Communications Specialist At Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

About the position

The Communications Specialist will develop and manage strategic communications plans for designated Alliance research areas or programs. The selected person will produce written content that showcases research impact to target audiences; and share knowledge, insights, and priorities with colleagues responsible for strategic communications, so that resource mobilization and external communications are mutually reinforcing.

Key duties & responsibilities

• Identify communications objectives, plans, and milestones for each designated research area.
• Ensure feasible deployment of plans with allocated budget and resources.
• Act as interface between Alliance research areas and Communications Team (Digital and Internal, Publications and Design, Media, Outreach, and Regional Communicators), working closely with the Global Communications Officer.
• Maintain contact with research directors and research staff to identify opportunities to raise visibility of their work based on upcoming research outcomes or products.
• Write and edit communications content including stories, blogs, press and social media content.
• Build a communications portfolio per research area (slides, multimedia, case studies, materials for events).
• Contribute material for major communications projects such as the Annual Report.
• Keep the website updated with information about research areas.
• Visit field project sites with high communications potential for main target audience.

Required qualifications and experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, or related fields.
• Master’s, Degree in Communications, or relevant research field.
• Experience in progressive communications, leading and deploying strategic plans and other communications deliverables (at least 5 years).
• Thematic knowledge of topics including agriculture, food systems, climate change, agrobiodiversity, nutrition, poverty and livelihoods, digital and gender inclusion, crop research and sustainable development.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Fluency in English (oral and written) is essential. Working competency in Spanish, French, or other UN languages is a plus (oral and written).
• Prior experience working in an international organization, and in multiple time zones.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team with people in a multi-cultural and multidisciplinary environment, including with external stakeholders, and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to provide a high level of service under pressure.
• Experience and ability to translate complex science into widely compelling and targeted communications stories.
• Able and willing to travel to global field sites.
• Creative, autonomous, and solutions-oriented approach.
• Knowledge management experience is a plus.

This position is a nationally recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The initial contract will be for one year subject to a probation period of three (3) months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

This position is graded at BG08level, with a basic salary of 307,706 Kenya Shillings on a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.