Livelihoods Editor

Since its establishment in 1985, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) project aims to sustainably prevent food insecurity and famine across the globe by delivering to the U.S. Government and partners early warning on the location, causes, and magnitude of current and future food insecurity; improving the quality and timeliness of information and analysis useful for achieving sustainable food security; and strengthening innovative local, national, regional, and international capabilities to understand and appropriately address current, recurrent, and likely future food insecurity. Chemonics has been implementing FEWS NET since 2000, beginning its eights phase (FEWS NET 8) in 2024.

FEWS NET 8 Knowledge Base (FEWS NET 8 KB) is a $65 million project which will create and update FEWS NET's knowledge base about livelihood zones and market systems on which FEWS NET's acute food insecurity early warning analyses are predicated, thereby ensuring that USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is able to allocate emergency food assistance effectively and in accordance with humanitarian principles.

The full-time DC-based (remote eligible) Livelihoods Editor for FEWS NET 8 KB will support the project's Deputy Chief of Party for Livelihoods to provide substantive high-quality editing, and rewriting services of technical deliverables to the livelihoods team, to improve cohesiveness and clarity of technical content. The Livelihoods Editor will also ensure deliverables conform to the task order Branding Implementation Plan and Marking Plan.

Responsibilities of the editor include, but are not limited to:

Content development and editing

• Collaborating closely with the Washington DC-based livelihoods team, to review, edit, and publish a range of materials, Livelihood Zone baseline profiles, factsheets, attribute maps, presentations and resource documents including training materials and white papers; deliverables related to desk research, as needed, among others;
• Providing substantive, high-quality editing and rewriting services of FEWS NET's technical deliverables related to livelihoods to improve cohesiveness and clarity of technical content, ensuring spelling and grammar are accurate and in accordance with the FEWS NET Style Guide, and verifying the logical flow of information;
• Reformatting and or/ providing recommendations for reformatting tables and graphics to enhance comprehension and visual representation in accordance with the FEWS NET Style Guide and branding requirements.
• Publishing final reports produced by the Livelihoods Team to the FEWS NET website and edit published content within the website's management system to support efforts to maintain consistency in report formatting, as assigned;
• Providing ad-hoc writing, editing, and research support to the FEWS NET 8 KB technical team, as assigned.

Mentorship and guidance

• As needed, providing 1-on-1 support to technical staff by helping them to develop their writing skills, address specific challenges, and build confidence expressing complex ideas, including teaching staff practical editing techniques to review their own work critically and enhance the overall quality of their writing;
• Providing guidance on appropriate writing style and tone, ensuring clarity and consistency in line with FEWS NET's style guidelines and requirements;
• Contributing to the development and maintenance of a library of training materials and resource documents tailored specifically for enhancing technical writing and editing skills.
• Conducting and delivering trainings on technical writing and editing skills to support the livelihoods team's capacity development efforts.

Process Management

• Assisting the livelihoods team in rolling out and managing a review and editing process to ensure the quality of FEWS NET reports and other deliverables, as assigned, before finalization and publication to the FEWS NET website.

In addition to items listed, incumbents are expected to follow organization policies, adhere to organization processes and programs and perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3 years of communications experience, which includes working in a professional capacity to produce external and/or internal written communications, including writing and editing experience, or in other related fields;
• Bachelor's degree, Masters preferred;
• Excellent writing and editing skills in English is required. Strong writing and editing skills in Spanish, French, or Arabic is not required, but would be an asset.
• Strong editorial judgment; ability to rapidly absorb complex ideas and distill them into accessible language for global audiences, including proven experience in substantive editing and rewriting, preferably with technical deliverables;
• Basic familiarity with food security concepts and related terminology used in the humanitarian sector is desired;
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to improve the clarity and coherence of ideas is desired;
• Prior experience using Microsoft Word and Google Docs to copyedit and format reports to a high-quality standard is required; experience formatting tables and graphics is desired;
• Excellent computer skills including strong knowledge of Microsoft Word, Google Workspace, and Adobe Acrobat is required; familiarity working in SharePoint and Excel is desired;
• Experience writing and editing for USG decision-makers, humanitarian organizations, and similar audiences is an asset;
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to maintaining high-quality standards is required;
• Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines and manage multiple projects concurrently to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of prioritized tasks is required;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, to collaborate with diverse teams and with remote-based staff via telecommunications applications, e-mail, and other virtual means; and
• Capable of operating in unstructured settings, adept at navigating uncertainty and demonstrating a proactive approach in seeking guidance when necessary.
  

Apply by Friday, June 27, 2025. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

Chemonics is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Chemonics is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, age, or other legally protected characteristics. Military veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
Chemonics will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by Chemonics, or (c) consistent with Chemonics legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)