[LIBJOBS] USA - Seattle - Knowledge Manager

Knowledge Manager with the Forest Trust

 

The Forest Trust (TFT) is an international non-profit organization that helps international retail and manufacturing companies to source responsibly-produced products, meaning products that respect the environment and improve people’s lives. Since 1999, TFT’s main focus has been to provide solutions to the issues of deforestation and the empowerment of forest dependent communities through market- based incentives. We act on the ground internationally in forests, farms and factories to help resource managers learn best management practices.  We are active at key stages of the supply chain, providing unrivaled technical, traceability and communications support. TFT is a fast growing and dynamic organization.  We currently have offices in 15 countries including China, SE Asia, India, W. Africa, Europe and the Americas.  We employ more than 150 people worldwide.

 

TFT is seeking an experienced and motivated professional, keen to secure a career within a dynamic nonprofit to oversee the identification of tools and processes for knowledge management and sharing between dispersed staff of diverse backgrounds, working on innovating solutions to complex environmental and social issues. The successful candidate will have experience in the identification and development of systems and tools for knowledge management, information management or Library Science (especially Corporate or Special Librarian) and be able to drive uptake of the tools across an organization.

 

Location: Either Switzerland (Crassier/Vaud); UK (Southampton) or USA (Seattle), depending on nationality of successful candidate and work permit restrictions.

 

 

Type of contract: Full time, 1-year renewable contract with initial 3 month contract / probationary period

 

 

Reporting to:  Director of Communications and Learning based in Crassier, Switzerland

 

 

The Goal:

·                  Reduce duplication of efforts by enabling better information and knowledge sharing and storage for staff operating in 15 different countries and multiple time zones.

·                  Enable better collaboration between staff in different offices by identifying online tools and systems that can support our work.

 

 

Responsibilities:

There are two major parts to this role: knowledge management system design (plus collaboration tools), and knowledge management itself.  Initially the work will focus most heavily on system identification and design, with the role evolving into being more about ongoing knowledge management and system monitoring and improvements over time.

 

 

Initial 3-month Contract/Probationary Period:

·                  Gain a general understanding of the information sharing needs of the organization through review of systems already being used, history of previous attempts at online internal information sharing, and interviews with key staff in different regions regarding their needs and hopes for such a system.  (i.e. conduct a ‘Knowledge Sharing Needs Assessment’)

·                  Initiate a project to develop a centralized, easily-searchable, catalogued information depository through which TFT staff can centrally catalogue and dynamically share the body of knowledge that they are both producing and gathering as part of their everyday work.  This will likely include internal and external reports, templates, resources, etc.  The system should be easily accessible by staff working throughout the world (including remote regions like West & Central Africa, SE Asia, etc). This may include working with IT staff to evaluate supporting software and digital storage capacity.

·                  Identify appropriate software and project management tools to enable collaborative work environments across multiple clients, projects, continents and time zones.  Develop clear recommendations on which tools would best meet TFT’s needs and budget.

·                  Develop a work plan for ‘next steps’ regarding how to get the system(s) up and running, and  how to ‘sell’ the system(s) to TFT staff so that it/they become widely used and add clear value to the organization.

·                  Pitch this to TFT upper management for approval prior to full implementation.

 

 

Longer term role/1 year renewable contract:

·                  Begin to pilot and populate the online information sharing tools, monitor their use, gather feedback, and adapt the systems and tools as needed.

·                  Carry out trainings of the new system(s) to TFT staff so that they become widely understood and used, including ongoing training of new staff and additional users on how to access information

·                  Communicate with each TFT office to ensure upload and appropriate organization of key documents

·                  Developing a cataloguing and ‘key words’ system that can be both consistent and adaptive to changing needs

·                  Provide on-demand assistance to staff looking for information

·                  Review new reports, templates, and guidelines added to the system, monitor cataloguing to make sure it’s appropriate, make all offices aware of any new information available as needed

 

 

Requirements:

·                   MS LIS or other degree in Information Management, Knowledge Management or Special Librarian

·                   2-4+ years of experience or analogous work.

·                   Experience in Special / Corporate libraries a plus.

·                   Experience setting up centralized information depositories for dynamic and growing organizations

·                   Experience using and evaluating shared project management software for a variety of organizations and/or needs within organizations

·                   Familiar with a variety of project management software systems and collaborative work tools

·                   Interest and motivation for TFT’s vision and mission

·                   Experience working with diverse, multicultural, distributed teams

·                   Fluent in English speaking & writing, additional language skills a plus

·                      (Ideally) comfort working with documents in multiple languages.

 

What we offer:

• A unique work experience in a fast-growing and dynamic non-profit directly impacting the conservation of the environment and improvements in human rights and social equity through trade;

• A dynamic international environment with the chance to work in a multi-cultural team;

 

Benefits:

• Up to 25 days paid leave per year

• Contribution to health insurance costs

• Competitive salary and pension contribution

 

Please send your full CV or Résumé and a Cover Letter in English to recruitment@tft-forests.org. Please indicate the Job Title in the subject line of your email. The application deadline is October 23, 2014. 

 

Initial screening of short-listed candidates will take place by telephone, followed by a personal interview process for pre-selected candidates, tentatively scheduled in mid November. The candidate will be selected immediately thereafter and the start date will be agreed, but no later than January 1, 2015.

 

For more information on TFT, please visit our website: www.tft-forests.org.