The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking a creative & multi skilled candidate to join its office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as the Regional Communications & Knowledge Management Expert.

This is a regionally recruited position; therefore, individuals with experience in the African region and relevant abilities, from diverse locations around the world are encouraged to apply.

The Communications & Knowledge Management Expert will support the implementation of IWMI’s global communications strategy in Ethiopia and East Africa. The incumbent will develop content and will support events and campaigns in the region, in accordance with quality standards and guidelines, and with input from project leaders and researchers. The person will coordinate closely with the Communications & Knowledge Management team, as an integral part of its global systems and workflows. Further, the Expert will provide communications and public relations support to the Country / Regional Representative, Project Leaders and a team of researchers undertaking various research projects in East Africa.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The position holder will work closely with Project Leaders, Country/Regional Representative and Communication & Knowledge Management team to:

• Support the implementation of IWMI’s global communications strategy in East Africa, in close coordination with IWMI’s Communications & Knowledge Management team in HQ.
• Participate in weekly meetings of the Communications & Knowledge Management team and update planning tools, to ensure strategic alignment and a coordinated approach for content and upcoming events.
• Write and edit articles (news, features, press releases, op-eds, success stories, profiles) for IWMI’s global websites, global newsletters, and other outlets. Liaise with authors and reviewers for edits and approvals. Follow IWMI’s style guide.
• Support IWMI’s presence at national and regional events (conferences, workshops, webinars, etc.). Prepare communications plans and key messages ahead of events. Provide communications and media support during events. Document events results through newsworthy articles and other materials.
• Develop audience-led communications outputs (briefs, factsheets, presentations, reports, infographics, posters, etc.) to advance IWMI’s corporate and project objectives, focused on impacts and results.
• Prepare social media content for IWMI’s official global accounts.
• Liaise with IWMI project leaders and researchers in East Africa for potential content and outreach materials, and to ensure technical quality. If required, lead or support the design and implementation of communications plans for IWMI projects.
• Liaise with partners and stakeholders for the production of project communications materials.
• Liaise with national and regional media, and organize press conferences and journalists visits to the field, as needed. Support proactive media outreach and engagement activities.
• Coordinate with IWMI’s Communications and Knowledge Management team in HQ for the production of video according to quality standards and guidelines. Once approved, lead the editorial aspect of video projects, to highlight project impact and results through storytelling. Ensure guidelines are followed and contract conditions are met before payment to consultants.
• Coordinate with IWMI’s Communications and Knowledge Management team in HQ for photographic documentation of IWMI activities in Ethiopia and East Africa, to ensure images are high-quality, capture areas of strategic interest, include complete caption info and metadata, and are ingested into the global photo library. Coordinate with photographers for editorial guidance. Ensure guidelines are followed and contract conditions are met before payment to consultants.
• Coordinate with IWMI’s Communications and Knowledge Management team in HQ for the engagement of consultants (for video production, photography, graphic design or other communications-related work) and provide guidance to ensure the timely delivery of quality outputs.
• Ensure compliance with IWMI branding guidelines and funders’ visibility requirements.
• Support the implementation of internal communications strategies and activities, as required.
• Compile media contacts for East Africa and add them to global media lists, for targeted national, regional, and global outreach.
• Help increase global email marketing subscribers (adding partners, workshop participants and other stakeholders) for targeted mailings.
• Carry out any other tasks identified as priorities by the Country/Regional Representative or the Global Communications Lead for Water Systems.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential,

• Master’s degree in journalism/mass communication or any discipline relevant to IWMI’s mandate, e.g., in natural/physical sciences or social sciences combined with specialized relevant training.
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant professional and applied experience.
• Experience in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating communications and knowledge management plans.
• Experience in content writing and editing for all relevant media platforms.
• Demonstrated success in working on multi-country programs and in an international work environment.
• Experience working in East Africa.

Desirable,

• Demonstrated understanding of water security, agricultural, environmental, and development issues in Ethiopia and East Africa.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential,

• Basic understanding and willingness to consider gender and inclusion in communication materials.
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office, web applications, and social media outlets required.
• Excellent English writing and editing skills.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to handle multiple deadlines and a variety of tasks.
• Ability to grasp scientific and technical concepts and communicate them clearly to various audiences.
• Ability to be a positive team player with good interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from a wide variety of cultures, with sensitivity and respect.

Desirable,

• Photography, graphic design, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to write scripts and produce videos for social media and other promotional purposes.
• Skills in photo storytelling and graphic design.
• Knowledge of Amharic, Arabic, Swahili, or any other language spoken in East Africa.
• Willingness to undertake limited travel to Africa and other locations as required.

Benefits

This is a regionally recruited position with a competitive salary, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. Regionally recruited staff who are employed at a duty station outside of their home base/country of nationality will also receive relocation assistance, a housing allowance, home-leave plane tickets for self and eligible dependents and education assistance for eligible dependents. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three years.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on June 02, 2024 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.