ThaiNGO

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Job Title:                    Social Media Coordinator

Team/Program:         USAID Feed the Future Innovative Farmers Project

                                   Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

 Project Background

Based in Bangkok, Thailand, the $20 million, 5-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future Asia Innovative Farmers Project increases food security, reduces poverty, and improves environmental sustainability by facilitating agricultural innovation and technology diffusion.  Implemented by Winrock International and Kasetsart University, the project collaborates with a range of public and private sector partners to foster innovation and transfer technologies from within the region to supply chains in horticulture and aquaculture in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Nepal.

In the Feed the Future countries in Asia (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal), the potential for sustainable development will depend on interventions in agriculture as the majority of the population relies on the   sector for their livelihoods, contributing to about a quarter of the collective GDP in these three countries.  While data is often lacking in the region, governments and the FAO often cite that the declining number of youth in agriculture due to largely a lack of interest.  This lack of interest is often attributed to the perception that Farming is perceived as “lowly” work taken up by the less-educated and those without other options. There is a perception that there is little or no money to be made from farming, and there are few incentives to engage in agriculture.  As a result, youth are moving to urban areas to look for employment in other sectors that contributes to an aging rural workforce, increasing labor costs in rural areas and further straining existing infrastructure in cities in low-income countries in the region.  Despite these challenges, there are many examples of youth countering this trend through utilizing innovative technology to remake the image of farming in South and Southeast Asia.  These young people encapsulate the spirit of youth as mobile risk-takers that are driven to seek out promising opportunities.

Social Media Coordinator Overview

The Social Media Coordinator will be part of the USAID Feed the Future Innovative Farmers project and be part of a team effort to change the image of farming by youth (under 35) in the region.  In partnership with the project team, the coordinator will identify and develop content that targets individuals, organizations, and networks in order to retain and further facilitate the entry of youth into agriculture.   The coordinator will be responsible for developing social media campaign and strategies for the following three segments:

1. Youth Farmers - Exposed to smart phones and other electronics at an early age, youth farmers bring a unique perspective to testing technologies and will be instrumental in helping to guide the growth of new products. Many youths are also landless but keen to run a business in their community. As such, many of the new technologies available in the market present an opportunity to distribute or create a service-based business for young adults.

2. Youth Innovators – This group tends to be around 25-35 years of age and the primary change agents for developing and introducing cutting-edge technology in the region, and founders of small and growing businesses in Asia.

3. University Students – In developing countries, agriculture degrees are too often seen as mainly an entry to government employment (e.g. extension or Ministry work). As students evaluate their future employment opportunities, it is important to highlight agriculture as a fast-moving and high-tech industry that also serves the higher good of helping to increase production to meet rising populations without degrading the fragile environment. 

Roles and Responsibilities

The Social Media Coordinator will be responsible for implementing a social media campaign for the Regional Innovation Hub at Kasetsart University that will connect over 200,000+ youth from across the region. The campaign will shape a more positive image of agriculture as a modern profession in the region.  Content will highlight young farmers and entrepreneurs as role models, the latest cutting-edge technology, as well career opportunities (challenges, jobs, contests, fellowship) that are available in the region.  The campaign will also pull in youth to the site by small contests to inform and inspire the utilization of innovative technology in the region.  Examples of awards could include travel and participation in project events, internships, trainings, and press coverage. 

• Develop a pipeline of social media posts focused on innovations in agriculture. For Facebook and Twitter, the Coordinator will be responsible for developing two posts daily on each platform. 
• Build tweets and Facebook posts that are captivating to the 18-35 age demographic interested in agriculture and/or technology.
• Develop online partnerships with similar sites posting the latest trends and technologies that may benefit rural economies or agriculture-related industries.
• Create infographics, charts, and photo collages to share on social media.
• Cover events by collecting quotes and tweeting onsite, taking full advantage of the latest social media trends, such as periscope, GIFs, and snapchat.
• Manage online analytics and generate monthly report that measures overall impact of social media campaigns taking advantage of tools such as Hootsuite.
• Develop a social media content calendar that matches posts with special days, such as World Food Day, Feed the Future week, Children’s day etc.…
• Manage online advertising for the project to initially identify followers.
• Build and maintain the following Innovative Farmer sites: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and Instagram.
• Provide guidance and training in social media to project stakeholders.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

Exemplary written and oral communication skills in English. 

• B.A. in communications, international affairs, social science, agriculture, or related field.
• Excellent knowledge of social media tools and application.
• At least two years of professional experience or a post-graduate degree in a related field.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural environment.
• Passionate about helping people in low-income countries
• Interested in agriculture, international development, technology, and/or entrepreneurship

 Salary:  

 The annual salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

 Applications:

Applicants may send an email to Niramon Passananont (niramon@winrock.org), to submit a current resume and cover letter referencing Social Media Coordinator in the subject line by January 15, 2017.