Dominica Public Relations Consultant

Duration: 2 months

Location: Dominica

Reporting to: Build Change Caribbean Director and Engineering Program Manager, and Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Project Coordinator

Project Background

With funding from the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Build Change and the Dominica Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are currently implementing a two year initiative entitled "Data and Systems for Resilient Housing Programs in Dominica". This initiative aims to strengthen housing resilience and enhance public awareness of hazard and climate risks. The project has conducted a survey of 527 houses to identify the level of vulnerability in the existing housing stock, and has developed a series of guidance materials to support homeowners and building professionals to structurally strengthen their homes.

To amplify project outcomes, disseminate valuable survey insights, and promote project achievements, a skilled Public Relations Consultant is required to lead content creation and strategic communications.

Objective

The objective of this consultancy is to:

• Develop and implement a strategic public relations plan to enhance public awareness of project activities and results.
• Disseminate survey findings and translate them into compelling narratives to drive public understanding and policy support.
• Lead content creation that highlights project outputs, including housing data, construction milestones, and community impacts.
• Build positive media coverage and foster relationships with key stakeholders (e.g., media, contractors, beneficiaries, government agencies, and community groups).
• Provide expert guidance on messaging, media relations, content strategy, and crisis communication.

Scope of Work:

The PR Consultant will be responsible for:

• Designing a communication campaign that ensures the project reaches its goal of disseminating information to at least 4,700 people.
• Developing and managing multimedia content (press releases, social media, videos, infographics) that promote survey results, project outputs, and outcomes.
• Collecting metrics on the impact of the dissemination campaigns, specifically the number of people reached by each media release, disaggregated by gender, age and disability where possible.
• Translating complex data into accessible, engaging content for public consumption across multiple channels.
• Cultivating relationships with media outlets, responding to inquiries, and securing positive media coverage.
• Facilitating engagement with technical experts, suppliers, and cross-ministry partners.
• Analyzing media coverage and public response, providing bi-weekly reports with recommendations for optimization.

Deliverables

1. PR and Content Strategy: A detailed, actionable plan with goals, timelines, budgets, and content calendars. Strategy should focus on the following:
   • Event plan - Saturday 10th May 2025 Resilient Housing Fair. To include detailed plans to ensure an engaging event agenda and activities, as well as plans for pre-event advertising to maximise attendance and post-event coverage to reinforce key event takeaways and keep the momentum for safer housing as hurricane season begins.
   • Overall dissemination of project outputs and outcomes. To include details of how best to leverage different media channels to maximise impact and reach for diverse national audiences.
2. Execution of the PR and Content Strategy: Execution of the activities determined in the PR and Content Strategy, including:
   • Tailored content (infographics, press releases, videos) to share survey findings, retrofit guidance materials, and policy implications.
   • Media Kits & Press Releases: Regularly updated materials to support ongoing public engagement.
3. Regular progress reports: At a minimum, weekly calls (or in person meetings) will be required with the project coordinator, preceded by a brief written summary of the week's progress and plan for next week. This should highlight any necessary coordination points with the Ministry of Housing. More frequent meetings may be requested in the lead up to the Fair.
4. After-Action Report: A comprehensive final report summarizing all dissemination activities, with details of the feedback and strategic recommendations. The report should include a breakdown of the number of people reached in line with the project targets, as well as an annex containing all multimedia content produced.

Timeline

• Contract Start Date: ASAP
• Initial Strategy Development: Friday 11th April 2025
• Ongoing Media & Content Management: Aligned with project milestones
• Event-Specific Campaigns: Aligned with project milestones
• Contract End Date: Friday 13th June

Qualifications and Experience

• Proven experience in public relations, content creation, and multimedia storytelling.
• Demonstrated success in disseminating research or survey data to the public.
• Strong media relations experience and a robust network of media contacts.
• Excellent writing, editing, and content strategy skills.
• Experience in housing, urban development, or climate resilience sectors (preferred).
• Degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field.

Reporting and Coordination

The PR consultant will report directly to the Build Change Caribbean Director and Engineering Program Manager, and to the Ministry of Housing Project Coordinator. Reporting will comprise participation in regular check-ins, as well as frequent progress updates, media performance insights, and strategic recommendations.

Payment and Terms

Payment will be made by Build Change in installments, tied to the successful completion of key deliverables, as agreed upon in the contract.

The following payment installments are proposed:

Deliverable and expected completion	Percentage of total fee
Development and execution of the PR and Content Strategy, anticipated 10th May 2025	50%
After-Action Report, anticipated Friday 13th June 2025	50%

Request for Proposal

Interested candidates are invited to submit a proposal by Friday 11th April 2025. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the consultant may be hired prior to the deadline for proposals.

Proposal submissions should include:

• Cover Letter: Highlighting relevant experience, motivation, and key qualifications, as well as a detailed breakdown of fees and associated costs, and a brief outline of proposed approach to the deliverables and wider vision for communicating the need for more resilient housing in Dominica.
• CV or resume: Maximum 2 pages, highlighting all relevant past experience and examples of past success with similar PR campaigns.

Applications: Proposals should be sent via email to louise@buildchange.org with the subject line: “Proposal for Public Relations Consultant — Data and Systems for Resilient Housing Project.”