Temporary Documentation Assistant at International Potato Center

Project: Building Nutritious Food Baskets (BNFB) project

Job Description

• The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit a temporary staff to support the documentation for the Building Nutritious Food Baskets (BNFB) project. The Temporary Documentation Assistant will work under the supervision of the MLE Specialist, co-reporting to the Senior Country Coordinator, Project Manager and the Capacity Development and Communications Specialist.
• The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers improving the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a network of 15 Research Centers and 16 Research Programs mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.
• The BNFB project: This three-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, seeks to reduce hidden hunger by catalyzing sustainable investment for the utilization of biofortified crops (vitamin A cassava, vitamin A maize, vitamin A sweetpotato and iron rich beans) at scale. The project is implemented in Nigeria and Tanzania, to demonstrate how multiple biofortified crops can be scaled up together at country level. The project is led by CIP and is implemented by a consortium partnership of six core partners - the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the International Potato Center (CIP), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), HarvestPlus and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).

Expected duration:

• 3 months, with possibility of extension, contingent upon satisfactory performance. The incumbent should be willing to travel within the country up to 40% of the time.

Duties and Responsibilities
The purpose of this position is to conduct the documentation of the project’s key processes and direct and indirect beneficiary households obtaining the biofortified crops and case stories that depict how the project is impacting beneficiaries and institutions. Under technical guidance and support by the MLE specialist, the Temporary Documentation Assistant will:

• Identify and outline project results to date;
• Interview key project staff, partners, change agents and beneficiaries with a view to documenting the catalytic role of the project, players, the innovations and partnerships that explain these results;
• Write case stories of best practices, lessons learned and the emerging outcomes of the project or how the project is impacting the lives of beneficiaries (including institutional and individual changes/improved capacities).
• Document the number of direct and indirect beneficiary households obtaining the biofortified crops

Qualifications
The following are the minimum qualifications required for this position:

• A Bachelor's Degree in Communication, Journalism, Media Studies, Development Studies, Community Development, Agriculture or any other relevant discipline;
• High level of computer literacy, accuracy and attention to detail;
• At least four years of experience in documentation. Evidence of recent relevant samples of such documentation a must;
• Experience conducting social research;
• Excellent organizational skills, presentation skills and communication skills (including excellent command of English, both oral and written);
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a range of individuals through e-mails and in person;
• Highly proactive and consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Logistical and technical support:

• BNFB will facilitate logistical arrangement for field visits, and meetings, including modest subsistence allowance. BNFB will further provide the staff with the necessary technical support, guidance and the documents to review. The MLE Specialist will provide a list of case stories/best practices to document.