Knowledge Management and Communications Manager, USAID AFFORD

About TechnoServe:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

Food security and nutrition are essential to the prosperity and future of people and communities. One way TechnoServe does this is by bringing business and technical knowledge to capacitate food processors and key service providers to address their needs, helping them become competitive drivers in the food system, increasing profits, employment, inclusivity, trade, food safety, and access to nutritious foods.

Project Summary:

The USAID Advancing Food Fortification Opportunities to Reinforce Diets (AFFORD) program is designed to provide operational support to field Missions and other Operating Units (OUs) of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), contributing to the goals of the U.S. government Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) through the implementation of programming aligned with USAID’s Large-Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) Results Framework. USAID AFFORD seeks to safely and sustainably reduce micronutrient inadequacies and improve diets, particularly for women and children, through LSFF of staple foods and condiments.

Position Description:

The Knowledge Management and Communications Manager (KM Manager) helps document and share project knowledge and stories to inspire change. Working with the project team, the KM Manager supports the translation of project learnings into knowledge products and leads external communications activities to disseminate these knowledge products.

The qualified candidate will be able to carry out multiple complex tasks and effectively engage with the project team, TechnoServe communications team members, USAID, and other project stakeholders. Excellent written and oral communication skills are required, as are the ability to set priorities, manage time well, and work independently. An interest in, and understanding of, international nutrition is very helpful.

Primary Responsibilities:

Knowledge management:

• Provide overall leadership for the capture, management, and sharing of USAID AFFORD-produced knowledge products
• Based on project needs, update and modify the KM plan on an annual and semi-annual basis.
• Lead the implementation, monitoring, and adaptation (when needed) of KM plan activities
• Provide training or resources to USAID AFFORD partners and local stakeholders to strengthen their KM processes
• Design and develop creative, innovative methods for engagement of the global LSFF community with USAID AFFORD KM products
• Identify and assist with relevant resource mobilization that strengthens KM activities in selected countries
• Coordinate with relevant USAID KM and Learning teams to increase uptake of USAID AFFORD KM products and to align USAID AFFORD's KM plan with broader US Government and Feed the Future goals
• Manage any KM-related consultants (develop scope of work, source potential consultants, review proposals, select and manage consultants, provide technical oversight of all consultant work)

Communications:

• Edit project deliverables and other external-facing documents to ensure high-quality writing and formatting and that they adhere to Feed the Future and USAID marking and branding guidelines.
• Identify and track communication opportunities for USAID AFFORD, develop key messages, and coordinate with management staff to identify speakers (as relevant).
• Contribute research, writing, and editing for press releases, articles, reports, case studies, fact sheets, and other communications materials (e.g. social media content) about USAID AFFORD’s activities and learning
• Support planning and implementation of workshops and other stakeholder events
• Document and share internal project communications to facilitate a common understanding of project activities among team members and with primary stakeholders
• Identify and track ways to amplify USAID AFFORD’s communications
• Participate in brainstorming and content development planning sessions
• Identify project needs to streamline material development according to required branding and marking; develop templates for team use
• Support development of materials for trainings, webinars, stakeholder meetings, and workshops including preparing agendas, PowerPoint slides, and participant handouts
• Work closely with the Senior Program Coordinator and Senior Technical Advisor on preparations for special team events such as staff retreats, brainstorming sessions, and knowledge generation team meetings
• Manage communications materials development and develop guidance and standard operating procedures for ensuring quality and maintaining internal knowledge management
• Coordinate editing, layout, and/or translation, and track deliverable timelines using the project activity tracking system
• Provide other technical and operational program support as needed

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree, plus a minimum of seven years of relevant communications experience; or a Master’s Degree with five years of relevant communications experience. Equivalent experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• Experience developing and finalizing a variety of communications products for international development audiences
• Experience with US Government standards, guidelines, and procedures for knowledge management and communications
• Advanced proficiency with Google applications; familiarity with Microsoft Office suite

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience or demonstrated interest in nutrition and/or food systems programming
• Experience with desktop publishing software such as Canva
• An intermediate understanding of French or Spanish

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to write clearly and concisely for a variety of professional audiences
• Demonstrated interest in international development, international business, and/or global affairs
• Strong organizational skills
• Initiative and attention to detail
• Proactive, self-sufficient, and able to work independently as well as part of a team.

Applicants must have US work authorization at the time of application. Candidates within a commutable distance to our Arlington VA Headquarters are preferred, but we are open to remote US applicants for this position. If you are located within 50 miles from our Arlington, VA, HQ, you will be expected to work from HQ on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.