National Communications Assistant

Organizational Setting

Bangladesh is rich in natural resources with diverse ecosystems and biodiversity. Like other developing countries, Bangladesh is also facing tremendous pressure on the conservation of forests and natural resources. The forest department has undertaken several initiatives to reduce pressure on the existing forest resources. The country is also obliged to report to international platforms like UNCCD, CBD, IPCC, etc. on the progress it made in the restoration and reduction of the degradation of natural resources. In doing so, the country is trying to develop a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS). The forest department has already conducted the first national forest inventory during the period 2016-2019. Now it is planning for the 2nd cycle of the inventory. With the support of the Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods (SUFAL) project of the World Bank, the 2nd cycle of forest report assessment has been planned. The forest inventory will generate metadata of the forest resources that will be analyzed and comprehensive reports will be generated which will give a full picture of the country’s forest resources. In addition, the project also envisions developing the national land cover map and preparing forest management plans for forest divisions and protected areas. It will also prepare an updated report on the National Forest Reference Emission Level. All the information generated from the process will help the country better manage the forest resources with a functional monitoring system in place.

Reporting Lines

The Communications Assistant is a SC 4 national position will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the Environment Climate Change Specialist (Team Leader), in close collaboration with national and international consultants in the project team, and the technical backstopping of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) at FAO Bangkok.

Technical Focus

The Communications Assistant will be a part of a national team to provide technical assistance in ensuring the visibility of the project, branding FAO’s work in the ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, and confirming proper outreach of the achievement made by the project nationally and internationally

Tasks and responsibilities

● In close collaboration with OCC branches and focal points, the incumbent will: ● Develop and articulate key messages for external communication and advocacy purposes. ● Research and produce communications materials (in both high-quality English and Bengali) including progress reports, news releases, human interest stories, newsletter content, brochures, opinion articles, talking points, donor reports, and social media content for Bangladesh Forest Inventory, plus other FAO Bangladesh projects as required. ● Edit texts of a technical nature to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion, and conformity with FAO house-style English, policy, and practice. ● Develop and coordinate the production of engaging and informative multimedia products (video and radio) in line with guidelines from the Office of Corporate Communication (OCC). ● Oversee graphic design solutions including publication templates, visual presentations, pamphlets, infographics, icons, and other publication materials that illustrate information and make it legible to different audiences. ● Take high-quality photos and commission professional photography according to OCC production guidelines and advance collaboration with OCCM Photo Editor. ● In close collaboration with OCC, support and promote the World Foret Day campaign and other observances campaigns including international years, days, and UN Decades, on the national level by adapting communication material in Bangla when possible and disseminating them among partners. ● Create content for sharing via existing FAO social media channels that raises visibility with key target audiences. ● Cultivate relations with the media, organize and facilitate media coverage for events, and guide media engagement for technical experts. ● Monitor and evaluate the impact of communication materials and advocacy events/campaigns to target audiences. ● Set up, organize, and maintain an archive of images and video content. ● Organize and archive key project documents. ● Prepare, edit, and submit key project documents for publishing approval. ● Liaise with the procurement team to initiate and oversee procurement of printed and other communications materials. ● Represent FAO at the country UN Communications Group when required and ensure that FAO’s priorities are reflected. ● Ensure visibility of projects and FAO Bangladesh in project partners’ materials and publications, and provide guidance on the correct use of the FAO logo, in line with corporate guidelines. ● Organise procurement of communications products. ● Organise field trips and willingness to participate in field trips in Cox’s Bazar and elsewhere in Bangladesh. ● Assist in any other tasks under the project at the instruction of the FAO Representative, the LTO and Team Leader ● Liaison with the Office of Communication (OCC) will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes. ● All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:

FAOSTYLE (English: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf; French: https://www.fao.org/3/AC339FR/ac339fr.pdf; Spanish: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339s/ac339s.pdf; Arabic: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339a/ac339a.pdf; Chinese: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339c/ac339c.pdf); FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm; FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en; Story guidelines http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/UPDATED-Digital-Storytelling-Guide-EN-FINAL.pdf; Story template http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/FAO-Stories-Template-UPDATED.pdf; UN map standards (available to staff); FAO Brand and policy book (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

● Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism / Media and Mass Communication, marketing, or related field. ● At least 4 years of relevant working experience with a focus on natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation. ● Working knowledge of English and Bangla ● National of Bangladesh

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

● Proficient in MS Office; familiarity with design software (e.g. Photoshop, InDesign) and content management systems is a plus ● Proven experience in mass communication and public relations, digital publishing, and web page visual design with applicable software following the organizational policy, ● Experience in copywriting and editing ● Demonstrated experiences in developing countries; ● Demonstrated initiative and ability to deliver results within deadlines.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.