Background

The Flood Impacts, Carbon Pricing, and Ecosystem Sustainability (FINCAPES) project is a collaborative, gender-responsive initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada. Over a 5.5-year period, jointly undertaken by the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics and Faculty of Environment, the project supports Indonesia in adapting to climate change, mitigating its impacts, and conserving biodiversity in a socially and economically sustainable manner. Aligned with Indonesia's priorities, FINCAPES enhances the nation's capacity in key areas: forecasting and mitigating financial impacts of climate-change-induced floods, promoting Nature-based Solutions for peatland and mangrove restoration, and strengthening climate finance policy frameworks with a focus on carbon financing mechanisms.

Working closely with IPB University, the project enhances adoption of gender-equitable Nature-based Solutions for peatland and mangrove restoration and conservation, and promotes biodiversity conservation, to support Indonesia's climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. These efforts help identify and disseminate best practices in peatland and mangrove ecosystems that support sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. The project also supported the establishment and ongoing operation of the IPB Centre for Applied Research in Nature-based Solutions (I-CAN), an applied research center for research, field testing, documentation, and dissemination of NbS.

About I-CAN

The IPB Centre for Applied Research in Nature-based Solutions (I-CAN) was established by IPB University under the Faculty of Forestry and Environment as a collaborative platform that bridges science, policy, and practice to advance sustainable landscape management. Established in partnership with the University of Waterloo, Canada, and supported by Global Affairs Canada through the FINCAPES Project, I-CAN focuses on the development and application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and strengthens collaborative innovation to support and enhance Indonesia’s Social Forestry Program.

Through an inclusive approach that integrates gender equality, community engagement, and local leadership, I-CAN focuses on three key pillars to ensure that vulnerable groups are empowered and benefit from the implementation of NbS.

Through I-CAN Sync, the Centre focuses on applied research and innovation, developing and testing impactful and gender-responsive NbS approaches through living laboratories across diverse landscapes. The second pillar, I-CAN Think Forum, facilitates knowledge mobilization and exchange by translating field-based research findings into policy recommendations and practical actions. Meanwhile, I-CAN Transform strengthens cross-sectoral networks and capacities by facilitating collaboration among local communities, government institutions, civil society organizations, and international partners.

Nature and Scope

The Knowledge Management & Communications Assistant plays a vital operational role in executing the I-CAN Communication and Knowledge Management Strategy. The Assistant bridges I-CAN’s two primary knowledge streams: research-led content (academic papers, baselines, M&E frameworks) and activity-led content (field training, community group formations, stakeholder forums).

This role is directly responsible for managing social media channels and the central website, providing communications and logistical support for events, compiling field information from program staff, and enforcing standardized communication tools, forms, and templates across all three I-CAN operational pillars: I-CAN Sync (Applied Research), I-CAN Think Forum (Policy), and I-CAN Transform (Capacity Building)

Key Accountabilities

1. Digital communications (social media and website)

• Plan, draft, schedule, and publish content across I-CAN's channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), working from the Centre's content briefs and communication strategy.
• Maintain and update the I-CAN website: publishing news, program updates, and knowledge products, and keeping pages current and accurate.
• Adapt technical and field material into clear, accessible posts for public, partner, and policy audiences, in both English and Bahasa Indonesia.
• Track basic engagement metrics and flag what is and isn't resonating, so the Centre can adjust.

2. Event management and documentation

• Coordinate the logistics of I-CAN events: workshops, Think Forum sessions, showcases, and partner meetings, from planning through post-event productions.
• Prepare event materials (agendas, briefs, slides, participant packs) and manage invitations, registration, and communications with participants.
• Capture each event using the Centre's documentation tools, so that outputs, photos, quotes, and consent records are logged consistently and are ready for reporting and reuse.

3. Field knowledge capture and tools implementation

• Serve as the coordination point for program staff heading to the field: brief them on the KM&C tools and templates, and make sure the right forms travel with them.
• Collect, compile, and quality-check the material that comes back: field stories, research summaries, photos, and signed consent forms, and turn it into organised, retrievable knowledge assets.
• Maintain the Knowledge Asset Tracker, keeping each asset's status, ownership, and dissemination plan up to date so nothing stalls or gets lost.
• Support the consistent use of the Centre's operational templates: the Field Story Template, Research Summary Worksheet, Social Content Brief, Event Documentation Form, and bilingual Consent Form, and help colleagues apply them correctly.

4. Visual assets and photo library

• Manage the flow of photographs and visual material returning from the field, reviewing, sorting, tagging, and organising images into a clear, searchable library so the right picture can always be found and reused.
• Curate and select images for social media, reports, and publications, choosing photographs that portray communities and partners with dignity and accuracy rather than reaching for the dramatic or the picturesque. 
• Verify that every image used publicly is covered by signed consent, cross-referencing against the bilingual Consent Form and consent log before anything is published.
• Carry out light editing (cropping, colour correction, resizing) and maintain consistent captions and photo credits across the Centre's material.

 5. Supporting responsibilities

• Carry out light editing (cropping, colour correction, resizing) and maintain consistent captions and photo credits across the Centre's material.
• Provide general communications and administrative support to the KM&C function as needed.  
• Help onboard program staff and new team members to I-CAN's knowledge and communications workflows.
• Contribute to reporting on communications and knowledge outputs for I-CAN and its partners.

Required Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, development studies, or a related field.
• Strong writing and editing skills in both English and Bahasa Indonesia, with the ability to translate technical content for non-specialist audiences.
• Practical fluency with social media platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) in a professional or organisational setting.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, comfortable managing many small pieces of information without dropping any.
• Reliable, proactive, and able to coordinate across colleagues, partners, and field teams.

Desirable

• Experience with website content management (e.g. WordPress) and basic design tools (e.g. Canva, Adobe suite).
• Familiarity with photography, videography, or basic multimedia production.
• Interest in or exposure to nature-based solutions, climate, environment, or community development.
• Experience supporting events or documentation in a research, NGO, or development context.

How to Apply:

Application Deadline for submission: October 9, 2026 at 23:59 WIB.

Please submit resume/CV and cover letter to the link: https://www.cognitoforms.com/FINCAPESProject/KMCA

Please include “I-CAN KMC Assistant” in the subject line.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified and contacted for further step of the process. Applications received after the deadline or incomplete applications will not be considered.