AKADEMIYA2063 is a pan-African non-profit research organization with headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda, and a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. Inspired by the ambitions of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and grounded in the recognition of the central importance of strong knowledge and evidence-based systems, the vision of AKADEMIYA2063 is an Africa with the expertise we need for the Africa we want. This expertise must be responsive to the continent’s needs for data and analysis to ensure high-quality policy design and execution.
Inclusive, evidence-informed policymaking is key to meeting the continent’s development aspirations, creating wealth, and improving livelihoods. AKADEMIYA2063’s overall mission is to create, across Africa and led from its headquarters in Rwanda, state-of-the-art technical capacities to support the efforts by the Member States of the African Union to achieve the key goals of Agenda 2063 of transforming national economies to boost economic growth and prosperity. Following from its vision and mission, the main goal of AKADEMIYA2063 is to help meet Africa’s needs at the continental, regional, and national levels in terms of data, analytics, and mutual learning for the effective implementation of Agenda 2063 and the realization of its outcomes by a critical mass of countries.
AKADEMIYA2063 strives to meet its goals through programs organized under five strategic areas: policy innovation, knowledge systems, capacity creation and deployment, operational support, data management, digital products, and technology, as well as innovative partnerships and outreach activities.
For more information, visit www.akademiya2063.org.

Role Overview
The Communications and Engagement Officer will lead the design and implementation of AISESA’s communication, visibility, and stakeholder engagement strategy. This role bridges institutional communications and strategic partnership engagement, ensuring AISESA maintains a strong, distinct identity while keeping its networks, clusters, and partners active and connected. The Officer will work closely with the Secretariat, Cluster Leads, and AKADEMIYA2063 to manage communication channels, organize events, and foster meaningful interactions across AISESA’s ecosystem.

About AISESA
(African Institute for Sustainable Energy and Systems Analysis) It is a new institute dedicated to ensuring Africa’s energy transitions are designed, led, and owned by African institutions. It brings together researchers, policymakers, civil society, the private sector, and financiers to co-create knowledge, tools, and capacity tailored to African contexts.
Energy is at the heart of Africa’s development agenda and its response to climate change. Across sub-Saharan Africa, energy systems remain underdeveloped, limiting the continent’s ability to achieve its social, environmental, and economic potential. This shortage is not only an infrastructure challenge but also a systemic one, rooted in inadequate institutional capacity, fragmented policy environments, and a persistent reliance on externally driven research and planning. The result is a knowledge and capacity gap, limited ownership of energy system knowledge, and a disconnect between decision-making and data and analysis. Too often, this is compounded by the limited recognition of African knowledge, with external standards applied in ways that don’t always fit local realities, further constraining effective planning and implementation.
Limited institutional capacity and reliance on outside expertise slow the growth of local knowledge and risk positioning African states more as recipients than as leaders of their own energy and climate agendas. Breaking this cycle means investing in institutional and human capacities and reinforcing Africa’s agency in defining its own energy future. Developing approaches grounded in African context, and led by African institutions, is therefore an urgent task. For more information, visit www.aisesa.org


Key Responsibilities
Institutional communications and identity
Develop and implement AISESA’s communications and visibility strategy to reflect its mission, values, and distinct identity. Manage brand consistency across all materials, coordinate the production of policy briefs and annual highlights, and oversee design, content, and updates for the website and digital platforms. Work with AKADEMIYA2063’s communications team to ensure alignment with institutional policies while maintaining AISESA’s independent voice and visual identity.

Strategic engagement and partnership coordination
Support the Secretariat in managing AISESA’s partnerships and stakeholder relations. Organize and coordinate webinars, roundtables, and convenings, both virtual and in-person, while maintaining the partner and contact database and tracking engagement outcomes. Contribute to strategic communication during major events such as the AISESA Congress, workshops, and launches, and prepare communication briefs, concept notes, and event summaries to support ongoing engagement.

Cluster and network support
Work closely with AISESA Clusters to ensure consistent visibility of their work through publications, events, and outreach activities, and facilitate inter-cluster communication and joint storytelling to highlight synergies across research areas. Support AISESA’s research networks by curating and sharing relevant updates, opportunities, and stories, and by establishing mechanisms for information sharing and alignment of messaging and positioning across projects and clusters.

Knowledge sharing and learning
Design and coordinate systems for capturing, documenting, and sharing AISESA’s results, lessons, and impact stories across clusters and partnerships. Promote a learning culture that enables two-way communication between researchers, partners, and external audiences, ensuring that knowledge generated is accessible, relevant, and actionable. Oversee the production of polished, user-friendly reports and learning materials that communicate AISESA’s progress and insights to key audiences, strengthening evidence-based
dialogue and continuous improvement across the network.

Qualifications
Education & Experience
• Advanced university degree in communications, public relations, development studies, or a related field.
• At least 5–7 years of professional experience in communications, partnership engagement, or event coordination within an international, research, or development organization.
• Proven experience in producing high-quality communication products (digital and print) derived from complex technical and research material and managing social media platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the creation of key messages for diverse audiences, and to contribute to the design and implementation of communications plans, identifying and carrying out the necessary follow-up actions
• Ability to identify communications-related reputational risks and seek support to manage them.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder events and maintain partner relationships.
• Knowledge of network management systems and processes to map and analyze networks of stakeholders relevant to AISESA’s work.
• Strong writing and editing skills in English; proficiency in French is an asset.
• Familiarity with energy, climate, or sustainable development topics is an advantage.


Preferred Qualifications / Skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities; comfortable working across multiple workstreams.
• Initiative, creativity, and ability to work independently while being a collaborative team player.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in a pan-African, multilingual environment.
• Commitment to AISESA’s mission of promoting African-led, people-centered energy transitions.