Back Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Communications Specialist

Organizational Setting

In April 2025, the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) for the Sustainable Development of the Brazilian Legal Amazon approved the UNJP/BRA/097/UNJ project \"Environmental Regularization Project through Land Governance and Territorial Planning, as a pillar for Sustainable Development / Land for Women Project\". The intervention was conceived by the Institute of Colonization and Lands of Maranhão (ITERMA) and will have the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as the executing agency. 
The \"Land for Women\" project aims to promote land and environmental regularization in settlement areas and rural communities in Maranhão, with a priority focus on women heads of household. Seeking to reduce social inequalities, expand territorial governance and promote sustainable agricultural practices, the intervention will combine land titling actions, training in sustainable practices and entrepreneurship, access to credit and environmental monitoring, with a view to ensuring land tenure security, promoting access to public policies and strengthening economic autonomy. 
The project is organized into three project components/deliverables, namely:
•     Formalization of women's lands in rural and traditional communities.
•     Training in bioeconomy practices, sustainable management and female entrepreneurship.
•     Technical capacity of the Governments of Maranhão and Pará for land monitoring and environmental enforcement strengthened.

Reporting Lines

The Communications Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Assistant to the Representative for the FAO Programme Unit in Brazil and under the technical guidance of the Better Life Technical Area Coordinator of FAO in Brazil and of the Project Coordinator. 
The incumbent should coordinate technically on communication matters with the communications officer of the Representation Office.

Technical Focus

The MPTF Communications Specialist will play a pivotal role in providing high-level strategic and technical guidance to the implementation of the “Environmental Regularization Project through Land Governance and Territorial Planning, as a Pillar for Sustainable Development / Land for Women Project”. This role focuses on developing and implementing communication strategies to raise awareness about the project's goals, achievements, and impact on the ground. The specialist will ensure that communication activities contribute to enhancing the visibility of the project among local communities, government institutions, and international partners, including the Government of Maranhão, Iterma, FAO Brazil, the United Nations in Brazil, and the Amazonia Consortium. Key responsibilities include the production and dissemination of communication materials, documentation of success stories through audiovisual and written formats, and coordination of media relations. The specialist will also ensure that all communication activities are aligned with FAO’s global and regional communication standards and contribute to the promotion of the project's values, achievements, and visibility

Tasks and Responsibilities

•     Design a communication strategy for the project, in collaboration with Iterma and other partners, considering local particularities, target audiences, and appropriate dissemination channels (audiovisual, written, digital), aligned with FAO’s corporate communication standards.

•     Implement the communication strategy in coordination with the project team, ensuring timely delivery of key outputs.
•     Coordinate all communication activities of the project, providing strategic advice and operational support to the technical team.
•     Produce and manage graphic, written, and audiovisual content that promotes the project’s objectives and results.
•     Identify and document success stories of beneficiaries through audiovisual materials and human-interest stories.
•     Coordinate photo and video coverage in the field, including interviews with beneficiaries and institutional partners.
•     Produce a monthly newsletter summarizing key project activities and results, to be shared with key stakeholders.
•     Develop and maintain a media contact list and foster relationships with journalists, editors, and communication officers from Iterma, the Government of Maranhão, UN Brazil, FAO Brazil, and the Amazonia Consortium.
•     Promote and support public communication activities, including press releases; coordination of interviews; and dissemination of project milestones.
•     Support the organization and communication coverage of events related to the project.
•     Ensure the project maintains a consistent and professional public image, aligned with all partners’ visual identity guidelines.
•     Collaborate closely with UN and FAO offices in Brasília to increase the project’s visibility at national, regional, and global levels.
•     Disseminate relevant press releases adapting them to the national context when needed.
•     Monitor media coverage related to the project and submit periodic reports.
•     Generate and publish regular content on social media platforms (e.g., X, Flickr) and contribute to the project website and FAO pages at national, regional, and global levels.
•     Ensure that all communication materials adhere to FAO’s standards, including style, branding, terminology, and storytelling templates.
•     Travel, as necessary.
•     Ensure visibility of FAO’s role in the project.
FAO Standards and guidelines:
•     Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and 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  

•     Bachelor’s degree in communication, Journalism, Social Sciences, International Relations, or related fields.
•     Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in institutional communication, preferably in rural development, land governance, or public policy projects in Brazil.
•     Experience in content production for print, digital, and audiovisual media.
•     Working knowledge (level C) of English and/or Spanish. 
•     National of Brazil.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Experience in communicating with and about rural communities and traditional peoples and communities in Brazil.
•     Familiarity with the socio-territorial context of Maranhão.
•     Experience in communication for development (C4D) approaches and strategies.
•     Previous experience with the United Nations or international cooperation projects.
•     Photography and/or video production skills.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION