Individual Consultant for Communications of Urban Futures Indonesia

Request for Expression of Interest

 Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (hereinafter: Humanis), an affiliate organization of Hivos, is a Jakarta-based non-profit development organization that works across the Southeast Asia region. Humanis works with marginalized groups and frontrunners to exercise rights and freedoms, bring about changes, influence decisions and hold those in power to account. As the name itself suggests, Humanis envisions just and sustainable societies in Southeast Asia that fulfill and protect the rights of each individual, as well as respect differences and backgrounds. To achieve our vision, we focus on three impact areas: Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI), Civic Rights in the Digital Age (CRIDA), and Climate Justice. Currently, we have ongoing programs in Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and Vietnam

 

Humanis seeks qualified candidates for the position of:
Title                  :  Individual Consultant for Communications of Urban Futures Indonesia

Duty Station    :  Jakarta, Indonesia

Report to          :  Regional Coordinator and  Linking Learning and Communications Officer

Duration           :  March to December 2025 for 93 (ninety-three) working days

 

Background

Urban Futures (UF) is a 5-year global program (2023–2027) at the intersection of urban food systems, youth well-being, and climate action. It is funded by Fondation Botnar, managed by Hivos, Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (Humanis), the RUAF Global Partnership on Sustainable Urban Agriculture and Food Systems (RUAF-CIC), and local partners, networks, and experts. Urban Futures operates in ten intermediary cities in Colombia (Cali and Medellin), Ecuador (Manabi and Quito), Indonesia (Bandung and West Manggarai), Zambia (Chongwe and Kitwe), and Zimbabwe (Bulawayo and Mutare). These intermediary cities vary in size and have in common that they are rapidly growing and connect metropolitan and rural areas or different groups of cities within urban systems and manage flows of people, goods, capital, information, and knowledge. They each have a specific set of challenges and opportunities.

UF addresses innovative and inclusive food system approaches (multi-stakeholders involvement, city region food systems) to improve access to sustainable, diverse, and nutritious food and ensure food security. Sustainable agriculture addresses the threat to livelihoods and food and nutrition security through crop failures resulting from climate impacts.

UF supports local partners and innovators, especially young people, in building more inclusive, climate-resilient urban food systems where youth (various age groups between 18 and 35) collaborate to voice their priorities, influence decisions, and seize opportunities in the food sector. We aim to achieve this through multi-stakeholders collaborations and locally owned innovations. UF will establish inclusive structures that listen to partners while supporting flexibility, learning, and adaptive management.

Urban Futures focuses on three areas:

1. Influencing and supporting the development and implementation of transformative urban food policies through multi-stakeholder platforms and youth movements;
2. Shaping new narratives that reimagine inclusive, climate-resilient cities to inspire behavior change and influence consumption patterns;
3. Enabling young sustainable food entrepreneurs to flourish and increase financial flows towards inclusive, climate-resilient cities.

These are underpinned by cross-cutting priorities on (i) linking and learning (ii) gender equality and inclusion, and (iii) technology and digitalization.

As fund and program manager, Hivos and Humanis will engage partners and innovators-especially young people-and provide grants and demand-led technical assistance, capacity building, and lead on linking and learning, advocacy, and communications, including through the expertise of the RUAF Global Partnership on Sustainable Urban Agriculture and Food Systems.

In Indonesia, Urban Futures is implemented in two cities: Bandung (West Java) and West Manggarai (East Nusa Tenggara). Each city is selected for its unique contributions to Indonesia’s youth movements and larger food system in Indonesia.

Urban Futures Indonesia is seeking a Communications Consultant. The Consultant will assist the UF Indonesia Linking Learning and Communications Officer in providing technical assistance on communications for UF implementing partners in Indonesia.

 

Scope of Work and Key Deliverables

The Consultant is expected to support implementation of the overall regular communications and campaign strategy for Urban Futures Indonesia. The detail of deliverable as follows:

1. Implement effective UF communications and campaign strategies;
2. Apply UF brand guideline, including its visual design representation, to all UF Indonesia’s communications products;
3. Ensure the implementation of public and stakeholders engagement events, e.g., Linking and Learning activities, as part of project’s campaign and advocacy;
4. Manage the implementation of content creation to support publication, education, and campaign of UF implementing partners;
5. Ensure the media engagement as part of UF campaign and visibility strategy and, whenever possible and relevant, support the national and mainstream media engagement of Humanis;
6. Ensure the implementation of youth and gender sensitive communications as well as inclusive approach in communications products and activities;
7. Deliver capacity strengthening activities on the topic of Communications for UF implementing partners;
8. Other communications and campaign related tasks to support UF that may be suitable with the Consultant’s scope of work;
9. Collaborate closely with Humanis’ Communications Officer to effectively manage the flow of UF communications and publications across all organizational communications channels;
10. Collaborate with UF Indonesia team and close coordination with the UF Indonesia Linking Learning and Communications Officer.

 

Payment Scheme

Consultant will be paid on a monthly basis, upon approval of the timesheet.

 

Qualification

The Consultant should be an individual.

The selection criteria are as follows:

• Solid experience and proven track record of carrying out similar assignments in the past;
• Demonstrate understanding of youth roles in urban food systems and climate movement, and the ability to communicate effectively about youth leadership roles in such effort;
• Demonstrate understanding of gender dynamics and inclusive approaches in climate change and the ability to communicate these themes effectively;
• Proficiency in utilizing various communications channels and mediums, including social media, traditional media, online platforms, and visual storytelling, to effectively convey messages about youth leadership in the climate movement;
• Sensitivity to cultural nuances and the ability to communicate effectively across diverse cultural contexts, ensuring inclusivity and relevance of messaging;
• Capacity to work collaboratively with project stakeholders, including media, youth leaders, NGOs, government agencies, and community-based organizations, to amplify the voices of youth in the climate movement;
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear and compelling manner, and deliver engaging presentations to diverse audiences in Bahasa Indonesia;
• Strong written and verbal communications skills in English are considered an advantage;
• Excellent workshop planning and facilitation skills are considered an advantage.

 

Guiding Principles

The Consultant shall comply with the principles stipulated in the Hivos’ Safeguarding Policy to ensure the assessment processes are promoting and protecting people’s health, well-being and human rights, and enabling them to live free of harm, exploitation and abuse. The Policy entails a wide range of policies, procedures and activities seeking to address the welfare of staff, partner organization(s) and those come in contact with such as children (under 18 years old) and (vulnerable) adults. Consent to participate in the assessment will be given freely, without coercion and influence from financial inducement, improper pressure, or any form of misrepresentation and applying research ethics that ensure and acknowledge respondents’ rights in taking part or to object involvement in the assessment, maximize possible benefits and minimize possible harms.