The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks
a Managing Editor to develop and implement the Institute’s editorial and
production strategies to help maximise its impact and effectiveness. This role
is also responsible for ensuring the quality of the Institute’s print, digital
and policy materials. The post holder will work with our researchers and
partners to influence and inform through writing that is lucid, to the point
and best adapted to the needs of targeted readerships. S/he will write and edit
outputs in a variety of formats including: policy briefs, research reports and
blogs. A key role is to manage and guide people across ILRI who carry out
institutional and project publishing.
ILRI works with partners worldwide to enhance the roles that
livestock play in food security and poverty alleviation, principally in Africa
and Asia. The outcomes of these research partnerships help people in developing
countries keep their farm animals’ alive and productive, increase and sustain
their livestock and farm productivity, find profitable markets for their animal
products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases.
ILRI is a not-for-profit institution with a staff of about
700 and in 2014, an operating budget of about USD83 million. A member of the
CGIAR Consortium working for a food-secure future, ILRI has its headquarters in
Nairobi, Kenya, a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and offices in
other countries in East, West and Southern Africa and in South, Southeast and
East Asia.
ILRI leads the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish,
leads a component of a CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and
Health on the prevention and control of agriculture-associated diseases, and
contributes to six other CGIAR research programs. Staff members work in
integrated sciences and biosciences programs that develop and deliver
science-based practices, provide scientific evidence for decision-making and
develop capacities of livestock-sector stakeholders. With the African Union/New
Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordination Agency, ILRI
also hosts and manages the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA)-ILRI
Hub.
Responsibilities
- Lead
in developing and monitoring the editorial strategy for the Institute to
ensure quality and standards appropriate for all outputs.
- Lead
in developing and monitoring the production strategy for all the
Institute’s outputs and ensure consistency of style, production quality
and suitability for audiences.
- Work
closely with researchers to synthesise research outputs through high
quality writing and editing into a variety of formats designed to
communicate to multiple audiences – from policy briefings to short
reports, backgrounders and booklets.
- Coordinate
maintenance of a style guide for ILRI written material.
- As
required, build communications skills internally and to share internally
and externally what we learn about research communications in the course
of our work.
- Line
manage the Publishing Services Manager and help them to develop production
systems and processes as required.
- Participate
in Institute-wide and strategic meetings as appropriate.
- Act
as a mentor and coach to Communications and KM staff, especially those
with writing and editorial roles.
- Maintain
and manage a cadre of excellent freelance writers, designers, editors,
translators and proof-readers for both print and digital products.
- Contribute
to the ILRI-wide communications and KM community of practice and
leadership group, sharing and communicating work updates and lessons,
participate in CKM learning, reviewing and planning activities and ensure
that these activities follow ILRI standards and agreed channels.
- Contribute
to ILRI’s communications and knowledge management team working on
‘knowledge, publishing and curation’.
Requirements
- Minimum
of first degree/masters in a relevant discipline e.g. communications,
agriculture, development, journalism
- At
least 5 years of relevant work experience, including some work as a
researcher or working closely with researchers and / or some work either
as a journalist or alongside journalists
- Experience
of project managing high profile, time sensitive initiatives
- Demonstrable
experience of managing permanent staff and external consultants including
supervision of work from a distance
- Experience
of managing multiple projects, timeframes, budgets and delivery dates
- Fluency
in English (verbal and written)
- A
thorough understanding of agriculture and sustainable development issues
and a demonstrable understanding of policy-oriented research and/or
advocacy
- A
thorough understanding of how to target different audiences through
communications
- Excellent
writing skills – a demonstrable commitment to high quality editing and an
ability to write for different audiences
- First
class verbal communication skills to work with multi-cultural staff and
partners at all levels, as well as other external bodies
- First
class inter-personal skills including coaching and mentoring, persuasion,
and negotiating skills and the ability to build effective working
relationships in a challenging, multi-cultural environment
- Excellent
personal organizational skills, ability to be adaptable and flexible to
manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
- Ability
to work/respond independently, problem solve, and deal with unforeseen
problems and circumstances on own initiative
- Ability
to work independently and as part of a team
- Lively
interest in developments in communications technologies
- Excellent
knowledge and experience of business software (word-processing, spreadsheets,
and internet and communications software)
Desirable requirements:
- Postgraduate
degree in a relevant discipline.
- An
established reputation and publications record.
- Experience
in the advocacy policy campaigning environment.
- Experience
of working in an international context.
- Work
experience in the Global South.
- Knowledge
of Desk-top Publishing (DTP) packages such as Adobe InDesign.
Position level: This position is 4C equivalent
to Scientist/Research support level 1 depending on skills and experience.
Post location: The position will be based in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Duration: 3 years with the possibility of
renewal contingent upon individual performance and funding.
Terms of appointment: ILRI offers a competitive
international 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, list of publications 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: ME/KMIS/06/2014
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 13 July 2014.
