Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist for Forest PLUS 3.0

The India Forest-PLUS 3.0 Activity, implemented by Tetra Tech International Development (International Development Jobs – Tetra Tech), is currently accepting expressions of interest for a Communications Specialist. This position will be located in the main Forest-PLUS 3.0 office in New Delhi, India.

Forest-PLUS 3.0 is a three-year program of USAID that will be implemented by Tetra Tech in India from Dec 2023 to Dec 2026. The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance that supports the Government of India to strengthen sustainable, inclusive and data-driven management of forest landscapes. Forest-PLUS 3.0 will build on, scale up, and institutionalize at a national level the solutions developed and piloted by Forest-PLUS 2.0, which was implemented from Dec 2018 to Dec 2023, to support India’s forest-based climate mitigation commitments by: (1) improving the sustainable management and eco-restoration of forest landscapes through technological innovations; and (2) strengthening the institutional and enabling environment for inclusive and resilient forest ecosystems.

Position Description: The Communications Specialist will lead the communication and outreach activities in Forest-PLUS 3.0. The Communications Specialist will work closely with the different stakeholder groups to identify the communication needs and develop programs, platforms and materials to disseminate the key messages of the program. The Communications Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that communication and outreach activities are carried out consistently and contribute to achievement of the expected results and will also ensure that the activities are well planned, organized and delivered. The Communications Specialist will be based at the Delhi office of Forest-PLUS 3.0 and will be required to travel to states within India.

Responsibilities:

* Design, develop and lead the implementation of a communication and outreach plan Forest-PLUS 3.0 as well as effective Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting strategies in support of the Activity’s knowledge management objectives.

* Liaise with MoEFCC, State Forest Departments and other stakeholders to assess and understand their priorities, communication and outreach needs and key messages.

* Work closely with technical leads to design communication and education programs, and other outreach activities and events.

* Develop and disseminate content and Information, Education and Communications (IEC) and knowledge products that are personally relevant, culturally appropriate, yet compelling enough to capture audience attention.

* Facilitate stakeholder meetings and dialogues in coordination with technical staff.

* Organize outreach events including launch programs, workshops, stakeholder dialogues, educational programs, awareness campaigns, community meetings etc.

* Facilitate exchange visits and study tours.

* Organize regular coordination meetings with other USAID projects in India.

* Establish and maintain internal communication to promote cross learning and exchange of ideas.

* Document and disseminate success stories and lessons learned from the field.

* Develop web platforms, text messaging, local radio and innovative means to disseminate information.

* Attend Program-related meetings and providing inputs into different reports and communications materials, as required.

* Network with other agencies and state government; interact with the related departments for implementation of the program; and other relevant donors for possible investment and programmatic leveraging and convergence.

Qualifications:

* Post-graduate degree in a relevant field, such as communication, journalism, management, forestry, agriculture, social work or other related discipline.

* Minimum of 8 years’ relevant professional experience in communication and outreach activities in the development sector especially in natural resource management projects. Experience working with State Forest Departments or other Government of India institutions preferred.

* Ability to translate technical concepts related to forest management and eco-restoration or use of technology for non-expert audiences.

* Experience developing strategies for sharing of evidence-based approaches, innovation, or adult learning to influence behavior change and uptake of new practices is preferred.

* Experience developing IEC (Information, education and communication) material, maintaining social media accounts and using media platforms to disseminate messages.

* Experience organizing workshops, conferences, seminars and other multi-stakeholder events at national level.

* Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work with all levels and functions within the organization.

* Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

* Willingness to travel to field locations.

* Strong computer skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office package, especially Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word.

* Fluency in English and Hindi, both written and spoken is required.