Communications & Knowledge Management Coordinator

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is on the lookout for a talented & impact driven individual to join our team in Pretoria, South Africa, as a Communications & Knowledge Management Coordinator.

The Communications & Knowledge Management Coordinator will support the implementation of IWMI’s global strategies, as relevant to the regional operational plan in Southern Africa. Working closely with the Regional Representative, they will develop content and will support events and campaigns in the region, in accordance with IWMI’s quality standards and guidelines, and with input from project leaders and researchers.

The Coordinator will support the team in Southern Africa with knowledge products and forums, keeping a balance of perspectives, interdisciplinarity and inclusion. The Coordinator will provide communications and public relations support to the Regional Representative, Project Leaders, and a team of researchers undertaking various projects in the region.

They will coordinate closely with the Communications & Knowledge Management team, as an integral part of its global systems and workflows.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Communications planning and coordination,

• Support the implementation of IWMI’s global strategies and the operational plan in Southern Africa, working closely with the Regional Representative and in close coordination with IWMI's Communications & Knowledge Management team in HQ.
• Define and implement quarterly and annual workplans, based on IWMI’s country/regional and global priorities. To be approved by the Regional Representative – Southern Africa.
• Participate in weekly meetings of the Communications & Knowledge Management team and/or update related planning tools, to ensure strategic alignment, coherent messaging, and a coordinated approach for content and upcoming events.
• Liaise with IWMI project leaders and researchers in Southern Africa for potential content and outreach materials, and to ensure technical quality. If required, lead or support the design and implementation of communications plans for IWMI projects.
• Coordinate with CGIAR Communications & Outreach counterparts as/if necessary.
• Liaise with partners and stakeholders for the production of project communications materials.

Storytelling and content production,

• Write and edit articles (news, features, press releases, op-eds, success stories, profiles) for IWMI’s global websites, global newsletters, and other outlets. Liaise with authors and reviewers for edits and approvals.
• Develop strategic and audience-led communications and knowledge management outputs (briefs, factsheets, presentations, reports, infographics, posters, etc.) to advance IWMI’s corporate and project objectives, focused on impacts and results.
• Prepare social media content for IWMI’s official global accounts. Manage official country-specific platforms.
• Coordinate the production of quality video, according to institutional standards and guidelines. After defining the strategic concept and purpose of the video, lead the editorial aspect of the projects, to highlight project impact and results through storytelling.
• Coordinate photographic documentation of IWMI activities in Southern Africa, according to institutional standards and guidelines. Coordinate with photographers for editorial guidance. Ensure images capture areas of strategic interest, include complete caption info and metadata, and are ingested into the global photo library.
• Coordinate the engagement of consultants (for video production, photography, graphic design, printing or other communications-related work) and provide guidance to ensure the timely delivery of quality outputs.

Media relations and outreach,

• Liaise with national and regional media. Organize press conferences and journalists visits to the field, as needed. Lead proactive media outreach and engagement activities in Southern Africa.
• Compile media contacts for Southern Africa and add them to IWMI’s global media lists, for targeted national, regional, and global outreach.
• Support IWMI’s organization of and participation in national and regional events (conferences, forums, trainings, workshops, dialogues, webinars, etc.). Prepare communications plans and key messages ahead of events in coordination with Project Leaders and researchers. Provide communications and media support during events. Act as emcee or facilitator as needed. Document impact and results through newsworthy articles and other materials.
• Increase subscribers to IWMI’s global contact list. Lead partners, workshop participants and other stakeholders in Southern Africa to sign up for email marketing updates. Develop mailings and newsletters targeted at specific national/regional audiences, in coordination with IWMI’s Communications & Knowledge Management team in HQ.
• Ensure compliance with IWMI branding guidelines and funders’ visibility requirements.

Information management and knowledge management,

• Support the implementation of internal communications strategies and activities, as required.
• Coordinate the collection, storage, analysis, and sharing of information products.
• Manage documents, databases and other knowledge resources, and feed them into institutional repositories.

Editorial and translation services,

• Support researchers with editing and translating.

Monitoring, evaluation and feedback,

• Compile and monitor metrics related to communications activities.
• Monitor and evaluate the implementation of communications plans. Assess the effectiveness and impact of communications tactics — and readjust accordingly.
• Carry out any other tasks identified as priorities by the Regional Representative or the Global Communications Lead for Water Systems.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential,

• Master’s degree in mass communications, journalism, international development, sociology, economics or a related field.
• At least 8 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience in the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of communications plans.
• Demonstrated experience writing and editing success stories, scripts, reports, knowledge products, and other communications materials in English.
• Presentation and event facilitation experience.
• Experience working in an international work environment. Experience in Southern Africa.

Desirable,

• Experience organizing policy dialogues, multi-stakeholder engagement platforms, or similar events.
• Experience preparing knowledge and communications products in Portuguese and/ or French would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated understanding of water security, agricultural, environmental and development issues in Southern Africa.
• Experience working in research organizations or multi-disciplinary research-for-development programs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential

• Excellent writing and editing skills in English.
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft 365 (particularly Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams), cloud document sharing, digital library management, web applications, and digital tools.
• Multimedia skills, including photography, video and audio production.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to handle multiple deadlines and a variety of tasks.
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to grasp scientific and technical concepts and communicate them clearly and persuasively to various audiences.
• Ability to be a positive team player with good interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from a wide variety of cultures, with sensitivity and respect.
• Willingness to undertake travel to field location with limited facilities and support.

Desirable,

• Knowledge of diversity, inclusion and gender issues in Southern Africa.
• Knowledge of Portuguese and/ or French would be a bonus.

Benefits

This is a nationally recruited position and only South African nationals will be considered. IWMI offers a competitive salary and benefits package, inclusive of health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three (03) years with the possibility of extension.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on July 27, 2025 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.