Communications Manager at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Position Responsibilities

IITA is looking for a talented, creative, and dynamic Communications Manager who will play a crucial role in disseminating knowledge products to key audiences and crafting stories and content that informs and influences stakeholders.

The Communications Manager will perform the following duties, among others:

• Establishing a Communications Function for the program
• Develop a communication Strategy, a Communications Team, and source for a panel of service providers.
• Ensure coordination and alignment with One CGIAR communications strategy. Support for fundraising, resource mobilization, and proposal development
• Support proposal development with specific communication activities
• Develop materials that support fundraising activities of the region.
• Ensure that proposals are aligned with the global brand and look professional.

Communication advice and support

• Give solicited and unsolicited advice to initiative staff on how to generate awareness and publicity for their Programmes.
• Support initiative staff in developing communication materials.
• Actively involved in planning, monitoring, and executing communication activities as part of the initiative.
• Maintain a network of trusted external suppliers for more elaborate or specific communication tasks.
• Oversee translation of science products/learnings into more generally accessible language

Website and social media

• Ensure websites related to the program under your management are kept current, relevant, and up to date and in consultation with One CGIAR guidelines. (Please note: for websites with news items, this means a minimum of one news item per month).
• Regular (minimum of four per year) and timely contribution of news items from the initiative.
• Any social media channels under your management (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) are kept current, relevant, and up to date.
• Initiative videos should be shared with proper tagging and descriptions for inclusion in the One CGIAR YouTube channels.

Public relations and free publicity

• Monitor Global and Regional media in program operating areas and actively reach out to appropriate media to profile the same.
• Develop press releases and media events for key initiative milestones.

Branding

• Ensure the program is fully compliant with One CGIAR branding guidelines.
• Protect and promote the correct use of the program brand in all internal and external communication.
• Educate Use Case teams on the proper use of the program branding guidelines.
• Ensure that staff is aware of the communication and branding toolbox/page on the intranet.

Internal communication

• Actively participate and engage in the global One CGIAR communications team.

Educational Qualifications and Experience

• The candidate should have a master’s degree in International Communications, Journalism, or a relevant/related field with five years of work experience in Communications and/or Marketing, in a complex and international setting.

Core Competencies

• Excellent writing skills and ability to convey complex data ideas and messages in a clear and easy-to-understand manner.
• Team leadership, strategic communication planning, creativity and innovation in the comms space, results-oriented, organize high profile events
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative, and decentralized environment. Self-motivated and eager to learn.
• Excellent oral communication skills in English.
• Strong interest in science and agricultural development issues with the ability to grasp new material quickly.
• Ability to work well under pressure and with short deadlines.
• Commitment to IITA’s mission and core values.