Early Childhood Development and Digital Programming

High-quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs provide the foundation for children’s future academic success, health, prosperity and wellbeing. A large body of scientific evidence emphasizes the need for increased investment in early childhood, particularly for children experiencing conflict, crisis and displacement; these children are extremely vulnerable to the long-lasting effects that prolonged stress has on the developing brain. With the generous support of the MacArthur Foundation’s inaugural 100&Change grant, the LEGO Foundation and the Bezos Foundation, the IRC and Sesame Workshop have partnered to provide quality early childhood development programs for refugee and host communities in the countries affected by the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East. Focusing on children in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria over the course of five years, the Ahlan Simsim, Play to Learn and Vroom projects combine a depth of in-person activities and digital content, aiming to reach 1.5 million children and caregivers across the region.

Digital programming is a strategic priority for Ahlan Simsim, with a particular focus on utilizing technology to reach and support vulnerable populations in the humanitarian sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital solutions in the provision of essential services, and the IRC has made it a priority to design and develop effective and sustainable digital solutions for the ECD space. As the Social Media and Marketing Manager, you will play a critical role in implementing and improving our social media and digital marketing strategies, managing relationships with partners, expanding our social media community, overseeing digital content creation, and executing marketing strategies for our digital products.

Role Purpose

The Social Media and Digital Growth Specialist will oversee the end-to-end development and implementation of FamilyCornerIRC’s social media and digital growth strategy. This includes designing campaigns to boost community engagement, managing product marketing for client-facing products, internal and external advocacy, and growing our digital reach through data-driven experiments and growth strategies.

Key Offerings:

• Client-Facing Products: Digital tools and mobile apps that provide educational resources, interactive activities, and development support to caregivers and young children.
• Direct Services: Programs delivered in collaboration with local country teams, providing in-person support and resources to caregivers and children across various regions.

This role is central to amplifying Ahlan Simsim digital products impact and reachby connecting caregivers and facilitators with tools and services that enhance early childhood learning and development.

Roles and Responsibilities

Update and implement social media strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive social media strategy that aligns with FamilyCornerIRC’s mission and growth objectives.
• Monitor current social media trends, with a particular focus on platforms and tools most frequently used by vulnerable and displaced populations in the region, leveraging new social media features and tools to enhance visibility and community engagement.
• Manage day to day activity, budgets, and social media strategy implementation

·Manage relationships with partners, such as Sesame Workshop and local partners and authorities

Manage and coordinate all FamilyCornerIRCchannels

• Create, track, optimize and manage paid social media ad campaigns (Facebook and Instagram)
• Manage and expand social media community
• Identify and implement growth-hacking tactics (A/B testing, content type experiments) to optimize engagement and expand reach.
• Measure key metrics, map out trends, analyze and write monthly reports with learnings and findings and action points for optimization
• Monitor and moderate comments on social media posts, intervening as appropriate to answer questions and guide the conversation.
• Design and strategize and coordinate with project and country teams to expand community outreach.

Manage and oversee all digital content creation

• ·Build and maintain a content feedback loop to understand caregiver needs and inform content adjustments.
• ·Create, curate, and manage a balanced social calendar using new and existing resources
• ·Coordinate with graphic designer and oversee the production of content design,
• ·Oversee and support on direct services content digitization.
• ·Regularly identify gaps and pitch ideas for new social media content

Digital Products Marketing

• ·Develop and execute marketing strategies to launch and increase the reach and impact of our digital products
• ·Conduct market research and analysis to understand the needs and preferences of our target audience, which includes, but not limited to, IRC staff, service providers, facilitators, ministries, and caregivers.
• ·Create marketing materials, such as product descriptions, user guides, and promotional videos, that effectively communicate the features and benefits of our digital products to our target audience.
• ·Collaborate with product development teams to ensure that marketing efforts align with product goals and features.
• ·Build relationships with key stakeholders in the humanitarian sector to increase awareness and adoption of our digital products.
• ·Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, content, design, and communications, to ensure consistency in messaging and branding across all channels. Manage budgets and allocate resources effectively to achieve marketing goals.

Data Analysis & Optimization

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs), including engagement, follower growth, and conversion metrics.
• Analyze social media insights to understand engagement patterns, identifying opportunities for optimization.
• Regularly report on performance, providing actionable recommendations to improve strategy and impact.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the creative manager to develop cohesive campaigns and ensure brand consistency.
• Coordinate with external partners, consultants, and country teams to support localized marketing efforts and direct service promotion.

Initiative and Creativity

·Be a proactive, self-starter who can independently identify opportunities for growth, generate innovative ideas, and execute them effectively. Lead creative brainstorming sessions and propose new ways to reach and engage caregivers.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to:  Digital Projects Lead – Ahlan Simsim

·Position supervises:Creative manager

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: ECD staff (regional and countries’ teams), Technical Advisors (region and HQ based), IRC support staff;        
• External: Sesame Workshop, donors, local partners and authorities, community representatives.

Minimum Qualifications:

Requirements:

• ·Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media, or a related field.
• ·6+ years of experience in social media management, growth marketing, or a related role, ideally within the nonprofit or education sector.
• ·Proven track record of developing and executing successful social media campaigns that drive audience growth and engagement.
• ·Familiarity with analytics tools (e.g., Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, Google Analytics) and growth tactics such as A/B testing and content experimentation.
• ·Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience crafting compelling, mission-aligned messaging.
• ·Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly to changing needs.
• ·Collaborative mindset, with experience working cross-functionally and coordinating with diverse teams, ideally across regions.
• ·Passion for early childhood development and an understanding of caregiver needs in this context.
• ·Highly Creative and Self-motivated: Ability to think outside the box, bring fresh ideas, and take initiative without constant direction.
• ·Strong Problem-solving Skills: Ability to handle challenges and come up with strategic solutions that drive results.
• ·Excellent English and Arabic skills (written and spoken)

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of ECD topics and experience in community-focused roles.
• Experience in product marketing, especially for digital platforms or educational tools.
• Proficiency with project management or social media scheduling tools (e.g., Asana, Buffer, Hootsuite).

Working Environment:

• Standard office work environment
• The position reports to Regional Digital Projects Coordinator and is part of the ECD Regional team, with the possibility to be based in Jordan or Lebanon.