Technical Writer (Content Developer)

Role overview

Do you enjoy writing about environmental and social issues? Do you have a background in responsible sourcing, commodity production, conservation or human rights? If you are looking to transition from technical implementation to technical communications, this role could be for you.

At Proforest, we help others to produce and source agricultural and forest commodities responsibly. Sharing our knowledge and building capacity are core pillars of our work, which involves producing a lot of written guidance, articles, case studies, proposals and training modules.

Communicating our work effectively is crucial. We have a multi-cultural, multi-lingual technical team with great ideas that need to be understood by partners, funders, companies and policy-makers. We are looking for an exceptional writer who can communicate our team’s thinking and how it fits with the external context of responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities, social and environmental issues, sustainability initiatives and policy commitments.

The position will be part of the Proforest technical team, reporting to the Director of Programmes and the Director of Communications and provide support to the Proforest Europe consulting team as well as global staff.

About Proforest

Proforest is a mission driven organisation with a 20-year track record of supporting the transition to sustainable production and sourcing of agricultural and forest commodities. We are a not-for-profit group with a global presence across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America and work with governments, the private sector and civil society to deliver positive social and environmental outcomes in the places agricultural commodities are produced, ranging from protecting forests to recognising the land rights of indigenous peoples to improving conditions for workers.

Our clients are well-known consumer brands, such as Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo and Mars, retailers such as Target and Ikea and the world’s largest traders and integrated producers including Cargill, Olam, Wilmar and Cofco. We combine our work for companies with longer-term programmes supported by institutional funders such as DfID, GIZ, Norad and the Global Environment Facility.

Main responsibilities

• Structure and convey Proforest’s thinking on key technical topics, and help shape our thought leadership messages for key audiences among policy makers, funders, partners and companies; translating complex ideas for the target audience
• Work with the Proforest technical team to develop their ideas, perspectives, tools and methodologies; and to communicate them internally and externally
• Write and edit clearly and concisely, in long form publications (briefing notes, reports) and short form (news articles, press releases, blog posts)
• Help others in the Proforest technical team to produce written outputs in various forms, from developing concept and structure to editorial support
• Support the technical team to identify and share the outcomes and impacts of our work, as well as its challenges
• Develop and provide training for Proforest staff on writing for clarity and impact
• Support technical team members to develop and write concept notes and funding proposals (for grants and private sector)
• Work with the communications team to manage Proforest publications and written outputs to maximise their visibility and uptake internally and externally
• Support the eLearning team, developing concepts for training modules, and translating complex technical material into eLearning material

Requirements

The candidate will have a technical background in agricultural commodity production and sourcing, with a track record in writing and reporting. Alternatively, the candidate may have a background as a technical journalist or researcher with specialisation in sustainability around agricultural commodities, human rights, climate change, development or other relevant field.

Essential skills

• Fluent in English
• Excellent writing ability in different formats for different audiences
• Experience working in responsible sourcing and production of agricultural commodities and related sustainability initiatives
• Analytical skills to identify and emphasise key messages and themes
• Ability to integrate information from different sources and threads to a compelling narrative
• Knowledge of data visualisation, visual language
• Training and eLearning content creation
• Formatting and publishing
• Languages (our institutional operating languages are English, Indonesian Bahasa, Portuguese, Spanish, plus we work in French and Chinese)
• Technical publications, including technical briefings, practical guidance, step-by-step toolkits, impact assessments and case studies
• Thought leadership pieces (working with a technical expert to develop and structure the thinking)
• Funding proposals for grant applications and long-term corporate programme funding
• Guidance and support for technical team on written communication
• Oversight of Proforest’s publications, liaising with Communications team to manage

Desireable skills

• Knowledge of data visualisation, visual language
• Training and eLearning content creation
• Formatting and publishing
• Languages (our institutional operating languages are English, Indonesian Bahasa, Portuguese, Spanish, plus we work in French and Chinese)

Key deliverables 

• Technical publications, including technical briefings, practical guidance, step-by-step toolkits, impact assessments and case studies
• Thought leadership pieces (working with a technical expert to develop and structure the thinking)
• Funding proposals for grant applications and long-term corporate programme funding
• Guidance and support for technical team on written communication
• Oversight of Proforest’s publications, liaising with Communications team to manage technical content output and distribution

Terms and conditions

• Location: The position will be based in one of Proforest’s European offices, either in Oxford or the Netherlands
• Salary: £30-36,000

To apply

Please send your CV, a cover letter and confirmation that you are eligible to work in the UK or The Netherlands to personnel@proforest.net

Closing Date: 25 August 2021