The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) – Aflasafe is a revolutionary biocontrol product, developed by IITA, United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service (USDA-ARS) and national partners, which reduces the prevalence of aflatoxins in treated maize and groundnut by 80% – 99% from farm to fork.

The ATTC Project, funded jointly by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), is designed to run for five years. It is slated to cover eleven countries where aflasafe is, or will soon, likely to be a nationally registered product: Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, The Gambia, Zambia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi and Uganda. IITA is looking for a uniquely qualified professional to lead the public relations and communication of the project.

IITA invites applications for the internationally recruited position below for the Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialization Project:

Job Title: Communication Specialist

Ref No: DDG-R4D/CS/A/08/16
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Reporting Line: The Communication Specialist will report to the Managing Director of the ATTC Project.

Position Responsibilities
• Lead the development and implementation of the communication strategy for the project to improve its visibility.
• Support the manufacturing and distribution companies of Aflasafe to develop and promote the aflasafe brand.
• Support the awareness creation component of the project.
• Develop and implement communication plans and campaigns to support ATTC project activities, and promote results and impact among investors/donors, partners, beneficiaries, and the general public.
• Lead all public events organized by the project such as launches, business meetings, products presentations, networking events.
• Capture and write up stories about ATTC work for a range of stakeholders and platforms in various formats including video, radio, stills, website and print publications.
• Generate/contribute written content and provide editing and quality control in the production of various publications and project documents such as progress reports, newsletters, annual highlights, R4D Review, among others
• Plan, edit and design a variety of print products/ publications using desktop publishing tools.
• Regularly monitor and report on website analytics to inform digital strategies online.
• Redesign the Aflasafe website, enrich content, provide editorial support and offer guidance to a widening pool of website contributors.
• Create and manage the project’s social media channels, uploading information and materials; monitoring comments and giving feedback.
• Mentor and train program staff in a variety of communications and digital media skills (e.g. social media, writing blogs, editorial style and guidelines, brand).

Educational Qualifications
The candidate should have a Master’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Arts.
Core Competencies:
• 5+ years of professional experience in corporate, or developmental communication; direct experience of working in private sector preferred.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills.
• Relevant experience with website production and maintenance, digital media production and management, and design.
• Relevant experience in the development and promotion of brands.
• Experience in designing and organizing high level business and advocacy/policy events.
• Good oral and written communication in French is an advantage.

General information:
The contract will be for a period of three years based on performance and availability of funding. IITA offers internationally competitive remuneration package paid in U.S. Dollars.

Application Closing Date
30th August, 2016.

To apply; http://www.edition.agronewsng.com/agro-jobs/vacancy-communication-specialist-at-the-international-institute-of-tropical-agriculture-iita/

ITA is one of the world’s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research-for-development (R4D) approach addresses the development needs of tropical countries. IITA works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is a non-profit organization founded in 1967 in Nigeria and governed by a Board of Trustees. IITA works on the following crops: cowpea, soybean, banana/plantain, yam, cassava, and maize. It is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Data and Information Management Unit

Ref No: DDG-R4D/HDIM/08/16
Location: Ibadan, Oyo

Job Descriptions
• IITA is recruiting a Head for the newly established Data and Information Management Unit. IITA is investing in order to be at the cutting edge of ICT and fully explore the potential of data and information management and its utilization/or use in agricultural research for development.
• We are thus looking for a highly experienced, motivated and visionary leader that can develop a strong, dynamic and efficient data and information management unit that will support, inspire and be well-integrated with the research teams as well as with other administrative support units.
• The Head of the unit reports to the Deputy Director General for Research for Development (R4D).

Position Responsibilities
The mandate of the unit includes:
• ICT – hardware and infrastructure
• Development of and support for administrative databases and financial management information system (Oracle is the current solution)
• Management of institute repositories (e.g. bibliography, crop databases, spatial data, genetic resources, images etc)
• Implementation and management of institute web-based platform
• Leadership and support for transition to and full implementation of open access/open data
• Support to scientists in data management and data analysis
• Digital knowledge management

Educational Qualifications
The candidate should have a minimum of MSc or equivalent degree in relevant area
Core Competencies:
• At least 10 years experience in the area of data and information management
• Expertise in one or several of the unit’s mandate areas
• Demonstrated experience in successful organizational development
• Gender awareness
• Experience of working in a multicultural environment
• Fluency in English

General information:
Initial appointment is for three years. IITA offers a competitive remuneration package paid in US dollars.

Application Closing Date
10th September, 2016.

To apply; http://www.edition.agronewsng.com/agro-jobs/vacancy-head-of-data-and-information-management-unit-at-the-international-institute-of-tropical-agriculture-iita/

International Potato Center (CIP) is a not-for-profit international agricultural research organization with a global mandate to conduct research on genetic resources of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other Andean roots and tubers, crop genetic enhancement and improvement, integrated crop management and sustainable management of natural resources.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Seed Systems Consultant

Location: [/b]Nigeria

[b]Job Description
The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a consultant with global experience in managing and facilitating seed systems activities with special focus on multiple biofortified crops including orange-fleshed sweet potato, vitamin A yellow cassava, vitamin A orange maize and high iron beans.

Expected duration:
This consultancy contract is for 10 working days spread over the period September to December 2016, with possibility of extension, subject to performance and availability of funding.

Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant will work closely with CIAT, CIMMYT, CIP, IITA and Harvest Plus and the other consortium partners to coordinate the seed systems activities, synthesize seed systems progress reports and support capacity development activities as called upon. The specific activities include to:

• Work with the seed experts under BNFB to ensure effective networking, collaboration and communication to facilitate a strategic focus on mainstreaming bio fortification into country breeding programs;
• Work with the seed systems experts to define the terms of reference for seed systems platforms in Nigeria and Tanzania.
• Act as the ‘secretary’ to the seed systems platform, and ensure that meetings are scheduled regularly by rotating conveners. The platform will provide the opportunity to deliberate on topical cross-cutting seed systems issues, develop implementation strategies, associated work plans and agree on appropriate division of labor. The platform will also provide opportunities for monitoring and learning;
• Synthesize the respective commodity based seed systems progress reports and develop consolidated seed systems progress reports.
• Provide input to the seed systems partners’ needs assessment exercise and subsequent capacity development response strategy.

Qualifications/Special Skills
• Academic Qualifications: Relevant PhD degree with specialization in Plant breeding, Agronomy, Seed technology or related fields;
• Experience: Extensive experience in developing seed systems in selected commodity value chain and strengthening seed supply chain, with a focus on (seed and grain) market development and commercialization;
• Global expertise: Relevant work experience in international organizations or NGO’s in multi-cultural environments is required.
• Language: Proven communication skills in English.

Application Closing Date
31st August, 2016.
To apply; http://www.edition.agronewsng.com/agro-jobs/seed-systems-consultants-vacancy-at-the-international-potato-center-cip/