Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
The Office of Communications (OCC) is responsible for both external and internal communications of the Organization. It aims at making FAO's communications strategic, coherent, focused and impactful, while ensuring effectiveness and efficiency in communication-related operations.
The post is located in the Office of Communications (OCC) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Internal Communications Branch, OCCC.
Reporting Lines
The Communications Specialist reports to the Senior Communication Officer, Head of Internal Communications (OCCC).
The incumbent operates independently, takes decisions on work priorities and exercises initiative for dealing with cases without precedents. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work output. He/she provides guidance and advice to other staff, as required.
Technical Focus
Creation and management of internal communications content, including writing, editing, graphic design, video and workflow coordination.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Research and analyse technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology-related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support internal and/or external communication.
• Draft, edit and design a variety of corporate communications, branding and multimedia products aimed at an internal audience, ensuring consistency with FAO's communication policy according to corporate needs and priorities.
• Draft, implement and monitor communication plans and strategies and provide day-to-day support for strategic outputs.
• Compile and analyze data on internal communications, producing reports on engagement, feedback, and impact.
• Develop media assets to enhance brand visibility and optimize internal communication platforms, including improving tools, systems, and processes.
• Participate in multidisciplinary teams and/or lead working groups/teams; collaborate and coordinate with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promote communications best practices.
• Coordinate and ensure the timely scheduling of content to internal communications platforms including digital signage, intranet and Viva Engage.
• Support the creative direction of global staff events producing all branding and multimedia content.
• Coordinate intranet operations, ensuring functionality and design consistency. Provide CMS support (Typo3, SiteFinity), liaise with technical personnel, train team members, and maintain guidelines and documentation.
• Any other duties as necessary.
• All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
• FAOSTYLE: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf (available in six languages); FAO terminology: http://www.fao.org/faoterm ;
• FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en;
• FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff). UN map standards (available to staff).
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in communication, social science, journalism, political science or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in communication, intranet/web publishing and/or design
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Experience in internal communications, including intranet, digital signage, and staff engagement content.
• Strong writing, reporting, graphic design, editing, and multimedia skills for diverse internal audiences.
• Proficiency with CMS (Typo3, SiteFinity) and familiarity with digital tools (MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Xibo, Viva Engage).
• Ability to develop and execute internal communication strategies aligned with corporate goals and report on impact.
• Experience in multimedia production for events.
Selection Criteria
• Relevant experience in internal communications within international organizations, preferably the UN.
• Proven ability to create engaging internal content (branding, graphics, video, written) under tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to develop, implement and report on internal communication strategies.
• Digital fluency with proficiency in digital communication tools, multimedia design, and engagement analytics.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills in diverse, multilingual and multidisciplinary settings.
• Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.