Are you passionate about defending civic freedoms and amplifying the voices of the excluded? Do you have a knack for research and communications? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you! CIVICUS is hiring a Research and Communications Officer to join our global team and contribute to our mission of strengthening civil society worldwide. But here's where it gets controversial... How can we effectively engage with diverse audiences and ensure our messages reach the right people? Let's find out!
About CIVICUS
CIVICUS is a global alliance of over 15,000 members across 189 countries, dedicated to defending people power and promoting inclusive, accountable, and innovative civic action. Our core focus is on amplifying voices from the Global South and monitoring violations of civic freedoms.
Role Overview
As a Research and Communications Officer, you'll play a dual role, combining research support with communications and media engagement. You'll be responsible for conducting interviews, transcribing and editing, performing desk research, and designing and implementing media and social media strategies. You'll also be involved in producing visual materials, maintaining databases, organizing events, and coordinating the production and dissemination of multilingual content.
Key Responsibilities
- Conducting, transcribing, and editing interviews with civil society sources
- Performing desk research to gather, verify, and contextualize information for CIVICUS publications
- Supporting the production of the State of Civil Society Report and CIVICUS Lens outputs
- Designing and implementing media and social media strategies for research publications
- Pitching op-eds and story ideas to journalists and monitoring editorial workflows
- Producing visual materials such as infographics and social media toolkits
- Maintaining the publications database and tracking social media performance metrics
- Organizing webinars, report launches, and public engagement events
- Coordinating the production and dissemination of multilingual content
Required Qualifications and Experience
- A Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, political science, international relations, or development studies
- Proficiency in English
- Intermediate competence in French and/or Spanish
- A minimum of three years' relevant professional experience
- Familiarity with international civil society networks and intergovernmental institutions
- Understanding of the global media environment and social media platform dynamics
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience crafting and distributing social media messaging
- Ability to translate complex civic and political issues into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences
- Basic design skills using tools such as Canva or Piktochart
Skills and Personal Attributes
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in a diverse, multicultural, virtual team
- High levels of organization, independence, and attention to detail
- The ability to work under pressure, manage competing deadlines, and deliver high-quality outputs consistently
Application Process
The application deadline is 23 February 2026 at 11:59 pm SAST. Interested candidates should apply via the CIVICUS careers portal at: https://civicus.bamboohr.com/careers
Applications must include:
- A full CV, detailing educational background, employment history, responsibilities, and key achievements
- A covering note of no more than one page, outlining motivation for applying for the role
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted approximately two weeks after the closing date to schedule interviews. Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted applicants will receive individual feedback, though all applicants will be notified once the position has been filled.
Important Note
CIVICUS reserves the right to withdraw this vacancy at any stage of the recruitment process. This role represents a valuable opportunity for communications and research professionals seeking to contribute to global civic space monitoring and advocacy at an international level.
For more opportunities like these, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Telegram. But here's the catch... How can we effectively engage with diverse audiences and ensure our messages reach the right people? Let's discuss in the comments below!
