(Offre en anglais) TUNISIA ACEA (Collaborative action for the export of handicraft products) recrute un local communications and public relations consultant Retour vers les opportunités

Post:                                Appel à candidature

Issued on:                         December 15, 2018

Due Date for Applications:         December 20, 2018

Period of Performance:    December 20, 2018 – June 30, 2019

Expected Level of Effort:  76 days

Place of Performance:                Tunis (with trips to NW Tunisia)

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Context:

ACEA Tunisia (Action Collaborative pour les Exportations Artisanales, or “Collaborative Action for the Export of Handicraft products”) is a two-and-a-half-year project implemented by FHI 360 in Tunisia. Its main goal is to help essential oil artisans in Northwest Tunisia market and commercialize their products, and hence encourage this local economy. The aromatic and medicinal plant resource abundantly present in this region has not reached its economic potential for a host of reasons.

This project is helping to empower artisans and local communities, by guiding and advising them through Clustering. Members of the Cluster meet in workshops and work in groups to learn and share various skills.ACEAaims atsupporting artisans producing natural extracts from medicinal plants by providing assistance in terms of marketing and branding including the packaging of the products, the communicationability, the consumer awareness, etc. Thus, ACEA is hiring a local Communications and Public Relations Consultantto support its activities.

Summary of tasks

1. Participate in the preparation of a Packaging Competition:
   1. Communications plan
   2. Press release in Arabic and French
   3. Promotion of the competition on radio (radio spots/promotion on program): competition announcement
2. 2-day artisan coaching on communication skills for up to 10 participants: verbal and non-verbal communication in front of a camera or an audience. Selection of the ambassadors among people who are trained for video production.
3. Participation in the creation of videos. For example, coordinate with videographer on videos to project during the ceremony: advice on content, editing, music, etc.
4. Be the lead in preparation of the packaging competition ceremony:
   1. Coordinate on the event content design, organization and logistics in collaboration with PackTek
   2. Prepare the guestlist – media, SPA experts, ambassadors, influential women in entrepreneurship, partners and other people involved in the industry.
   3. Find sponsors for the event.
   4. Positive debrief of event on radio and promotion of ACEA Project
5. Assist in approaching potential buyers and partners.
6. Provide ONAT with a 2-day communication skills training.
7. Organize an engaging awareness event (June 2019) including SPA industry specialists, beneficiaries, other parties/influential people in the sector: creation of a full consumer experience (as opposed to just selling a product).

Details of the mandate

1. ACEA – collaborating with PackTec and the National Office for Tunisian Handicrafts (ONAT) – is organising a national packaging competition aiming to use handicrafts for the containers of the products to be commercialised. The consultant will develop a communications plan for this competition. The plan should include: a situation analysis; clearly defined objectives; an identification of key audiences; an effective strategy and its corresponding tactics; a selection of media channels; a detailed timetable and budget; and an evaluation strategy. In addition, the consultant will write and diffuse a press release (in two languages – French and Arabic announcing the competition and outlining the Project. Finally, the competition should also be promoted as widely as possible; via one or more medium.
2. In order for the artisans to be better able to describe the Cluster, their work, and tell their stories, they will need training in communication skills. The Communication and PR Consultant will, thus,have to organise and lead a coaching session. Within this coaching session he/she will train the participants to speak in front of a camera, and these presentations will be rehearsed. This coaching session will take place in the first week of February 2019. The consultant will then choose cluster “ambassadors” for the production of a video (see task #3).
3. Partnering with a videographer, the consultant will create several short videos that will be projected during the packaging competition ceremony (see task #4). The consultant will provide advice on content, editing, music and any other video-production-relevant aspect of the creative process. These videos will also be used on the cluster website, on social media, and any other medium aiming to describe or promote the cluster.
4. The final ceremony of the packaging competition is an important step of the Project because ACEA will finalise the packaging of its beneficiaries’ products. A jury will not only choose and give awards to the winners; but this event will also be packed with opportunities for all parties. The consultant will closely collaborate with PackTec to make its content and theme fun and engaging for everyone. Thus, the format of the event will need to be original; by adapting a TV game show or having a fashion show, for example. Creativity will be paramount for this task. In addition, the consultant will put together a guestlist and encourage important parties to attend. These may include (but are not limited to): potential partners or buyers, experts in cosmetics/essential oils/aromatic and medicinal plants/Thalasso Therapy/Tunisian handicrafts, local and/or international elected officials, members of the press and the media, influential people in the industry, influential women entrepreneurs, etc. Also, the consultant will have to find sponsors to finance the second prizes of the competition; either as promotional products or services (objects, gift-cards, etc.) or as cash prizes. Finally, the consultant will publicize the Project and Cluster with a debrief of the event, using the media of his/her choice.
5. One of ACEA’s missions is to help our partners commercialise their products. It is thus essential for them to build strong and lasting bonds with buyers who will support their production; and who will be able to transmit not only the benefits of the products, but also the history behind said products. The target market being SPAs and Thalasso Therapy centers, approaching theseestablishments is essential. Indeed, local products currently used in most Tunisian SPAs are sold in bulk and not subsequently offered to clients for sale. ACEA hopes to change this and give this handicraft a chance to be known worldwide via a sensory experience in SPAs. The consultant will help ACEA beneficiaries to establish these initial bonds with buyers.
6. The consultant will organise and lead a communication skills training session for The National Office for Tunisian Handicrafts (ONAT). Participants’ needs will be evaluated beforehand, and communication skills will be measured again afterwards. The chosen evaluation technique should be validated by ACEA.
7. These communication skills will also be used at an awareness event (an open day) which will take place in June 2019. The consultant will organise and lead this event; which will aim to create a consumer experience that should be enriching to all present parties. This means that at the end of this event; the massage therapists/SPA employees should be able to communicate not only the history and origin of these products to clients, but also their benefits and superior quality. The consultant will need to make this event fun for everyone; by creating a “blind tasting” exercise of different essential oil qualities for example- the ultimate objective is to introduce people to the essential oils world by offering them a sensory experience. Learning will have to be more hands-on than theoretical. This event will include important actors in the value chain and will be a precursor to the definition of a mission and vision statement for the cluster.