Communication Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist Governments with 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.

Reporting Lines

The Communication Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in the Republic of Tajikistan and Project Lead Technical Officers (LTOs)/ Project managers, the REU and SEC communications teams, and in close collaboration with the FETAJ Office colleagues.

Technical Focus

The Specialist will support the Communications and Outreach efforts of the FAO Representation in Tajikistan and various FAO projects in the country.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Prepare and help implement regular (monthly) communication plans for the FAO Representation in Tajikistan;
• Assist Project Task Forces (PTFs) in the preparation and implementation of project communication work plans;
• Write news releases, human interest stories and other content to share with regional, national and local media;
• Maintain and regularly update FAO-Tajikistan media contacts list, and share the list with the regional communication team if requested;
• Disseminate news releases;
• Organize project site visits for journalists, and other public information events and press conferences, as necessary;
• Conduct media monitoring of the coverage of project activities and FAO general visibility in Tajikistan;
• Create and maintain an up-to-date database of communication materials (including publications, press releases, photographs, audio-visual materials, web resources, etc.);
• Help with the creation and running of an FAO Tajikistan website, until which keep the FAO Tajikistan country profile news updated;
• Be responsible for regularly preparing and posting tweets on the FAO Tajikistan X account;
• Develop local language versions of corporate communication materials (news releases, op-eds, brochures, etc.);
• In close coordination with project management and technical units, assist in conducting visibility events, including World Food Day, but also as outlined in the Communication Strategies of respective projects;
• Follow-up on the development and production of promotional materials (caps, pens, folders, etc.), obtain technical clearance for the content, and ensure that they meet FAO and donor requirements and standards in terms of quality, consistency and relevance;
• Ensure dissemination of promotional materials to local communities, government officials, other partners and the media;
• Provide inputs to all major technical documents and reports to ensure they are well-written, clearly communicate the messages and comply with organizational and donor visibility requirements;
• Liaise with the UN Country Team in Tajikistan for enhanced visibility of FAO’s work, including on UN Tajikistan resources;
• Other related duties, as required.

Liaison with the 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:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
FAOSTYLE: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en    
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (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

• Advanced degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Social /Behavioural Sciences or any other related field;
• At least 5 years of work experience in the field of Communications;
• Working knowledge of English, Russian and Tajik..
• National of Tajikistan or resident in the country with a valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in communications and journalism, including media relations, online communication and social networks, along with direct experience in journalism;
• Demonstrated communication (spoken, written, public speaking and presentational) skills, including the ability to convey and present sensitive issues/positions;
• Excellent computer skills including Windows, Microsoft Office, Internet, etc;
• Work experience with international organizations will be an asset;
• Analytical skills and ability to write clear and concise reports is considered a strong asset;
• Ability to work under pressure and to carry out several tasks in a timely fashion and under tight deadlines with minimum supervision;
• Courtesy, tact and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Selection Criteria

• Fluency in Tajik will be an asset.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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 or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• 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 other issues, 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.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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