Regional Communications Specialist - Asia

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (www.ciat.cgiar.org) works to reduce hunger and poverty, and improve human nutrition in the tropics through research aimed at increasing the eco-efficiency of agriculture. CIAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium (www.cgiar.org), a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future. The Center’s research focuses on increasing productivity of key crops (cassava, common bean, rice, and tropical forages), reversing soil and land degradation, and using information to foster better decisions about issues such as climate change and environmental management. Headquartered near Cali, Colombia, CIAT has regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Hanoi, Vietnam, with staff posted in other developing countries as well.

CIAT’s communications department works to ensure the center’s research from around the world is visible and available to a range of audiences, from scientists to policymakers, donors and the general public. To achieve this, our multidisciplinary team is involved in a range of activities, including news writing and media outreach, graphic design, web development, and multimedia production. The team is also very active on social media.

The Position

This key person in CIAT’s global Communications team will coordinate communications activities in Asia, including support to regional program strategy, development of communication products, facilitation of knowledge-sharing events, and knowledge management linkage. This key person in the Communication’s team should be willing to raise the profile of CIAT's research in Asia and enhance the impact of research outputs.

The position will be based at CIAT regional headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Responsibilities

• Formulating and Implementing Regional Communications Strategy - In collaboration with regional management and the communications team at HQ, identify priority audiences and strategic communication activities to be implemented in the region, including to support fund raising efforts.
• Developing News Stories- Facilitate regional efforts in distilling research outputs and outcomes to identify and develop compelling stories and systematically build a pool of potential materials while harnessing potential use of social media.
• Interface with M&E, impact assessment and research implementation teams for communications to effectively build on institutional knowledge systems and databases.? Generating Communication Products and Facilitating Knowledge-Sharing Events - Coordinate the development of products such as information briefs, videos, audio, infographics, and data visualizations. Support the organization of, or participation in, regional events through the preparation of communications products, social reporting, interviews, stories, etc.
• Engaging with Media- Grow the CIAT media contacts database for Asia and identify opportunities for media involvement. Produce and disseminate press releases to regional media or more broadly as necessary.
• Supporting Knowledge Management- Actively contribute to regional knowledge management by working with relevant staff to provide and manage project information for both internal and external communications

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or related agriculture and environmental sciences with additional specialized training in science communications. Master’s degree is desirable
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English; proficiency with any additional language/s in the region an advantage
• Excellent photography, video/audio editing and/or media production skills
• Familiarity with relevant computer applications (e.g. Adobe InDesign) and on-line platforms
• Regular contact with country offices and national/regional partners required
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently in the region

Role Competencies

• Demonstrated capacity to work independently and as part of interdisciplinary teams in a culturally diverse and inclusive work environment
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and operate in a team-based working environment

Terms of employment

The position is internationally recruited and will be based at Hanoi, Vietnam and reporting directly to the Asia’s Regional Director and Senior Communications Officer at Headquarters. The initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits.

CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. Woman candidates from Latin America, Africa and Asia are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the CIAT Human Resources Office to Andrea Linares ([email protected]) and should clearly indicate “Regional Communications Specialist - Asia”.

Closing date for applications: March 21st , 2016

For pre-application inquiries: contact Dr. Dindo Campilan, CIAT Regional Director Asia ([email protected])

We invite you to learn more about us at: http://www.ciat.cgiar.org