National Communications Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country office, which is headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist the government in developing policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO is implementing and planning a number of projects aimed to strengthen the resilience and socio-economic cohesion amongst Syrians under Temporary Protection (SuTP) and vulnerable host communities in rural areas in Turkey through support to agricultural livelihoods and access to employment in the agri-food sector.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia and FAO Representative in Turkey, direct supervision of the Programme Officer, technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO), REU/HQs Communication teams, and in collaboration with FAO Turkey team, the National Communication Specialist will be responsible for the below mentioned tasks:

Technical Focus

Communications, visibility and outreach

Tasks and responsibilities

In line with FAO’s Corporate Communications Strategy and Policy, the consultant will carry out the following specific tasks:

• Provide communication and visibility support for projects under the Syrian Refugee and Resilience Programme (SRRP) with a focus on OSRO/TUR/901/EC;
• Design and implement a Communication and Visibility Strategy to highlight the work and impact of the project;
• Lead the creation, translation and dissemination of news and press releases, media advisories, op-eds and social media messages related to the project via established channels;
• Draft regular project fact sheets and periodic and final reports for the donor, as scheduled, and in alignment with both internal and donor requirements;
• Develop and manage all content produced by the project for the FAO Turkey/SEC website and FAO specialized webpages, ensuring Turkish translations when appropriate, and providing related updates to the REU website;
• Monitor media coverage of project activities;
• Prepare talking points, speeches and presentations for event launches and visits of senior officials; and ensure photo/video coverage of key project events following OCC photo and video guidelines
• Arrange interviews and/or press conferences, as required, and create opportunities for media coverage under the framework of Senior Officers Media Initiative (SOMI);
• In consultation with OCC colleagues, develop feature stories for TV, print, radio and web-based dissemination and publishing, ensuring correct corporate and donor branding in compliance with guidelines, including OCC audio, photo and video guidelines;
• Respond to internal and external enquires on project activities, provide analysis and information on activities and prepare related correspondence;
• Assure smooth communication workflow between FAO Turkey, SEC, REU, relevant government authorities and partners for enhancing the visibility of the projects;
• Select and propose quality photos and videos for inclusion in the FAO corporate photo database; and liaise with FAO REU and HQ on the coverage of high-level project events, in line with OCC guidelines for photo and video production
• In consultation with OCC and REU colleagues, lead occasional FAO field reportage missions and media field trips to document and publicize field activities;
• Support FAO Turkey/SEC communication activities, strengthen media relations and heighten public visibility; including, inter alia, media coverage of specific activities and events, the World Food Day (and similar events);
• Work with other FAO SEC and REU project/sector teams to ensure a common approach to covering different areas, advise and provide support for sector specific communication needs;
• Liaise in the planning phases of reportage and media missions with FAO Office of Communications (OCC) to harmonize production of visual content according to OCC guidelines, international service providers and media standards (photos, video, audio, social media, etc.)
• Undertake duty travel as needed and perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in journalism, communication, public relations or related discipline;
• A minimum of five years’ experience in media relations and communications, ideally in an international non-governmental organization;
• Excellent command of English and Turkish is essential, as are proven writing, reporting and design skills, and the ability to operate under pressure and meet tight deadlines;
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment; and to proactively forge good relations and networks.
• National of Turkey

FAO Core Competencies

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/