Communication Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The Forestry Division (NFO) leads FAO’s work in promoting sustainable forest management and sustainable mountain development. It provides leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of the forestry and mountain agendas, including their contributions to poverty reduction, food security and nutrition. It liaises with member countries, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation, data collection and management issues; it also strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation and disseminates forest and mountain related information The Division hosts the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) and is responsible for the observance of the International Mountain Day and the drafting of the UN Secretary General report on mountains.

Reporting Lines

Selected applicants will report to Team Leaders across a range of teams in the Division, with the functional supervision of the NFO/OCC focal point and of the Office of Corporate Communication (OCC), other FAO Divisions, and external partners as required.

Technical Focus

Communication, knowledge management and outreach. The incumbent(s) will support the Forestry Division teams in the development, editorial production, quality assurance and dissemination of information materials both for technical audiences and for the general public, while working in close collaboration and liaison with FAO staff at Rome headquarters and regional and country offices, as well as key partners.

Tasks and responsibilities

In close collaboration with the NFO’s focal point for the Organization’s Office of Communications (OCC) and the OCC’s branches and focal points, the incumbent will undertake the following tasks.

(1) General communications:

• Draft, edit and fact-check MPS and Forestry documents, publications, articles, and newsletters in English, to be compliant with FAO standards (FAO style; FAO country names; FAO terminology), and manage publication in PWS.
• Develop/support communication and outreach work on forestry and mountains with key partners through multiple communication and social media channels, which may include elements of coordination with other internal and external partners;
• Manage and support global events (including Mountain Partnership and Forestry events) and knowledge exchanges, in cooperation with relevant partners;
• Provide support for creating e-newsletters, email announcements and other outreach products.

(2) Social Media:

• Collate information and develop appropriate digital assets, in line with global FAO key messages, terminology, standards and guidelines, and day-to-day management of thematic/regional/country social media channel(s) (@FAOforestry X, UNMountains X, Mountain Partnership Facebook, UNMountainsMatter Instagram, Mountain Partnership Flickr, UN-Mountain-Partnership Linkedin) as per the FAO social media guidelines and in support of country/regional/global strategies, liaising and coordinating with the relevant technical officers and OCC, as appropriate, and relevant supervisor for clearance;
• For videos intended for use on social media channels, liaise with OCC to review scripts, formats and final clearances;
• Develop and organize a bank of evergreen recyclable messaging and multimedia assets, working with a graphic designer and multimedia specialist, across all teams in the Forestry Division;
• Participate in the development and implementation of thematic/country/regional/divisional communications plans for campaigns or key priorities such as the International Mountain Day, International Day of Forests etc.
• Ensure that all communication products comply with global FAO key messages, terminology, standards, and guidelines.
• Monitor social media for results, compliance with guidelines, trends and risks, in consultation with OCC, as appropriate.
• Provide monthly engagement reports with key performance indicators;
• Prepare a monthly social media content calendar with innovative and issue-focused content to promote the work of the Division.

FAO Standards and guidelines:

• Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
• All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE (https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).
• Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree from recognised institution or Bachelor’s degree with minimum two years of experience (for consultants); University degree or specific technical specialization (for PSA) in communication, journalism, visual communication, social science, political science, forestry or international development studies, or a field related to FAO’s mandate;
• One year or more of relevant experience for entry level (CAT C) consultants/PSA.SBS, at least five years’ relevant experience for middle level (CAT B) consultants/PSA.SBS, and at least 10 years relevant experience for senior level (CAT A) consultants/ PSA.SBS in knowledge management and/or communication.
• Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent of experience with the development of written and audio-visual communication products
• Professional writing experience; excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to transform technical materials into communication products for the general public
• Ability to write/draft compelling human-interest stories, speeches and video scripts
• Ability to draft high-level perspective pieces
• Knowledge and compliance of FAO terms, language and standards
• Extent of knowledge and experience working in multicultural settings and multi-disciplinary projects/programmes
• Forestry and/or climate change related expertise in research and writing and in the development of outreach materials is considered an asset
• Experience with Microsoft Office products, including PowerPoint and Excel, plus online platforms and tools – Sharepoint, Microsoft Teams, Google groups, Google Drive, Dropbox
• Extent and relevance of academic qualifications.
• Extent of experience managing and/or developing content for social media channels including X, Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Flickr and TikTok in a professional capacity
• Ability to transform technical materials into communication products for the general public
• Ability to organize large quantities of data and assets into a user-friendly repository of materials
• Familiarity with Trello, Canva, Hootsuite and scheduling services
• Familiarity with social media tracking and monitoring tools
• Forestry, sustainable mountain development and/or climate change related expertise in the development of outreach materials is considered an asset
• Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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