Communications Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has reinforced its presence in Ukraine by signing an agreement with the Government to set up a Project Office that will facilitate and expand the provision of technical and humanitarian assistance to the country’s most vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas.

Ukraine joined FAO in 2003 and since 2015 the Organization has been operating in two strategic directions: emergency humanitarian response in conflict-affected oblasts and agricultural development across the whole country. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, FAO has scaled up its activities in the country to support agricultural production and food systems with the aim of protecting the food security of vulnerable households and communities across Ukraine.

This role is based full-time in office, with duty station in Dnipro, Ukraine.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Head of Office and Field Office Coordinator (Dnipro) under the direct supervision of the Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist will contribute to raising the visibility of FAO’s ongoing work in Ukraine.

Technical Focus

The assignment focuses on providing field-based communications support to FAO projects implemented in eastern and southern Ukraine, with emphasis on documenting field activities, collecting photo and video materials, developing beneficiary stories, preparing draft communication products, and supporting donor visibility and reporting. The role ensures that field-level communication inputs are timely, accurate, context-sensitive and aligned with FAO corporate standards, donor requirements and approved internal SOPs.

Tasks and responsibilities

In close collaboration with Office of Communications (OCC) branches and appropriate Communication focal points, the incumbent will:

• Provide communications support to FAO projects implemented in eastern and southern Ukraine, ensuring timely and accurate visibility of field activities and results;
• Support the implementation and regular updating of the FAO Ukraine communications plan by integrating inputs from projects in eastern and southern Ukraine, ensuring alignment between field activities, communication priorities and planned outputs;
• Collect photo, video and background materials from project sites, including through field visits and close coordination with technical teams and implementing partners;
• Identify and document beneficiary stories and field-level results, contributing to the development of human-interest stories and impact narratives;
• Draft communication materials, including press releases, news stories, media advisories and social media content;
• Support preparation of communication and visibility materials for projects (project briefs, brochures, leaflets, success stories, visual materials, etc.) in line with FAO corporate branding and donor visibility requirements;
• Contribute to FAO Ukraine’s social media and web content by providing regular field-based inputs and story ideas;
• Liaise with project teams to gather information on key milestones, events and results for communication purposes;
• Ensure that all communication activities at field level are conducted in line with approved internal SOPs for communications workflows, including planning, content production, media engagement, visibility materials and event support;
• Apply and promote the use of standard communication tools and templates (e.g. communication planning inputs, consent forms, story templates, visibility checklists) among project teams and implementing partners;
• Flag gaps or inconsistencies in the application of SOPs and contribute to their continuous improvement based on field experience;
• Ensure that communication inputs from the field are consistent with FAO messaging and sensitive to the operational context;
• Provide structured communication inputs from the field for donor reporting, including verified information, beneficiary stories, visual materials and key results, ensuring accuracy, relevance and compliance with donor visibility requirements;
• Maintain an up-to-date list of local media and stakeholders in the regions of implementation and support local media outreach when required;
• Support organization of field visits and media missions to project locations, including coordination with relevant teams;
• Collaborate with implementing partners to ensure compliance with donor visibility requirements at field level;
• Ensure that all communication materials are appropriately targeted, context-sensitive and gender-responsive;
• Perform 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

• University degree in communication, journalism, international relations, or a related field
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in communications, public information, or journalism, with a strong emphasis on field-based content collection and storytelling
• Working knowledge of English (Level C) and Ukrainian (Level C)
• National of Ukraine

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Proven experience working in emergency or humanitarian contexts, specifically in eastern or southern Ukraine, and familiarity with the local media landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and document human-interest stories and field-level results through high-quality photog-raphy, video, and interview techniques.
• Proven experience in drafting diverse communication materials, including news stories and social media content, in line with institutional styles and sensitive-context protocols.
• Strong ability to coordinate field visits, media missions, and events while maintaining effective relationships with local stakeholders and implementing partners.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION