International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to
recruit a Research and Business Writer within its Institutional Planning and
Partnerships Division. S/he will be a member of the business development team
and will assist with securing funding from various sources. S/he will ensure
ILRI submits high quality and winning proposals to a range of funding agencies
to help ILRI grow its revenue. We seek a highly motivated applicant who will
help to identify new business opportunities and prepare materials, using
various media and formats, to develop and support these opportunities. The
incumbent will creatively use a wide range of communication channels and
methods to illustrate the benefits of investment in research and the positive
outcomes from investment. These will range from visual and social media to
interactive and written material.
ILRI works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways
out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR
Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many
partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa
and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East
Asia. www.ilri.org.
CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a
food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are
members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner
organizations. www.cgiar.org.
Responsibilities:
Proposal Writer
- Assist
research scientists to write concept notes and proposals for funding.
- Help
orient concept notes and proposals to match customer requirements.
- Ensure
that all ‘must-have’ information required by the customer is included in
proposals.
- Provide
‘boiler plate’ information about ILRI for proposals.
- Help
new researchers with limited bid writing experience to become more
skilled.
- Organise
and run ‘writing workshops’ for staff where there is demand for them.
- Participate
in research team ‘write shops’.
Editor
- Check
concept notes and proposals and business plans to ensure they contain all
necessary information, are well expressed and meet a high standard for
written work.
- Provide
amended/alternative text where improvements are necessary, in consultation
with the author(s).
- Draw
together research proposals that have been written by different authors,
to provide consistency in style and presentation, and avoid needless
duplication of information.
- Ensure,
in partnership with scientists and program management officers that
proposals meet the needs of specific investors/donors.
- Where
multiple proposals are being submitted to one fund, ensure that there is
consistency between the proposals and a coherent package of information is
provided.
Communications Specialist
- Write
and produce material for inclusion in Business Office plans, reports and
other documents.
- Write
and produce material aimed at demonstrating ILRI’s performance and
investment opportunities to the business sector.
- Contribute,
from a business perspective, to communications of all types arising from
ILRI’s public awareness group.
- Contribute
to ILRI’s overall external communications activity, including providing
material for its website, social media channels and for external
audiences. This may include aural, video and film as well as written
material.
Information Requests
- Respond
to requests for information about ILRI research capability and
performance.
- Provide
registration information to entities that require ILRI to be to be
registered with them.
Standard Information
- Source/develop/write
standard information about ILRI that can be drawn on by all ILRI staff for
research proposals.
- Ensure,
on an on-going basis, that information about ILRI’s research proposals is
up to date and accurately reflects changes at the Institute.
- Keep
the Business Office section of the ILRI Intranet current and up to date.
General and New Tasks
- Assist
with all general and new tasks that arise and are appropriate to the
efficient and effective functioning of the ILRI Business Office.
Essential requirements:
- Master’s
degree in a relevant area or a relevant first degree plus appropriate
experience.
- At
least 10 years of relevant work experience.
- Excellent
writer and communicator.
- Knowledge
of the research sector, agriculture and agricultural development.
- Experience
in assisting organizations get their message to market.
- Experience
in writing proposals.
- Experience
in writing about and for the business sector.
- Experience
in writing about the research-business interface.
- Experience
in writing about and helping businesses of all sizes to understand and
appreciate the value of research and development.
- Skill
in translating scientific research and concepts into material that can be
easily accessed by a literate business audience.
- Understanding
of the funding environment and being able to target information and
investment applications accordingly.
- Excellent
research and analytical skills.
- Experience
in writing for an internal audience and promoting the capability and goals
of a particular group to the wider organisation.
- Experience
in producing and directing film and video material and in producing
material for social media and internet channels.
- Excellent
interpersonal skills with an ability to work with a wide range of people and
manage collegial processes and relationships, but also;
- Ability
to work flexibly and independently.
Position level: This position is Research level
1 depending on skills and experience.
Post location: The position is based at ILRI’s
Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Duration: 3 years with the possibility of
renewal contingent upon individual performance and funding.
Terms of appointment: ILRI offers a competitive
international and salary and benefits package which includes 15% pension,
medical insurance, life insurance and allowances for: education, housing,
relocation, home leave, annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + public
holidays.
*Benefits and salary are tax free subject to compliance with
tax regulations of country of citizenship.
Applications: Applicants should provide a cover
letter, curriculum vitae and the names and addresses
(including telephone, fax and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable
about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. The
position title and reference number: REF: RBW/IPP/05/2014 should
be clearly indicated in the subject line of the online application.
All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment
portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com on or before 22 June 2014.
ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.
