icipe Bio-Innovate Communications Officer Job in Nairobi, Kenya Oct/Nov 2016

Job position : icipe career for Bio-Innovate Communications Officer 2016

Work opportunity : Bio-Innovate Communications Officer Job in Nairobi Nov 2016

icipe
Vacancy: Bio-Innovate Communications Officer
Ref. No. NRS/176/102016

icipe – African Insect Science for Food and Health is a world-class research centre with a mission to alleviate poverty by ensuring food security, improving health, protecting the environment, and building the capacity of researchers and communities across the developing world through the application of insect sciences.

Employing more than 500 national and international staff, icipe is  headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya with outposts in Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, and on the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya.
icipe has a proud reputation and history of delivering world-quality science that has made crucial contributions to African food and health policy, delivered development outcomes to rural communities, and has been at the forefront of building Africa’s biological research capacity.
The Centre’s research activities span the African continent with partnerships linking research organisations, not only across Africa, but also the globe.
In addition, more than 150 graduate students and a number of postdoctoral fellows contribute to icipe’s research portfolio annually.

The Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) Programme is a regional initiative established in 2010 with support from Sida, Sweden to support bioscience research and innovation activities in eastern Africa.

It addresses regional priorities in science, technology and innovation aligned with the AU-NEPAD’s Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA), the science agenda for Africa (S3A) and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Bio-Innovate’s goal is to improve productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers and agro-processors in eastern Africa, while ensuring environmental sustainability.
It seeks to promote inclusive growth by linking smallholder farmers to new market niches characterised by sustainable and resource-efficient value chains.
The Programme brings critical players from the public and private sectors together, to promote bioscience innovation in six eastern African countries, namely Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
During its first implementation Phase (2010–2015), the Programme had the goal of mobilising and deploying bioscience innovation systems to harness bio-resources in the eastern Africa region, whereby innovations for sustainable utilisation, transformation and integration of eastern Africa’s bio-resources would be discovered, developed, intensified, and disseminated to promote regional economic growth and development.
Phase II, hosted at the International Centre of Insect Physiology (icipe) focuses on developing more capacity and devoting more of its resources towards assisting innovation projects move further along the innovation chain into the market.
For more information on Bio-Innovate please visit: http://www.bioinnovate-africa.org/
icipe seeks to recruit a Communications Officer to work in the Bio-resources Innovations Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) Programme.
The position is tenable in Nairobi at the icipe Duduville campus, and is available to commence immediately.
A competitive and generous compensation package will be offered to the right candidate.
Only shortlisted candidates meeting the itemised requirements will be contacted.
 
Overall Purpose of the Job: Reporting to the Programme Manager, the office holder will be responsible for ensuring the programme has a sound and effective communication strategy and a smooth flow of information within the Programme, its projects, stakeholders, and the general public.
 
Responsibilities
  • Oversee the communication activities of the Programme and take lead in developing a communication strategy for the programme.
  • Support the production of programme reports, publications, and web materials and other multimedia and promotional products (such as posters, information packages and documentaries).
  • Manage the programme website and social media functions, by continuously monitoring to ensure that the site is maintained.
  • Continuously provide web-friendly content to keep the site interesting and up-to-date with new programme information, news and publications.
  • Work with the project leaders and teams in the six countries of eastern Africa in sourcing stories about their project activities, achievements, outputs and impacts for the Bio-Innovate website and e-newsletter, ensuring the accuracy of the information, as well as the liveliness of the news and pictorial presentation.
  • Mentor and train project leaders and their project teams on generating appropriate communications materials to reflect project work.
  • Manage programme’s public awareness activities, including events such as conferences and workshops.
  • Identify and liaise with journalists in respective participating countries to publicise project and programme activities.
  • Edit programme documents, write articles for the programme newsletter, and develop content for promotional materials.
  • Work with graphic designers and printers in producing high quality promotional materials.
  • Keep up-to-date about current trends in research communication and methods, to advise the programme on cost-effective ways of communication.
  • Facilitate links with communication functions of host institution.
  • Maintain a publications inventory and an efficient information management system.
  • Compile presentations, handle mailing lists and coordinate distribution of project publications.
  • Ensure Programme meeting materials are prepared in a timely manner, and proceedings are accurately captured and archived.
Requirements/Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications or a related discipline.
  • Qualifications in print and electronic media, development communication, and information management are highly desirable.
  • At least four years of experience in conducting communication function for an international organisation or NGO.
Core competencies
  • Demonstrable experience in writing, editing, designing, web design management, blogging, use of Web 2.0 and social media tools.
  • Experience in supporting communications and/or media relations in international research organisations is an added advantage.
  • Ability to read, understand and assimilate complex technical information to produce clear, well-written summaries for a wide range of readership.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office packages.
  • Knowledge of and skills in desktop publishing, HTML, photography and photo editing.
  • Fluent English language skills, both written and spoken.
  • Excellent organisational and documentation skills.
Other desirable attributes
  • Result Oriented/focused: Ability to consistently meet set goals.
  • Focused and goal oriented: Ability to direct others to perform set duties.
  • Professionalism: Application of ethics, principles, standards and expertise in all areas of work.
  • Integrity: Honest, above reproach and appropriate in actions/behaviour and transparent in conduct.
  • Teamwork, interpersonal relations: Ability to work in a team and with good networking and interpersonal skills.
  • Good team worker: Working and relating with others in mutual support and respect towards common goals and shared vision.
  • Multi-cultural fit and diversity: Ability to work effectively within a diverse and multicultural environment.
  • Innovation and creativity: Ability to generate new ideas and ways of working to continuously improve existing work processes, practices, and concepts.
  • Willingness to travel.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and well within teams.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
Reporting
This position reports to the Programme Manager.
The selected candidate should be available to start as soon as possible.
 
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted up to 4th November 2016, or until the position is filled, whichever is earlier.
Interested applicants should submit:
(a) a confidential cover letter,
(b) detailed CV with names and addresses of 3 referees (including e-mail addresses, fax numbers), and
(c) a statement illustrating suitability against the listed qualifications/competencies/abilities, and skills.
Candidates are required to apply online through: http://recruit.icipe.org
icipe is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equity, teamwork, and respect for diversity.



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