Communication Officer

Organizational Setting

The Office for Corporate Communication (OCC) is responsible for all corporate and internal communication activities of the Organization. It ensures coherence and consistency in FAO’s corporate messaging and communications’ outputs, as well as enables cost-effectiveness in use of communication-related resources across the Organization.

Reporting lines

The Communication Officer reports to the Chief, Media Relations Branch (OCCM).

Technical Focus

Media relations, internal corporate communication.

Key Results

Comprehensive communication and media relations expertise for the planning and delivery of OCC programmes, products and services and the development of related policies and specialized tools and systems.

Key Functions

· leads projects and/or work teams, leads and/or participates on Office teams, provides services and/or professional expertise on Organization-wide committees and working groups and represents FAO at inter-agency meetings;

· plans and deliver programmes, products and services including related policies, systems and tools to facilitate the effective media relations and internal as well as external corporate communication;

· analyzes information, data, statistics, relativities, trends, problems, and/or issues to support effective communication delivery, new initiatives, and the preparation of plans, strategies, reports, policies and/or other products;

· provides specialist advice and expertise to internal and external partners on specific or complex cases, strategic communication, written communication, policy interpretation issues and/or best practices, etc.;

· manages special projects and provides guidance to consultants for the development and implementation of new products, tools, and systems;

· develops information, training materials and products to increase understanding of programmes, services and policies, promote capacity development;

· develops relevant performance criteria and indicators to evaluate programmes, products and services;

· performs other duties as required.

Specific functions

· drafts articles, statements, briefings, op-eds, opinions, talking points, key messages and other written communications for the Organization, ensuring a high level of consistency, accuracy, content and presentation for a wide variety of audiences;

· monitors and analyses policy materials and developments within FAO at HQ and field levels and beyond (United Nations, intergovernmental, think-tank, corporate and NGO reports) to keep abreast of strategic developments and to ensure that they are consistently and accurately reflected in written communications;

· reviews drafts and manuscripts for adherence to corporate policy, in consultation with relevant departments and units, and provides analysis and recommendations as required;

· maintains an up-to-date archive of speeches, talking points and briefing materials, and policy positions, prepared/cleared in/by ODG and OCC.

Candidates will be assessed against the following

Minimum Requirements

· Advanced university degree in in communication, social science, political science or a related field

· Seven years of relevant experience (nine years with a first level university degree, BA or equivalent) in communication, public information, journalism, international relations

· Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian

Competencies

· Results Focus

· Teamwork

· Communication

· Building effective relationship

· Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

· Extent and relevance of experience in the field of communication services for prominent organizations, particularly at the international level, including substantive experience in journalism

· Extent and relevance of experience in drafting high-quality written materials for a wide variety of audiences

· Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered a strong asset

· Excellent communication skills in English, both orally and in writing is considered a strong asset

· Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable

Please note that all candidates should adhere toFAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.All candidates should possess computer/word processing skills

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

· Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a competency-based interview.

· Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your iRecruitment online profile (see “How to Apply”). We strongly recommend that you ensure that the information is accurate and complete including employment record, academic qualifications and language skills.

· Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognised in the IAU/UNESCO list.

· Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this vacancy notice and the endorsed candidates will be considered for the Employment Roster for a period of 2 years.

· Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments.

REMUNERATION

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://icsc.un.org/rootindex.asp

HOW TO APPLY:

HOW TO APPLY

· To apply, visit the iRecruitment website athttp://www.fao.org/employment/irecruitment-access/en/ and complete your online profile. Only applications received through iRecruitment will be considered.

· Candidates are requested to attach to the online profile a letter of motivation.

· Vacancies will be removed from iRecruitment at 23:59 Central European Time (CET) on the deadline for applications date. We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.If you need help, or have queries, please contact: iRecruitment@fao.org