Strategic Communications Design and Knowledge Management Advisor

The protection of your personal data is important to Chemonics. Please review the Chemonics Data Privacy Policy. And, if you are located in the UK, please read our EU Recruiting Data Privacy Notice to learn how we process your personal data.

Chemonics seeks a Strategic Communications Design and Knowledge Management (SCD-KM) Advisor for the FEWSNET team. The SCD-KM Advisor will strengthen alignment between FEWS NET decision support products and the information needs of the United States Department of State (DoS) and other US Government (USG) decision makers. The Advisor aims to ensure that FEWS NET products deliver clear, compelling, timely, and actionable information through the most effective communication channels for the USG.

The SCD-KM Advisor will be based in Washington, DC, working out of the home office and directly supervised by the Deputy Chief of Party-Innovation, with dotted line supervision by the Chief of Party on strategic communications components. The SCD-KM Advisor may be required to undertake international travel occasionally.

This role also develops and maintains internal knowledge management systems to support consistent, high-quality analysis, reporting and decision support across the FEWS NET DST. The SCD-KM Advisor will focus on improving and clarifying external communications with key stakeholders, while also ensuring the establishment and efficient use of internal systems and processes designed to capture, organize, share and effectively use FEWS NET's extensive knowledge.

The ultimate outcome is that institutional knowledge is retained and easily accessible, supporting efficient workflows and analysis processes. The role helps ensure that FEWS NET’s communication conclusions reach the right people at the right time and in the right ways.

The SCD-KM Advisor establishes and maintains a strategic bridge between technical analysts and decision-makers, applying communications design, user-centered design principles, and knowledge management practices to enhance FEWS NET's impact. The role provides strategic direction and advises on aligning FEWS NET products with State Department decision-making needs and timelines, simplifying complex analytical content into clear, direct, and visually engaging communications for senior decision makers.

The Advisor leads on training staff in communications-related areas and maintains knowledge management systems that support institutional memory, workflow efficiency, and product quality across the Decision Support Team (DST).

Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the SCD-KM Advisor include, but are not limited to:

• Team Capacity Building
  • Support FEWS NET staff in designing effective briefings, including clear storytelling/narrative structuring, slide preparation, and presentation coaching.
  • Developing and delivering training programs to improve communication skills in areas including but not limited to communication design, technical writing for the DoS/USG audience, and briefing development.
  • Mentor technical staff in communications, representational skills and media engagement.
  • Build a culture of clear and effective communication within the team.
• Communication Strategy Development
  • Work with the FEWS NET Hub and FEWS NET DST leadership to maintain awareness of State Department decision-making processes, communication preferences, and decision support needs.
  • Understand FEWS NET's reporting processes and product lines to ensure full use of materials at the appropriate time.
  • Collaborate with the Hub to test redesigned products through user feedback sessions, interviews, or rapid prototyping.
  • Recommend iterative improvements to processes, products, and internal systems.
• Strategic Communications, Product Design and Knowledge Management
  • Review, refine, and redesign existing FEWS NET decision support products to be visually appealing, concise, jargon-free, and optimized for the intended audiences.
  • Support the creation of new products using user-centered design and effective communications approaches as determined through regular assessments.
  • Establish and maintain communication standards, style guidance, and templates for consistent product…