Africa Rice Centre: Job Vacancy for Information and Knowledge Management Officer (Cotonou, Benin Republic)

The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) is a leading pan-African research organization with a mission to contribute to poverty alleviation and food security in Africa through research, development and partnership activities. It is one of the 15 international agricultural research Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). It is also an autonomous intergovernmental research association of African member countries. The mission of the Africa Rice Center is to contribute to poverty alleviation and food security in Africa, through research, development and partnership activities aimed at increasing the productivity and profitability of the rice sector in ways that ensure the sustainability of 
the farming environment.

The Africa Rice Center(AfricaRice) is seeking a highly qualified Information and Knowledge Management Officer
Management Officer to be based at AfricaRice’s temporary headquarters in Cotonou, Benin.
About AfricaRice
AfricaRice is an association of 24 African member states and one of the 15 international Centers
supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The Center’s
mission is to contribute to poverty alleviation and food security in Africa, through research,
development and partnership activities aimed at increasing the productivity and profitability of the rice
sector in ways that ensure the sustainability of the farming environment. AfricaRice is temporarily
headquartered in Cotonou, Benin.
Responsibilities
The Information and Knowledge Management Officer will:
o Package information of AfricaRice research products in formats appropriate to the needs of
its key stakeholder groups – farmers, national agricultural research and extension systems;
development partners; end‐users; policymakers; donor community; media and the public –
using new communication technologies, including online social and multimedia tools
o Liaise with rice experts from within and outside AfricaRice to develop appropriate content
for the Rice Information Gateway for Africa (RIGA) and AfricaRice websites  
o Exploit new information and communication technologies to make the AfricaRice library
into a knowledge reference center on rice in Africa  
o Facilitate knowledge management, exchange and learning and capacity building efforts
across all AfricaRice research programs, projects and Task Forces
o Promote and facilitate the use of Web2.0 tools and social media tools to communicate
research outputs by scientists and their national partners

Qualification
o Masters’ degree in knowledge management, communications, information science, journalism,
marketing, or relevant field plus a minimum of 5 years of experience in working on
communication/knowledge management issues.  
o Ability to understand, synthesize and communicate complex scientific information and practices
for a range of audiences
o Excellent written and oral communications skills in English are absolutely essential  
o Fluency in written and oral French language would be a strong asset
o Web site management, social and multimedia experience are essential
o Experience in design of learning materials (learning modules, manuals, interactive tools)
o Familiarity with issues related to food security and agricultural development in Africa
o Ability to work effectively in a team; demonstrated interpersonal skills
o Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
o Willingness to travel frequently
Terms and Conditions
o This is an internationally recruited position.
o AfricaRice provides attractive international salary and benefits package and a collegial
and gender‐sensitive working environment.
o The appointment is for two years with possibility for renewal  
Application procedure
Candidates should send an application (including date of availability and a statement of any special
qualifications for the position) and an up‐to‐date detailed curriculum vitae (CV) with the names and
addresses (including telephone / fax / e‐mail) of three referees to:
Human Resources Department, AfricaRice
01 BP 2031 Cotonou, Benin
F: + (229) 21 35 05 56; T: (229) 21 35 01 88
Email: africarice‐hr@cgiar.org  
Applications will be considered up to April, 30 2011 or until the position is filled.
AfricaRice believes that staff diversity promotes excellence in its operations, and encourages
applications from women and developing country professionals.
AfricaRice thanks all applicants but only the short listed candidates will be contacted.
To learn more about AfricaRice, please visit our website at www.AfricaRice.org.