Job Summary:

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a Communications Specialist I for the second phase of POSHAN (Partnerships and Opportunities to Strengthen and Harmonize Actions for Nutrition in India).

POSHAN, an initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to reduce the nutrition evidence gap in India by synthesizing, generating, and mobilizing nutrition evidence. POSHAN’s goal is to enable policymakers, program implementers, nutrition researchers, and other stakeholders to readily access the latest, best evidence to support effective decisions to improve maternal and child nutrition in India.

The successful candidate will coordinate efforts on communicating research undertaken by POSHAN and partners through a variety of communication channels. This position is based in New Delhi, India and is a one-year, appointment that is renewable depending on performance and funding. This position may require travel to field projects and events. This position will report to a senior research fellow and project manager, work in collaboration with a Policy Communications Specialist and draw on the support of research assistants and administrative support in New Delhi and Washington DC headquarters. Interested applicants must have work authorization to work in India.

Essential Duties:

Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Manage the design, development and dissemination of effective outreach products for the project (web and print) including:

• Content development, management, and curation for POSHAN website and project social media channels to develop and expand online presence.
• Develop print and web-based research program outputs (e.g. project summaries, briefs, reports, outcome stories)
• Write, produce, and disseminate regular e-newsletters to new and existing POSHAN partners and stakeholders.
• Lead development (including design and content) and dissemination of POSHAN promotional materials (e.g. annual report, brochures, etc.)

Lead and implement outreach presence for conferences, workshops, and outreach, media and other events (internal and external), including:

• Promote important POSHAN events by writing and coordinating outreach products (e.g. op-eds, blogs, press releases)
• Coordinate the organization and logistics of events, together with other administrative staff.
• Participate in conferences and other events and synthesize key messages and communiques.
• Work with media and other communication specialists from partner organizations

Communication support to program managers and researchers

• Lead development and dissemination of routine communication products.
• Editing of reports and peer-reviewed publications, working with colleagues from Communication Division.
• Support to graphical illustration of research findings.
• Prepare PowerPoint presentations.
• Track the impact of research by monitoring media and scholarly publications for citations, collecting and analyzing web, social media, and other statistics to provide support for strategic decisions.

Knowledge Management

• Assist with knowledge management for POSHAN outputs (e.g. tracking, cataloging, and disseminating POSHAN publications and outputs)
• Coordinate with communications and knowledge management staff from IFPRI and POSHAN partner organizations to ensure appropriate recording and reporting of research products generated under POSHAN.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, International Development, or related field, plus two years of relevant experience, or Master’s degree
• At least one year of relevant experience in communications or development, preferably for an international organization working in developing countries.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
• Demonstrated project management skills.
• Event management experience
• Ability to prioritize work and handle multiple tasks under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment, keen attention to detail.
• Conversant in social media platforms and social networking tools.
• Ability to work independently and in interdisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in agriculture, nutrition, or health field highly desirable
• International experience, especially in South Asia
• Linkages to wider communication and action networks
• Fluency in more than one language (Hindi)
• Some desktop publishing software knowledge (e.g. Adobe suite)
• Previous experience updating, managing, and/or curating web-based content (e.g. WordPress)
• Good copyediting skills

Physical Demand & Work Environment:

• Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time.
• Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.
• Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading.