Knowledge Management Officer, CGIAR IAES (Part-Time, 50%)

Background

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The Alliance hosts the CGIAR’s Independent Advisory and Evaluation Service (IAES) which provides operational support as the secretariat for the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) and the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC) and implements CGIAR’s multi-year, independent evaluation plan as approved by the System Council.

On behalf of IAES, the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), which hosts IAES in its Rome, Italy office, is seeking a Knowledge Management Officer (Part-Time, 50%) to assist with collating, promoting and advancing the uptake of evaluative evidence and knowledge in CGIAR, in line with two Pillars of the CGIAR Evaluation Policy: 1) Knowledge Management and Learning and 2) Transparent Communication of Process and Results.

Role

Based within the European Union, and under the supervision of the Evaluation Function Lead, in close collaboration with relevant members of the evaluation function, and broader IAES staff & consultants, the incumbent would support IAES’s evaluation function by ensuring that knowledge generated from evaluative studies is captured, shared and communicated to promote use for learning, steering, and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Knowledge Management, Capacity Sharing & Outreach

• Aligned to the multi-year evaluation plan and IAES communication strategy, coordinate and lead the preparation and development of engaging, high-quality knowledge materials; working papers, briefs, factsheets, web stories, blogs and other relevant outputs as appropriate.
• Lead the co-development of the designated KM and communications strategy for evaluation function and take responsibility for its roll-out and monitoring its implementation.
• Lead the co-development of the ‘Guidance on Evaluation-related Knowledge Management and Learning’, aligned to the KM-related pillars of the CGIAR Evaluation Policy (2022) towards strategic engagement with community if MEL professionals.
• Support the development and update of the CGIAR evaluation guidelines and a suite of tools to systematically capture and share learning from evaluative studies.
• Aligned with the MYEP, organize, facilitate and track learning events, knowledge cafes, workshops, webinars, leveraging the relevant communities of practice, on the topics of strategic pertinence to promote the uptake of evaluative evidence among key stakeholders.
• Liaise with external evaluators, subject-matter experts in evaluation teams and other consultants to identify and support KM-related opportunities.
• Capture and document process learning, innovations and adaptations (in KM and comms) across the implementation of the multi-year evaluation plan.
• Support the Evaluation Function’s engagement in and contribution to the relevant internal (CGIAR community of practice for MEL professionals) and external, communities of practice including, EvalForward CoP.
• Maintain and regularly update the evaluation database and the joint evaluation management response system as needed.
• Manage the evaluation function’s SharePoint to ensure the organization of document libraries, its content and accessibility to relevant uses.
• Liaise with and build synergies across IAES’s workstreams, knowledge coalitions, communities of Practice including EvalForward; delivering tailored & targeted content, sharing knowledge and experience via relevant channels to disseminate evaluative studies and evidence generation activities in digestible formats.

Communications

• Contribute to the implementation of the IAES communications strategy. 
• Represent evaluation function in the IAES-internal communication workstream, and lead related activities and engagement within evaluation function.
• Liaise with the designated Communications consultant (firm) around development of KM and communications products, i.e. comms calendar and other activities.  
• Provide support to Evaluation communications work as needed, including support with updating the designated website pages, the twitter campaigns etc.

Miscellaneous

• Maintain a high level of innovation and use of cutting-edge technology for knowledge management, research and organizational learning.
• Contribute to the IAES/Evaluation Quality Assurance processes as required and ensure that publications are aligned with IAES’ requirements – style guide and format.
• Provide administrative support as required to facilitate KM and communications-related outputs, i.e. develop Terms of Reference for consultants in proper formats and templates, prevailing policies. Maintain consultancy administration systems (e.g., timesheet, payment management).
  

Requirements

Essential requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, socio-economic development, agricultural and environmental/natural resource systems, and data/information/knowledge management. Master’s level studies and/or additional evaluation -related professional trainings is an advantage.
• A minimum of 5 years of postgraduate progressively responsible on knowledge management and related initiatives, i.e. communication.
• Prior experience in developing e-learning, training, or capacity building.
• A minimum of 2 years of progressively professional experience at the international level in social science research, knowledge management, evidence synthesis, research impact, organizational learning, or another related area, ideally in agricultural research for development sector.
• Experience in documenting process learning in a systematic manner to strengthen organizational learning.
• Proven project management skills and experience.
• Excellent communication skills in English, both verbal and written including the ability to produce high-quality written materials of complex topics in readily digestible formats.
• Excellent IT skills and proficiency in the use of Windows, Microsoft Office Package (Excel Word, Power Point), Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Zoom and other tools.
• Computer-related skills including the use of digital/online platforms, applications and technologies.

Essential competencies

• Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision and has the initiative to propose or initiate activities to the benefit of the team.
• Ability to function comfortably in a cross-cultural team environment.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines, and proven ability to adapt to the changing context.
• Experience working with colleagues located dispersedly, able to build and maintain strong working relationships, gaining trust and mutual respect; being flexible, responding to perspectives and being assertive when appropriate.

Desirable experience

• Prior experience working within CGIAR Centers, is an advantage.
• Experience using qualitative data collection and qualitative data analysis software (e.g. NVivo).
• Some prior experience in conducting evidence syntheses and experience in the narrative or thematic synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data.
• Active membership in a voluntary organization of professional evaluation, or other professional association relevant for the job.
• Intermediate working knowledge of French and/or Spanish.

Benefits

Terms of employment

This is a locally recruited position which will be based within the European Union. The salary is level 9, in a scale of 14 levels, with level 14 being the highest. The salary range will be established in accordance with the regional/country standards. The remuneration package includes a competitive salary, leave provisions, medical and life insurance, and non-contributory retirement plan. The contract will be for a period of 2 years, subject to a probationary period of 6 months.

Please note that eligible applicants must have the legal status to live and work in the European Union. Citizens of EU countries and citizens of non-EU countries are individually responsible for compliance with requirements and formalities established by the national immigration law of the country where they stay and carry out their work activity.

Applications

Please apply online through the website (https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/) no later than 25 April 2023, attaching a curriculum vitae, motivation letter, both in English, and contact information (e.g. names, email address) of at least three references. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for applications: 25 April 2023

We invite you to learn more about us at:

http://alliancebioversityciat.org

Please visit our careers page at:

https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers

For more information about IAES and SPIA, refer to: https://iaes.cgiar.org/