Communication specialist/writer

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York (FAOLON) was established on 16 March 1956. It replaced the Sub-Office of the North American Regional Office.

Located in the heart of the United Nations (UN), our office

• represents FAO at intergovernmental meetings, notably the UN General Assembly (UNGA), and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC);
• represents FAO in UN committees, functional commissions and subsidiary bodies, notably the United Nations Development Group (UNDG);
• maintains working relations with all UN organizations and entities in New York and Geneva, as well as their secretariats;
• maintains liaisons with intergovernmental, non-governmental and private institutions, including foundations;
• handles local public information requests;
• provides briefing services to visiting officers.

Our work covers key issues pertaining to international trade, humanitarian affairs and sustainable development.

Reporting Lines

The Communication specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Director, FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations in New York (FAOLON), and direct supervision of the Communications Officer, FAOLON, and under the functional guidance of the Director, Office for Corporate Communication (OCC).

Technical Focus

The Communication Consultant will be required to generate content from technical programmes, policies and program/projects reports and news report to enhance the visibility of FAO’s work among Member States and the UN system. The incumbent will need to ensure coherence with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines for all communication and information outputs. Furthermore, the incumbent will be required to provide technical advice in the design and implementation of communication and outreach products.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Draft content and news stories for the FAOLON website to highlight FAO’s work and comparative advantage and important FAO themes;
• Draft, edit and/or adapt FAO webstories, monthly newsletters, Opinion-Editorials etc. to pitch to the UN system, and national and international media;
• Identify and prepare for distribution to Member States, FAO communication products of interest to the debates that take place in the United Nations;
• Support updating of FAOLON website;
• Produce content and messaging for @FAONewYork Twitter account;
• Plan, support and/or implement web and social media communication activities for events FAO organizes and/or supports;
• Support promotion of international observances related to FAO’s mandate;
• Respond to media requests and proactively engage with media and media outlets, pitching stories, and exploring opportunities for interviews of FAO experts;
• Cover and report, as needed, on meetings related to UN/FAO communication and/or with public information/ advocacy components, including DPI meetings and Briefings of UN Secretary General Spokesperson;
• Support other communication related activities of the FAO Liaison Office in New York, as needed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree in Communication, Journalism or in a field related to the activities of the Organization; equivalent experience in media/journalism may be accepted in lieu of academic qualifications;
• Three years of relevant experience in journalism, public information, including UN-related communication;
• Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work
• Extent of experience in journalism, communications and media relations;
• Excellent writing, editing, and speaking skills in English;
• Extent of experience in creating content for various communication products;
• Extent of experience in communication, diffusion strategies and techniques, reporting and documentation;
• Experience working in International Organizations or similar settings would be considered an asset but not a requirement.

Selection Criteria

• Excellent communication (both written and oral) and presentation skills in English;
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information and present ideas and recommendations in a clear and understandable manner;
• Capacity to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Ability to work independently, strong analytical skills and problem-solving;
• Experience working in International Organizations or similar settings would be considered an asset;
• Computer literacy with Word, PowerPoint and basic spreadsheets (Excel).