National Communication Specialist

Organizational Setting

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a dynamic and revitalized organization, recognized as the leading UN agency in the global fight to eradicate hunger, reduce rural poverty, and promote sustainable agricultural, fisheries, and livestock development. Additionally, FAO champions the sustainable management of natural resources and the environment to benefit vulnerable communities and rural populations.
FAO’s overarching corporate goal is to increase the visibility of its impactful work at the country, regional, and international levels. While FAO Headquarters and Regional Offices have dedicated staff for this purpose, there is a growing need for specialized media outreach personnel at the country level to elevate the organization’s presence in national and local media, as well as on broader platforms.

Reporting Lines

The National Communication Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Head of Office, FAO Papua New Guinea, and receive programme and operational guidance from the Head of Programme and the Head of Administration, respectively. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with FAO PNG team members and will regularly coordinate with the UN Coordination Group (UNCG) in PNG, the FAO Regional Communication Officer (RAPCOM) and, as required, with the Office of Corporate Communication (OCC) at FAO Headquarters to ensure alignment with corporate communication standards.

Technical focus

Provide support in the implementation of FAO Papua New Guinea’s communications and outreach activities, ensuring alignment with FAO’s corporate standards. Assist in the development of communication materials, digital content, and visibility efforts that promote programme results and stakeholder engagement. Contribute to internal coordination and documentation tasks, under supervision and in collaboration with relevant FAO staff.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     The incumbent shall familiarize him/herself with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines to ensure mandatory coherence of all communication and information outputs.
•     The incumbent shall demonstrate a strong understanding of FAO Style in drafting documentation, without the need for continuous correction or oversight.
•     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. 
•     Provide assistance in the development and design of information, education, communication, visibility and awareness raising materials (brochures, leaflets, booklets, posters, audio visual materials, etc.) for the FAO PNG;
•     Work proactively with the FAO PNG team members to identify opportunities for capturing key programme outputs, achievements and success stories, and for disseminating such information to targeted audiences including implementing and resource partners;
•     Identify opportunities and assist in the planning and implementation of campaigns, events and activities to promote visibilities of FAO programme in PNG to internal and external partners;
•     Support digital communication outreach activities, including all social media platforms, to keep the relevant stakeholders informed on FAO PNG activities;
•     Regularly monitor outreach and performance of FAO PNG social media posts and media articles and interviews;
•     Coordinate with CSI and OCC colleagues at headquarters regarding the development of FAO PNG website and provide assistance in the management of FAO PNG web presence; 
•     Capture and document key activities, events and success stories through photos, videos or audio recording;
•     Provide assistance in ensuring timely processing of publications and documents through the FAO Publications Workflow System (PWS). Collaborate closely with the FAO Publishing Group to ensure adherence to all corporate publishing standards in both publications and documents;
•     Assist in the coordination with the UN Communications Group (UNCG) to pursue joint collaborations and ensure consistent participation in UNCG meetings
•     Undertake other duties related to communications as required;
•     Prepare and submit a final technical report upon completion of the assignment;

FAO Standards and guidelines:

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

•     University degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field. 
•     At least 1 year of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, media relations, public information, or a related field, preferably in a UN or international organization context.
•     Candidate must possess working knowledge of English and at least one other official FAO Language (French or Spain). 
•     National of Papua New Guinea or resident of the country with valid work permit.

FAO Core Competencies ·

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

Selection criteria

•     Limited knowledge of another FAO or UN language (Arabic, Chinese, or Russian is desirable.)
•     Demonstrated experience developing and designing communication and IEC materials (e.g., brochures, leaflets, audio-visual content) for diverse audiences.
•     Proven experience managing organizational digital communication platforms, including websites and social media channels, to disseminate information and engage stakeholders.
•     Familiarity with FAO’s corporate communication policies, editorial style guidelines (FAOSTYLE), and publication processes.
•     Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, with the ability to produce clear and compelling content.
•     Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, with the ability to work effectively in multicultural teams and coordinate with government, media, and partner organizations.
•     Proficiency in standard office software (e.g., MS Office). Experience with content management systems and multimedia editing tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) is an asset.