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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 key mission of the FAO Representation in Somalia, which is led by FAO Representative (FAOR), is to assist and support the national government to develop policies, strategies and programme aimed at accelerating the Implementation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in FAO's global mandate and Strategic Objectives. More specifically, FAO's response aims to address national needs and priorities in achieving food security, reducing hunger and malnutrition, developing agricultural, fishery and forestry sectors, and ensuring the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources and respond to recurrent emergencies. The current portfolio of activities of the FAO Representation in Somalia includes a wide scope of technical support interventions ranging from policy support through livestock and crop production, to natural resource management, Nutrition, value chain, food security analysis and water and land information management. FAO is also implementing several emergency, resilience-building, and development interventions, with the support of its five field offices and close to 400 staff in partnership with the Federal and State line ministries.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Somalia, the general guidance of Strategy and Resource Mobilization and direct supervision of the Communications specialist.
Technical Focus
The incumbent will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of communication, visibility, and communication-for-development strategies, ensuring effective storytelling, stakeholder engagement, media outreach, project visibility, and knowledge sharing to enhance FAO Somalia’s programme impact and results.
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Tasks and responsibilities
• Prepare detailed mission briefs outlining photo and video shoot objectives, methodologies, expected outputs, and quality requirements for contractors.
• Supervise photography and videography missions virtually and/or in person to ensure delivery of high-quality outputs and compliance with FAO standards.
• Gather and consolidate photos, videos, human-interest stories, and other content to document and showcase FAO’s achievements and impact in Somalia.
• Develop case studies, success stories, and visibility content in close collaboration with Information Management, programme, and technical teams.
• Support the preparation and production of communication materials for media events, technical releases, campaigns, project launches, and dissemination of research findings.
• Maintain active participation in communications team meetings and monitor progress of communications deliverables through established tracking systems.
• Develop, manage, and monitor project visibility plans to ensure timely implementation and donor compliance.
• Maintain a calendarized communications and visibility workplan, coordinating regularly with programme units on upcoming activities and project milestones.
• Ensure all new projects are supported by dedicated communications and visibility plans aligned with organizational requirements.
• Develop communication products and key messaging tailored to diverse audiences, including scripts, video concepts, online stories, and promotional materials.
• Coordinate and manage logistics for photography, videography, and multimedia production missions.
• Draft scripts, interview guides, talking points, and communication content to support media productions and outreach activities.
• Obtain quotations, cost estimates, and procurement inputs for communications, branding, and visibility requirements.
• Manage contractor agreements, deliverables, invoices, and performance to ensure timely and quality execution of assignments.
• Research, write, edit, and produce content for websites, social media platforms, media outreach, and other FAO communication channels.
• Coordinate the production and dissemination of communication and advocacy materials, including human-interest stories, infographics, branded items, and promotional products, in accordance with FAO corporate branding guidelines.
• Represent FAO in inter-agency communication platforms, including Humanitarian Communication and United Nations Information Groups in Somalia.
• Support the drafting of press releases, statements, media responses, and press conference materials in coordination with FAO communication offices at country, regional, and headquarters levels.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive archive of visual and audio assets, including photographs, videos, captions, b-roll footage, and multimedia resources.
• Support social media planning, content development, scheduling, and audience engagement activities across FAO digital platforms.
• Contribute communication and visibility content to donor reports, project reports, and organizational publications.
• Lead the design, implementation, and monitoring of Communication for Development (ComDev) strategies and interventions, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement and improved programme delivery.
• Design, pilot, and scale up inclusive Rural Communication Services (RCS), utilizing appropriate communication channels and promoting community ownership and participation.
• Lead outreach, knowledge-sharing, radio monitoring, listener feedback mechanisms, webinars, online learning initiatives, voice-over productions, and dissemination of C ComDev-related content across multiple platforms.
• Translate and adapt capacity-building materials into Somali, ensuring contextual relevance, linguistic accuracy, preservation of original meaning, and appropriate use of sector-specific terminology and references; perform other related duties as required.
• FAOSTYLE (English: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf ; French: https://www.fao.org/3/AC339FR/ac339fr.pdf ; Spanish: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339s/ac339s.pdf ;Arabic: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339a/ac339a.pdf ; Chinese: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339c/ac339c.pdf;)
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm ;
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en ;
Story guidelines http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/UPDATED-Digital-Storytelling-Guide-EN-FINAL.pd f;
Story template http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/FAO-Stories-Template-UPDATED.pdf ;
UN map standards (available to staff);
FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff).
• Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.
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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Communications, Journalism, Mass Communication, Media Studies, Public Relations, Marketing, International Relations, Development Communication, or related field.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, media relations, public information, journalism, communication for development (ComDev), advocacy, and visibility, including experience in developing communication strategies, managing multimedia content, coordinating media outreach, and supporting development or humanitarian programmes.
• Working Knowledge (Level C) of English.
• National of Somalia
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Master’s degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Communications, Journalism, Mass Communication, Media Studies, Public Relations, Marketing, International Relations, Development Communication, or related field is an asset.
• Experience in Multimedia Content Creation and Digital Communications
• Excellent Communications Strategy, Visibility and Media Relations
• Familiar with Project Cycle Management.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• 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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