials

Design engaging and impactful branded materials for digital and print use, such as banners, posters, and flyers, that reflect FYBY’s identity.
Distribute materials to partner organizations, educational institutions, and youth networks to support program visibility.
Deliverable: High-quality branded marketing materials for use across digital and print channels.

2. Oversee the development of a unique brand identity for the FYBY cohort through a collaborative design competition, fostering participant engagement and creativity.

Launch and Manage Design Competition: Announce and guide participants through the cohort branding competition, including developing guidelines, overseeing judging processes, and supporting participants in ideation and collaboration.
Facilitate Collaboration and Mentorship: Coordinate brainstorming sessions and provide mentorship to encourage creativity, teamwork, and cohesion in developing a unified brand identity.
Select and Implement Winning Design: Organize judging, select the winning design, and use it to create and distribute cohesive branding materials, including logos, digital assets, and merchandise to strengthen the cohort’s identity.
Deliverable: Cohort branding assets, including a selected logo, digital icons, and promotional materials, created and distributed to all participants, fostering a cohesive identity for the FYBY cohort.

3. Social Media Monitoring and Engagement

Actively monitor comments, questions, and feedback across FYBY’s social media and website platforms.
Track engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments) to measure the effectiveness of campaigns and adjust strategies as needed.
Deliverable: Consistent and timely monitoring and response to online interactions, fostering engagement and addressing participant inquiries.

4. Risk Mitigation on Social Media

Collaborate with the Talloires Network and program participants to monitor public social media interactions, addressing any potential risks or concerns.
Implement a reporting mechanism for participants to flag concerning posts, inappropriate content, or online harassment, ensuring a safe online environment.
Deliverable: System for tracking social media activity and handling participant-reported issues.

5. Lead Public Announcement Campaigns

Develop a series of public announcements across social media to build excitement and awareness around FYBY’s application and recruitment timeline.
Work closely with the Talloires Network secretariat to coordinate messaging and timing, aligning with program milestones.
Deliverable: Social media campaign featuring at least 32 announcements to raise awareness about the FYBY application deadline.

6. Cohort Recruitment Social Media Campaigns

Create and execute a targeted social media campaign on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp, focusing on FYBY’s key demographics, including African youth, female youth, and other marginalized communities.
Engage NGL alumni and program Consultants in the campaign to enhance reach and credibility, showcasing participant success stories, infographics, and testimonials.
Deliverable: At least 20 high-engagement social media posts shared across TikTok, Instagram, and WhatsApp, featuring videos, infographics, and testimonials.