Communication and Gender Expert

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• 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’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

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.
The Subregional Office for West Africa is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed-upon strategies and projects for transforming food, agriculture and rural development. It also develops and maintains relations with subregion-wide institutions including Regional Economic Integration Organizations such as ECOWAS, CILSS, UEMOA and Mano River Union. It assists the FAO Country Representations (FAORs) in the sub region with addressing subregional food security, agriculture, and rural development issues at country level. The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Africa.
As a pillar of FAO's strategic framework 2022-31, which focuses on the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood, better environment is a key strategic pillar with the objective to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and combat climate change (reduce, reuse, recycle, residual management) through more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. The Programme Priority Area focuses on Climate and agri-food systems; Bioeconomy; Biodiversity and ecosystems.
Livestock is an essential component of the West African rural economy, with a large contribution to agricultural GDP ranging from 5% in coastal countries to 44% in Sahelian countries, according to ECOWAS. Pastoralism is a source of income for 80 million people and plays a fundamental role in the resilience of populations, including in terms of jobs and food security. ECOWAS is developing a transformative project to enhance livestock systems' resilience to climate change in the region. Climate change poses significant risks to livestock production, affecting food security, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

FAO as an accredited agency for GCF has received a request from ECOWAS to support the development of a full-fledged project proposal to be submit to the GCF. This project aims to develop innovative adaptation strategies and mitigation measures through data-driven analysis of climate impacts. The consultant shall be hired under the project TCP/SFW/3904.

Reporting Lines

The Communication and Gender Expert will be under the overall supervision of the Sub Regional Coordinator SFW, the direct supervision of the Senior Policy Officer at SFW, the technical supervisor of the SFW Animal Health and Production officer and Project Development Specialist (GCF) in consultation with OCB Teams.

Technical Focus

The Communication and Gender Expert will support a team of experts for the design and preparation of a GCF multi-country full fledge project proposal. The Expert design a communication strategy that effectively promotes the GCF livestock project, facilitates information dissemination among stakeholders, and ensures alignment with regional communication standards and climate change awareness initiatives and will ensure that gender considerations are effectively mainstreamed into the GCF livestock project, promoting inclusivity and equal participation across all levels of project activities. The expert will work closely with the experts recruited under this project to ensure smooth coordination between the outputs.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Communication and Gender Expert for design of multi-country full fledge project proposal will carry out the following tasks\:
• Support the identification and oversee project formulation at their different stages and in close collaboration with the FAO country offices, FAO GCF unit and relevant regional and/or sub-regional technical officers.
• Conduct a gender analysis to assess the roles, needs, and challenges faced by women and men in livestock production within the ECOWAS region.
• Develop a gender strategy that outlines specific actions to promote gender equality and women's empowerment throughout the GCF project.
• Collaborate with project teams to integrate gender considerations into project planning, implementation, and monitoring frameworks.
• Prepare detailed reports summarizing findings from the gender analysis, stakeholder consultations, and recommendations for enhancing gender responsiveness in the project.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of project activities on gender equality and women's empowerment.
• Conduct a comprehensive gender analysis within the livestock sector to identify gender roles, challenges, and opportunities.
• Assess the specific impacts of climate change on women, youth, and other vulnerable groups engaged in livestock-related activities.
• Establish baseline data for gender-responsive indicators.
• Develop a Gender Action Plan aligned with GCF’s gender policy and ECOWAS regional priorities.
• Provide recommendations for integrating gender-sensitive approaches in project activities, ensuring equitable access to resources, training, and decision-making processes.
• Facilitate the inclusion of gender-specific goals and indicators in the project’s results framework.
• Engage with stakeholders, including women’s groups, NGOs, and local authorities, to ensure their perspectives and needs are incorporated into the project.
• Promote the active participation of women and marginalized groups in consultations and decision-making forums.
• Develop tools and methodologies to monitor gender impacts and outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provide recommendations for addressing gender gaps and challenges encountered during project implementation.
• Develop a comprehensive communications strategy for the GCF project that aligns with project objectives and stakeholder needs.
• Coordinate with project teams to ensure consistent messaging across all communication platforms.
• Develop a comprehensive communication plan tailored to the project’s goals, target audience, and regional context.
• Identify key communication channels and tools, including social media, traditional media, and community outreach programs.
• Ensure all communication materials align with the GCF branding and ECOWAS guidelines.
• Facilitate effective communication among project stakeholders, including government agencies, local communities, NGOs, and private sector actors.
• Develop tools to capture stakeholder feedback and integrate it into the project’s implementation.
• Create engaging content for diverse platforms, including press releases, brochures, newsletters, reports, and multimedia materials.
• Work closely with the FAO GCF Unit, the FAO technical units, the project development specialist and experts to ensure appropriate quality control, completeness, and timeliness of project proposals.
• Contribute to organizing meeting and workshops to validate the proposal.
• Performs other related duties as required.
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

• Advanced degree in Communication & Sociology, Public Relations, Journalism & Sociology, Gender Studies, Development Studies, Journalism & Socio-anthropology, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in designing and implementing communication strategies, gender analysis and mainstreaming, preferably in the livestock or agricultural sector, rural development or climate-related projects.
• Working knowledge of French.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience with GCF gender and communication policies and ECOWAS regional frameworks is an asset.
• Strong writing and storytelling skills.
• Proficiency in digital communication tools and platforms.
• Strong understanding of communication strategies tailored for climate projects.
• Proven ability to analyse data and develop actionable recommendations for promoting gender equality and communication strategy/plan.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with fluency in English and French.
• Excellent writing and editing skills for various audiences.

Selection Criteria

• Requirement of such position (diploma & language skills)
• Professional experience and similar products delivered.
• Mission-related studies particularly in Africa/focus in West Africa.

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

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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