Media Relations Specialist (Consultancy)

# Media Relations Specialist (Consultancy)

Communications, Advocacy & Marketing Division (CAM), Rome, Italy

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies, and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. We are currently seeking to fill a communications position in our Communications, Advocacy & Marketing Division (CAM) based in Rome, Italy.

Brief description of the Global Media Team:

The Global Media Team is at the heart of WFP’s news and media relations work. It manages, coordinates, and provides guidance for media engagement to WFP leadership, experts, communications specialists, and other staff members, when necessary, across WFP. It has responsibility over messaging to enable positioning of WFP’s core narratives and enhance understanding of the work and needs of the organisation to save lives in emergencies and build the resilience of food insecure people and communities.

General Information:

• Title of Post: Media Relations Specialist (Consultant)
• Unit: CAM
• Country: Italy
• Duty Station: Rome
• Initial contract duration: 11 months
• Expected Start Date: July 2022

Background and Purpose of the Assignment:

Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief of Global Media, the Media Relations Specialist will plan and coordinate media pushes, liaise with media, write and edit news releases and other materials, develop guidance and messaging documents and act as focal point for designated geographic and thematic areas. The Media Relations Specialist will also be responsible for bridging mainstream media and social/digital media news cycles, weaving storytelling and narrative techniques to convey news on various platforms.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Grow and maintain media relations including responding to enquiries, arranging interviews, pitching stories, preparing materials for media, and giving interviews to put food security and people facing hunger and malnutrition at the heart of agendas.
• Plan and coordinate media engagement for designated geographic and thematic areas in liaison with WFP experts and communications staff at headquarters, regional bureau and country office levels.
• Plan and coordinate media activity relating to flagship WFP reports or initiatives, as indicated by the Chief of Media.
• Research and develop messaging documents on designated subject areas for use by the CAM division and other stakeholders.
• Draft, edit and rewrite communications materials to ensure clarity and accessibility.
• Respond to emergencies, when requested, by quickly travelling to the location and managing or co-managing communications activities on WFP’s operations.
• Maintain the @WFP_Media Twitter handle and strengthen journalists’ engagement with it.
• Bridge traditional and digital (social) media news management, including to serve as the point person for the relevant CAM units (e.g., Digital, and Creative, Content and Branding) on the Global Media Team.
• Provide advice to senior management, as well as communications colleagues across all focal areas and regions, in order to ensure consistent, quality communications.
• Liaise with units in and outside of CAM to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach to communication activities, including to act as the Global Media Team’s focal point for Cash-Based Transfers, School Feeding, Supply Chain, Social Protection, Corporate Planning and Performance, Food safety amongst other areas that may be assigned.
• Serve as focal point for one or more WFP regional offices on the Global Media Team; and
• Perform other related functions as required.

Required qualifications and experience:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Relations, International Relations, Public Relations, Development, Public Policy, Humanitarian Affairs, Business or other relevant fields.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of work experience in similar roles and in an international environment.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong writing skills and attention to detail.
• Collaborative spirit able to liaise with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility and diplomacy.
• Good organizational and time management skills with an ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements, problems and obstacles, and an ability to juggle competing priorities successfully, and to work within tight deadlines.
• Knowledge and experience in managing a corporate social media account.
• Basic digital, audio and video editing skills.
• Strong drive, self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of autonomy.
• Fully committed and motivated to achieve the aims of the UN World Food Programme.

Languages: Fluency in oral and written English is required. An intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish) or Portuguese (one of WFP’s working languages) is a plus.

Terms and Conditions:

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Please visit the following websites for detailed information on working with WFP: http://www.wfp.org

Click on: “Our work” and “Countries” to learn more about WFP’s operations.

VA Reference no: 165741

Closing Date: 10 June 2022

Female applicants and qualified applicants from developing countries are especially encouraged to apply. WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.