Communications and Training Specialist

The Communications and Training Specialist will be responsible for coordinating and backstopping training and capacity building activities of all partners. The specialist will also be responsible for coordinating development of advocacy and behavior change communication materials and messages of all partners. The Communications and Training Specialist will work closely with the Regional Advocacy Advisor, the National Coordinators, CIP Communications team and representatives of partner organizations on all aspects pertaining to training and capacity building. The selected candidate will be based in either in Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania or Nairobi-Kenya with extensive travel in Nigeria and Tanzania. This position reports to the Project Manager and co-reports to the Head of Communications.

Duties and Responsibilities: A key part of this role will be to translate various formal inputs from the consortium partners into a series of advocacy messages, quality communications materials, learning modules and lessons learned. The specific duties and responsibilities include to:

 Working closely with the Project Manager, develop and guide implementation of the project’s communications strategy;

 Effectively manage the project’s communications and knowledge management function including management of the project’s component on the knowledge portal on biofortified crops / Sweetpotato, online tools ( blog, facebook, twitter, flickr), print and audio-visual materials;

 Work closely with the Regional Advocacy Advisor, the National Coordinators, the Seed Systems Coordinator and relevant target groups to ensure quality control for design and implementation of communication outputs (e.g. summaries of key findings, press releases, flyers, leaflets, fact sheets, stories from the field, journal articles, media kits, photographs, videos, documentaries, radio programs, learning materials and training modules and booklet of lessons learned);

 Work closely with the Regional Advocacy Advisor, the National Coordinators, the Seed Systems Coordinator and seed system experts to develop training manuals on priority areas along the value chain for the crops, and implement training programs in the two target countries;

 Support the dissemination of project information and materials through a variety of channels designed to reach diverse target audiences;

 Strengthen and coordinate information and knowledge for the specific platforms (beans, cassava, maize and sweetpotato);

 Maintain CIP branding standards;

 Work closely with the Seed Systems Coordinator, the technical team and national partners to organize and facilitate learning events;

 Coordinate media relations;

 Coordinate the project’s major meetings and events;

 Contributes to CIP organizational communications such as blogs, annual report, other publications and participates in monthly meetings.

Requirements:

 A Masters’ degree in journalism, advocacy, communications, public relations, marketing, training or related field;
 At least 5 years professional experience in communications and training;

 Demonstrated experience in managing communities of practice, online platforms and forums;

 Exposure to video making, experience in web-based tools online platforms, and moderating of communities of practice / discussion groups) would be an advantage;

 Effective use of social media for technical application;

 Good photography, radio and video, and media skills;

 Excellent written and spoken skills in English and Swahili are a prerequisite;

 Exemplary communication (written and oral)and advocacy skills;

 Ability to work under pressure and prioritize assignments;

 Proactive approach, with ability to find creative ways to solve problems or exploit potentials;

 Teamwork and ability to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams;

 Familiarity with international agricultural researches for development, CGIAR is a plus.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should apply online through our CIP’s Job Opportunities website (http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/), including a cover letter, a full C.V with the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Screening of applications will begin on 08 January, 2016 and will continue until the post is filled. All applications will be acknowledged, however only short listed candidates will be contacted.