Closing date: 11 December 2023
Call for Proposals: Communications Consultancy for SVRI Forum 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa
We are seeking a Communications Consultancy to develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy for the SVRI Forum 2024.
Background
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI)
With over 10 500 members, the SVRI is the world’s largest network on research on violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC), providing a space where global role players in the field connect with one another, share and promote their research, work to influence policies and practice and improve the lives of those who have experienced violence driven by gender inequality. We do this through building evidence, strengthening research capacity, promoting partnerships and influencing change.
SVRI Forum
The SVRI Forum is widely recognised as the leading research conference addressing violence against women, violence against children, and other forms of violence driven by gender inequality in low and middle-income countries. This event, which is held biennially, offers dynamic, innovative, and interactive environment for participants to connect with others, share and learn about new research, programmes and developments, and programmes in the field. Our next conference, the SVRI Forum 2024 will be our 8th international event and will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa, from 21st to 25th October 2024. We eagerly anticipate the participation of over 1000 delegates, coming together to connect, share, and learn.
Purpose of the consultancy
We are seeking a Communications Consultancy to develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy for the SVRI Forum 2024. While the consultancy may be located anywhere globally, preference will be given to applicants residing and working in South Africa or elsewhere in the African continent.
Experience and skills required
We are seeking a highly qualified communications consultancy / team with the following qualifications and skills:
- Extensive experience in strategic communications, preferably in the field of violence against women and violence against children, or related areas.
- Proven track record in developing and implementing communication strategies for international conferences or events.
- Proficiency in English is required, and proficiency in French and Spanish is advantageous.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary team.
- Strong knowledge of accessibility principles and practices is desirable.
Expected deliverables
The selected Communications Consultancy will be expected to provide a fully costed communications strategy and plan for SVRI Forum 2024, which include the following core deliverable:
- Comprehensive communications strategy: Development and implementation of a communications strategy for the SVRI Forum 2024 in consultation with the SVRI team. The strategy should include, among others:
- Stakeholder identification: Identification of SVRI Forum 2022 target audiences, including SVRI key partners, grantees, funders, members, government representatives, activists, women’s rights organisations, practitioners, and others.
- Content creation: Creation of key messages and development of high quality content including social posts, press releases, blog posts and more related to conference themes and its key messages tailored for each target audience.
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Additional deliverables and outputs:
- Media engagement plan: Develop a plan for engaging with various media sources for coverage of the conference.
- Social media plan: Create a detailed social media plan for the conference, including content creation, posting schedules, and engagement strategies.
- Design and branding: Use the SVRI Forum 2024 branding and assets to develop visual materials such as posters, infographics, and promotional videos.
- Website content support: Work with the SVRI to ensure the content on the SVRI Forum 2024 website is user-friendly, informative and interactive.
- Media monitoring: Continuously monitor media coverage and social media discussions related to the conference and provide regular updates on its reach.
- Speaker outreach: Where necessary, assist in reaching out to high-profile speakers and to ensure their participation and engagement.
- Accessibility and inclusion: Implement strategies to ensure the conference is accessible to individuals with particular needs and promotes inclusivity.
- Incident communications plan: Incorporate into the strategy a section on responding to and addressing potential or unexpected issues arising during the conference.
- Post-conference reporting:
- Provide a plan for sharing post-conference content, including short clips of pre-selected sessions, delegate interviews, and summaries, to extend the conference’s influence beyond the event itself.
- Create a post-conference video highlighting delegate feedback, capturing key activities and issues addressed at the conference.
- Create highlights report summarising communications efforts, key achievements, and recommendations for future improvements.
- Monitoring and evaluation plan: Develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan to track and manage progress specific to conference communications.
Budget
The budget for this consultancy is up to $45,000 USD. Please note that the budget needs to include flights, accommodation and per diems of the communications team to the Forum.
Timeline
This assignment is expected to start in February 2024 and conclude in November 2024.
How to apply
Interested applicants are invited to submit comprehensive proposals outlining their approach to developing and implementing the communications strategy and plan for SVRI Forum 2024. The proposal should include details on the steps involved, a timeline for activities, and a detailed budget.
Proposals should be submitted by midnight SAST on 11 December 2023. All proposals should be submitted in English and sent as soft copies to the email address: [email protected]. Please use “Consultancy: SVRI Forum 2024 Communications Strategy” as the subject line.
Applicants will be shortlisted based on the quality of their proposals, budget considerations, and CV. Only shortlisted proposals will be contacted. SVRI retains the right to decline any or all proposals and is not bound to any legal claim in this regard.
We look forward to receiving your innovative proposals that will contribute to the success of SVRI Forum 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.
