Vacancy Number: QA/CapDev/06/14
Department: Capacity Development
Duration: 2 years’ contract
Department: Capacity Development
Duration: 2 years’ contract
ILRI seeks to recruit a Quality Assurance Officer to enhance
ILRI’s contribution to the mNutrition project, which will be aligned with
ILRI’s efforts in the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) on Agriculture for
Nutrition and Health (www.a4nh.cgiar.org)
& Livestock and Fish (http://livestockfish.cgiar.org/).
The assignment will involve working with all consortium partners and local
content providers to manage a range of quality assurance procedures, and
provide advice and guidance concerning mNutrition quality assurance systems and
their implementation.
ILRI is part of a DFID/GSMA funded mNutrition Global Content
Partner consortium that includes CAB International (lead partner), the Global
Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), OXFAM, and the British Medical Journal
(BMJ). The consortium will lead the in-country development of the nutrition
content framework and work with local partners to develop relevant mNutrition
services. The ultimate goal of the mNutrition Initiative is to contribute
to improving nutrition and food security of the poor, especially women, by
harnessing the power of mobile technologies to improve access to information on
nutrition-specific behaviors as well as nutrition-sensitive health and
agricultural practices. The initiative plans to reach at least 3 million
beneficiaries across 10 Sub-Saharan African and 4 Asian countries in 3 years.
ILRI works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways
out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the Consultative
Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Consortium, a global
research partnership of 15 centers working with many partners for a food-secure
future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in West and
southern Africa and South and Southeast Asia.
The Centre’s headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya, and
research is conducted in 31 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We are
supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
(CGIAR) and receive funding from over 50 different donors.
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.
Key Responsibilities
To manage the validation/review process for a designated
portfolio of health and agricultural messages, including collaborative and
internal reviews. This will include:
- In
consultation with relevant (internal and external) technical experts,
provide advice and guidance on the preparation of documentation,
interpretation of the consortium’s quality assurance procedures;
- Preparation
of background materials on the mNutrition QA process;
- Initial
scrutiny of documentation to ensure that it meets established criteria;
- Conduct
random and scheduled checks of local content providers ‘work in progress’;
- Defining
schedules and timescales for QA work, and liaising with partners to ensure
documents are prepared in accordance with the agreed schedule;
- Maintaining
records of the QA process and keeping these updates on relevant mNutrition
databases;
- Help
disseminate knowledge and insights gains, as well as tools and
methodologies across the mNutrition project and ILRI’s CRPs;
- Co-ordinate
and collate the development of technical content by ILRI scientists.
- Work
with consortium partners to develop and apply a quality assurance
framework for the mNutrition project as well as a process ongoing quality
assessment of mNutrition content;
Requirements
- University
degree in Business Administration, Communications, ICT, Nutrition, Social
Sciences, or other related fields;
- At
least 5 years relevant work experience, with some previous experience of
quality assurance systems and procedures (preferably in the ICT/mobile or
nutrition sectors);
- Project
management experience in in a large organisation (either in private sector
or development) – Developing country experience definitely a plus;
- Experience
of working with multiple internal and external partners in multiple
countries;
- High
level written skills, obtained through report writing and the ability to
receive, understand and convey information in a clear and accurate manner
adjusting the content of the information to suit the needs of different
audiences;
- Experience
of giving customers a positive and satisfactory service by responding to
and dealing with enquiries, providing accurate and up to date advice and
guidance and identifying and proposing solutions to new issues;
- Experience
of establishing productive working relationships with a wide range of
organizations and people, including external bodies, and of working as
part of a team;
- Excellent
attention to detail and the ability to maintain work of high quality;
- Commitment
to and understanding of equality and diversity issues within a diverse and
multicultural environment (A/I);
- Familiarity
with aspects of nutrition and/or agricultural systems in developing
countries a plus;
- Demonstrated
ability to develop and manage multiple partnerships;
- Ability
to work in a fast paced environment with interdisciplinary teams;
- Ability
to develop and facilitate processes and systems related to QA;
- Strong
English language skills, both written and spoken.
Terms of appointment:
This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) positions based
at ILRI’s Nairobi campus and is for a 2 years’ contract period.
Job level and salary:
This position is job level 3A with a starting salary of
KES181,317 per month. In addition ILRI currently offers medical insurance
for staff and dependents, Life insurance, Pension at 12.5% employers
contribution, Annual holiday entitlement of 30 days+ public holidays within
ILRI’s National Recruited Staff Scheme.
How to apply:
Applicants should send a cover letter and CV explaining
their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names
and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are
knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work
experience to the Human Resources Director through our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ before 20
June 2014. The position title and reference number REF: QA/CapDev/06/14 should
be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.
ILRI is an equal opportunity employer
