Communications and Research Uptake Coordinator - Africa

Communications and Research Uptake Coordinator - Africa

Ghana

The Person and the job

If you have the ability to help achieve a positive impact on people’s lives and the environment in Africa, to assist the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) achieve impact from its scientific research results and recommendations being acted upon by policymakers, development donors, investors, community groups and others, then you could be the person we are looking for.

We need a highly experienced person to work with our researchers to set up projects that will have a better chance of achieving uptake and ultimately having an impact. Our uptake objectives include getting IWMI’s research into use and practice, so that it can bring about widespread development benefits. The position holder will also work with the Regional Director to drive an Africa-wide strategy that will lead to action on better land and water management. You should also be able to help build an impact culture within the organization, and build knowledge on uptake tools and approaches that are appropriate for a scientific research organization. You will coordinate communications and research uptake activities that will assist IWMI’s research programs to increase the chances of achieving development impact. The position holder will provide conceptual and practical support to research staff to produce communications material and uptake messages that address different audiences in Africa. Monitoring and evaluating progress towards the communications and uptake goals and using this to feedback to adjust program implementation and strategy will also be important.

This position holder will report to, and be co-located with, the Regional Director in Accra, Ghana, and receive direction and support from the Director, Communications and Marketing, Information and Knowledge Group (IKG) at IWMI headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in developing IWMI’s marketing strategies and campaigns for Africa that are in line with corporate guidelines.

You will:

• contribute to the preparation of project proposals to ensure inclusion of clear communications and uptake strategies, and activities;
• facilitate the process of developing and implementing communications and uptake strategies for individual projects that are already ongoing;
• work closely with the Director for Africa to develop regional communications and uptake strategies to connect messages across projects that are relevant for a region;
• work with research staff to develop communications products and uptake messages that address different audiences and identify the most appropriate channel for different products;
• help coordinate and take part in regional events organized by IWMI (conferences, workshops, launches, etc.);
• ensure communication materials and uptake plans are in place to maximize impact;
• contribute to the development and implementation of a communications and uptake strategy, and capacity building strategy (e.g., training, workshops, support networks, mentoring, etc.) for IWMI and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems;
• monitor and evaluate progress towards communications and research uptake goals and ensure that learning is fed back into program implementation and communicated widely; and
• work closely with IWMI’s Information and Knowledge Group on aligning communications and uptake strategies for the Institute in the region and globally.

You must possess:

• a master’s degree in communications, international development, sociology or a related field;
• at least 10 years of relevant professional and applied experience;
• experience in writing on scientific and development issues;
• experience of developing and implementing communications and/or uptake strategies;
• experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders including development donors, private industry, local communities, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), government officials, research organizations, etc.;
• experience working in Africa or Asia;
• monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and participatory approaches;
• strong interpersonal and networking skills;
• excellent written and oral communication skills;
• facilitation skills and experience;
• excellent project management skills;
• ability to carry out teamwork with people from different cultural and professional backgrounds;
• a high degree of innovation, originality and creativity;
• strong analytical mind, ability to synthesize and communicate persuasively;
• Capacity for leadership and working harmoniously in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a leader or team player; and
• willingness to travel within the region and, if necessary, to other regions.

It would be useful if you had:

• a natural science qualification ideally in water, agriculture or the environment.

This is an internationally recruited position with a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a housing allowance, transport, education, shipping assistance, annual home leave, retirement and health insurance package. IWMI’s policy is to appoint staff initially on three-year contracts which are subject to renewal, depending on performance and the Institute’s needs. This position will also require travel in the regions IWMI works in.

Closing date: 27 February 2012 (24:00 hrs Sri Lanka time)

Please submit your application online at: www.iwmi.org/About_IWMI/Vacancies/

Complete Application Form + attach your résumé + attach your letter which addresses IWMI’s requirements shown above with names and email addresses of 3 professional referees, to be contacted if you are short-listed

Your application will be acknowledged automatically within 24 hours. If not, please email us atwork-at-iwmi@cgiar.org