Communications Specialist CABI Nairobi
CABI is a not for profit organization that improves people's lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.
CABI can trace its origins back to 1910, and is now established by a United Nations treaty level agreement between countries who wanted to “promote the advancement of agriculture and allied sciences through the provision of information, scientific and related services on a world-wide basis”.
Formerly known as the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, CABI is now a truly international organization which operates simply as ‘CABI’. Activities include: scientific publishing, research, consultancy, training and communication.
CABI has three areas of operation:
• publishing
CABI is the publisher of renowned scientific information, including CAB Abstracts - our world-leading bibliographic database covering agriculture and the environment. We also publish multimedia compendia, books, e-books and internet resources aiming to further science and its application to real life.
• scientific projects and consultancy
Our International Development staff research, and find solutions to, agricultural and environmental problems. We use science, information and communication tools to solve the issues which affect people’s lives. We focus our work on three key scientific areas:
• commodities – we work to enable smallholder commodity farmers to compete in global markets. We diagnose and control plant pests and diseases, and help farmers get a better price for their crops.
• invasive species – we are helping to reduce the spread and impact of invasive weeds and insects. We also advise countries at a policy level about agriculture, trade and the environment.
• knowledge for development – we work with farmers, extension workers, researchers and governments to deliver agricultural knowledge and develop communication strategies and systems.
• microbial services
Our Bioservices business stores, curates and identifies fungi. We hold over 28,000 live and at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, under a collaborative initiative, we hold 400,000 dried organisms, of which 90% are unique to CABI. We conduct microbiological identifications, provide cultures for sale, and offer preservation and consultancy services. We are also screening our collection, looking for natural products such as antibiotics, vitamins and enzymes.
We have over 350 staff based in 16 countries – we operate from Africa, the Caribbean & Latin America, China, India, Malaysia, North America, Pakistan, Switzerland and the UK, with our Head Office in Oxfordshire, UK.
CABI works with and for: universities, corporations, member country governments, research agencies, charities and foundations, national donor agencies, farmers, extension workers and non-governmental organizations.
CABI operates as an efficient organization in order to be financially self-sustaining whilst delivering benefits to its members through not for profit development projects, and receives revenue from its publishing activities, funding for its research programmes and contributions from its member countries, of which there are more than 40.
For further information on CABI, please visit www.cabi.org
THE ROLE
Job title: Communications Specialist
Salary range: T.B.A. - commensurate with experience and skills
Grade: CABI – National/International post
Reporting to: Senior Communications Manager
Direct reports: None
Key peer group: Project Staff in CABI Africa and the ASHC and Communications team in UK
Location: CABI in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
The Project – Africa Soil Health Consortium (ASHC)
The person appointed will work on a project to address the issue of poor soil fertility in Africa using Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) see - www.cabi.org/ashc
The project supports on-going initiatives in the region which work to introduce and implement ISFM but often lack extension information and decision support tools that meet the needs of their target audiences, who include extension workers and smallholder farmers. More broadly, the ASHC is addressing the need to improve knowledge on ISFM at all levels of society in both public and private sectors from policy makers to university lecturers and input suppliers in order for ISFM to contribute to improved livelihoods.
The project involves the development of a number of ‘knowledge products’ which range from policy briefs, to handbooks, videos and extension materials on ISFM and their promotion, so that stakeholders have the information they need on ISFM to make the right soil decisions.
If the ASHC is successful by 2014 we have supported our four main audiences in the following ways:
• Smallholder farmers will improve their livelihoods through increased awareness of integrated soil fertility management techniques using information developed by the consortium
• Extension workers in the public and private sector will access high quality integrated soil fertility management information to improve cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Policy makers in sub-Saharan Africa will recognise and take account of integrated soil fertility management principles in policy making it easier for smallholders and others to use these techniques
Purpose of the role
To develop communications materials on Integrated Soil Fertility Management and related agricultural approaches that meet the needs of their intended audience (largely farmers and extension workers) in conjunction with the project’s partners and technical advisory group.
Key Accountabilities
• To plan, write, synthesize, edit and proof high quality communications materials which are appropriate for their target audience (taking in to consideration language, educational level/literacy, location, gender, age etc).
• To work with M&E and implementation partners to test the material’s efficacy and appropriateness by getting feedback on them and incorporating revisions (as necessary) into the material. Will involve field visits.
• To develop and manage relationships with the ASHC’s major partners in order to produce materials in collaboration with them – e.g. AGRA grantees. N2Africa, CIALCA, IFDC and other large programs and NGOs
• To offer communications expertise to partners to help them produce the best materials in the most appropriate format to achieve their objectives (e.g. advising on tone, content, format etc).
• To develop and manage relationships with suppliers who support the development and communication of the outreach materials e.g. designers, media houses, reporters.
• To track requests for materials from concept to completion and report back on the learning from each piece.
• To manage engagement with partners including workshops and other face-to-face meetings in the 4 focus Countries (Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana) and the subsequent development and testing of materials there.
• To work with the Technical Advisory Group to ensure the soil science expertise needed to produce ASHC materials is incorporated and signed off.
• Produce news items on the materials being produced for use on the website, in the newsletter and other channels.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Knowledge & Skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• An ability to rapidly synthesize technical information, question it where necessary, translate it for different audiences and communicate it effectively and persuasively
• An understanding of good design and communication and an eye for detail
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills
• Fluency in English essential and in French and Portuguese an advantage
• Ability to engage with a range of stakeholders (including farmers) to ensure that their inputs and feedback are taken into account.
• Ability to participate in teams from different cultural and professional backgrounds and lead small teams with focused activities and tasks
• Advanced computing skills primarily in publishing, graphics and content management packages
• Strong awareness and understanding of gender issues required and specific gender related skills desirable.
Education & Qualifications
• A higher university degree or equivalent experience in Development Communications, Journalism, Mass Communication, Public Relations or related areas.
Personality Characteristics
• High degree of innovation, originality and creativity
• The gravitas to be able to hold their own amongst senior scientists
• A strong analytical mind, ability to synthesize, and communicate persuasively
• Ability to handle high volumes of work load with consistent standard of output levels.
• A passion for international development
Experience
• Extensive and demonstrable experience in international development working with a wide range of stakeholders including local communities, NGOs, government officials, researchers, etc.
• Experience in content development for various audiences including private sector actors, policy makers, extension workers and farmers
• Experience in a wide range of communication and outreach approaches for sharing knowledge with the objective of influencing knowledge use
• Experience in development and implementation of communication strategies
• Experience in training and mentoring using participatory approaches
Special Circumstances
• Ability to relocate to Nairobi Kenya where this post will be based
• Ability to travel extensively both within Africa as project requires and internationally as needed.
NOTE
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. It is expected that the post holder and CABI will adopt a flexible attitude and accept that the duties may have to be varied according to circumstances, in particular changing corporate requirements and individual development needs.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
CABI is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or marital status. No applicant will be disadvantaged by conditions which cannot be shown to be justified and selection will be based on merit.
By taking the CABI Equal Opportunities Survey (To Apply)
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CABI_Equal_Opportunities_Survey
you will be helping us to follow best practice recommendations that employers should monitor selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. Please follow the link to take the survey.
The information in the survey will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only, forming no part of the selection process. This information will be received separately from your application.
CABI can trace its origins back to 1910, and is now established by a United Nations treaty level agreement between countries who wanted to “promote the advancement of agriculture and allied sciences through the provision of information, scientific and related services on a world-wide basis”.
Formerly known as the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, CABI is now a truly international organization which operates simply as ‘CABI’. Activities include: scientific publishing, research, consultancy, training and communication.
CABI has three areas of operation:
• publishing
CABI is the publisher of renowned scientific information, including CAB Abstracts - our world-leading bibliographic database covering agriculture and the environment. We also publish multimedia compendia, books, e-books and internet resources aiming to further science and its application to real life.
• scientific projects and consultancy
Our International Development staff research, and find solutions to, agricultural and environmental problems. We use science, information and communication tools to solve the issues which affect people’s lives. We focus our work on three key scientific areas:
• commodities – we work to enable smallholder commodity farmers to compete in global markets. We diagnose and control plant pests and diseases, and help farmers get a better price for their crops.
• invasive species – we are helping to reduce the spread and impact of invasive weeds and insects. We also advise countries at a policy level about agriculture, trade and the environment.
• knowledge for development – we work with farmers, extension workers, researchers and governments to deliver agricultural knowledge and develop communication strategies and systems.
• microbial services
Our Bioservices business stores, curates and identifies fungi. We hold over 28,000 live and at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, under a collaborative initiative, we hold 400,000 dried organisms, of which 90% are unique to CABI. We conduct microbiological identifications, provide cultures for sale, and offer preservation and consultancy services. We are also screening our collection, looking for natural products such as antibiotics, vitamins and enzymes.
We have over 350 staff based in 16 countries – we operate from Africa, the Caribbean & Latin America, China, India, Malaysia, North America, Pakistan, Switzerland and the UK, with our Head Office in Oxfordshire, UK.
CABI works with and for: universities, corporations, member country governments, research agencies, charities and foundations, national donor agencies, farmers, extension workers and non-governmental organizations.
CABI operates as an efficient organization in order to be financially self-sustaining whilst delivering benefits to its members through not for profit development projects, and receives revenue from its publishing activities, funding for its research programmes and contributions from its member countries, of which there are more than 40.
For further information on CABI, please visit www.cabi.org
THE ROLE
Job title: Communications Specialist
Salary range: T.B.A. - commensurate with experience and skills
Grade: CABI – National/International post
Reporting to: Senior Communications Manager
Direct reports: None
Key peer group: Project Staff in CABI Africa and the ASHC and Communications team in UK
Location: CABI in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
The Project – Africa Soil Health Consortium (ASHC)
The person appointed will work on a project to address the issue of poor soil fertility in Africa using Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) see - www.cabi.org/ashc
The project supports on-going initiatives in the region which work to introduce and implement ISFM but often lack extension information and decision support tools that meet the needs of their target audiences, who include extension workers and smallholder farmers. More broadly, the ASHC is addressing the need to improve knowledge on ISFM at all levels of society in both public and private sectors from policy makers to university lecturers and input suppliers in order for ISFM to contribute to improved livelihoods.
The project involves the development of a number of ‘knowledge products’ which range from policy briefs, to handbooks, videos and extension materials on ISFM and their promotion, so that stakeholders have the information they need on ISFM to make the right soil decisions.
If the ASHC is successful by 2014 we have supported our four main audiences in the following ways:
• Smallholder farmers will improve their livelihoods through increased awareness of integrated soil fertility management techniques using information developed by the consortium
• Extension workers in the public and private sector will access high quality integrated soil fertility management information to improve cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Policy makers in sub-Saharan Africa will recognise and take account of integrated soil fertility management principles in policy making it easier for smallholders and others to use these techniques
Purpose of the role
To develop communications materials on Integrated Soil Fertility Management and related agricultural approaches that meet the needs of their intended audience (largely farmers and extension workers) in conjunction with the project’s partners and technical advisory group.
Key Accountabilities
• To plan, write, synthesize, edit and proof high quality communications materials which are appropriate for their target audience (taking in to consideration language, educational level/literacy, location, gender, age etc).
• To work with M&E and implementation partners to test the material’s efficacy and appropriateness by getting feedback on them and incorporating revisions (as necessary) into the material. Will involve field visits.
• To develop and manage relationships with the ASHC’s major partners in order to produce materials in collaboration with them – e.g. AGRA grantees. N2Africa, CIALCA, IFDC and other large programs and NGOs
• To offer communications expertise to partners to help them produce the best materials in the most appropriate format to achieve their objectives (e.g. advising on tone, content, format etc).
• To develop and manage relationships with suppliers who support the development and communication of the outreach materials e.g. designers, media houses, reporters.
• To track requests for materials from concept to completion and report back on the learning from each piece.
• To manage engagement with partners including workshops and other face-to-face meetings in the 4 focus Countries (Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana) and the subsequent development and testing of materials there.
• To work with the Technical Advisory Group to ensure the soil science expertise needed to produce ASHC materials is incorporated and signed off.
• Produce news items on the materials being produced for use on the website, in the newsletter and other channels.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
Knowledge & Skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• An ability to rapidly synthesize technical information, question it where necessary, translate it for different audiences and communicate it effectively and persuasively
• An understanding of good design and communication and an eye for detail
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills
• Fluency in English essential and in French and Portuguese an advantage
• Ability to engage with a range of stakeholders (including farmers) to ensure that their inputs and feedback are taken into account.
• Ability to participate in teams from different cultural and professional backgrounds and lead small teams with focused activities and tasks
• Advanced computing skills primarily in publishing, graphics and content management packages
• Strong awareness and understanding of gender issues required and specific gender related skills desirable.
Education & Qualifications
• A higher university degree or equivalent experience in Development Communications, Journalism, Mass Communication, Public Relations or related areas.
Personality Characteristics
• High degree of innovation, originality and creativity
• The gravitas to be able to hold their own amongst senior scientists
• A strong analytical mind, ability to synthesize, and communicate persuasively
• Ability to handle high volumes of work load with consistent standard of output levels.
• A passion for international development
Experience
• Extensive and demonstrable experience in international development working with a wide range of stakeholders including local communities, NGOs, government officials, researchers, etc.
• Experience in content development for various audiences including private sector actors, policy makers, extension workers and farmers
• Experience in a wide range of communication and outreach approaches for sharing knowledge with the objective of influencing knowledge use
• Experience in development and implementation of communication strategies
• Experience in training and mentoring using participatory approaches
Special Circumstances
• Ability to relocate to Nairobi Kenya where this post will be based
• Ability to travel extensively both within Africa as project requires and internationally as needed.
NOTE
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. It is expected that the post holder and CABI will adopt a flexible attitude and accept that the duties may have to be varied according to circumstances, in particular changing corporate requirements and individual development needs.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
CABI is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation or marital status. No applicant will be disadvantaged by conditions which cannot be shown to be justified and selection will be based on merit.
By taking the CABI Equal Opportunities Survey (To Apply)
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CABI_Equal_Opportunities_Survey
you will be helping us to follow best practice recommendations that employers should monitor selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. Please follow the link to take the survey.
The information in the survey will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only, forming no part of the selection process. This information will be received separately from your application.
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