IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
- 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 staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.
Organizational Setting
FAO’s Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands (FAOSAP) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing sub-regional food, agriculture and rural development priorities. It assists the FAO Representations (FAORs) in the sub-region with addressing sub-regional food security, agriculture, and rural development issues at country level. The Sub-regional Office is a subsidiary of FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP).
This position is associated with the project “Sustainable Transformation of Domestic Agrifood Systems in Fiji, Samoa and Solomon Islands” (STODAS; FAO: GCP/SAP/011/EC; EU: FED/2022/436-777), an EU-funded initiative operating across three Pacific countries with a total budget of EUR 10 million. A No-Cost Extension (NCE) has been approved extending the project to 31 January 2028.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall guidance of the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator (SRC), the National Communications Specialist (NCS) will directly report to the Programme Specialist / Project Management Specialist (PMS) based in Apia, Samoa, who acts as Team Leader for the project. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the International Communications Specialist at FAOSAP and with other national and international consultants of the STODAS project. The National Communications Specialist will perform the duties described below.
Technical Focus
Communications, visibility and knowledge management in support of EU-funded agrifood systems development projects; media relations; digital and social media content production; design and branding; publication processes; and outreach across the Pacific sub-region.
Tasks and responsibilities
In close collaboration with Office of Communications (OCC) branches and appropriate Communication focal points, the incumbent will:
STODAS project communication and visibility
• Regularly assess and update the STODAS communication and visibility (C&V) plan to meet evolving donor requirements and project milestones.
• Oversee the end-to-end production of video stories, featuring project beneficiaries from identification to high-quality filming. Act as the primary bridge between technical teams and the communications framework to extract raw data and human-interest angles.
• Develop and customise design templates for project materials (banners, brochures, posters) ensuring strict adherence to donor and FAO branding policies
• Guide the development of policy briefs and other knowledge products through the FAO Publication Works System (PWS).
Local media relations and outreach
• Utilise established connections with local press to an opinion editorial and human-interest stories highlighting direct project impacts on farmers.
• Generate content packages from technical programmes and project reports tailored for national, provincial, and community-level audiences.
• Use diverse local channels, such as community radio, to communicate effectively with rural producers in local languages.
• Continuously monitor regional media for agrifood system trends and proactively identify opportunities to amplify the project’s visibility.
FAOSAP office support and digital engagement
• Create and schedule regular, engaging content for social media platforms to raise awareness of FAO’s broader work in the Pacific.
• Work with FAOSAP, RAP, and HQ specialists to align project activities with internationally recognised days and global media campaigns.
• Facilitate on-site media briefings and provide tailored communication support for key events and national milestones.
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 communications, journalism, public relations, media studies, international development or a related discipline from an institution recognised by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO.
• At least three years of relevant professional experience in communications, public information, journalism, media production or a related field, with demonstrated experience in development communications or international organisation communications.
• Working knowledge of English
• National of Samoa, Fiji or Solomon Islands or resident of the country with valid work permit
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Knowledge of Samoan, Fijian, Solomons' Pijin or another Pacific language is an asset
• Demonstrated experience in communications for EU-funded projects or international development programmes, including familiarity with EU Communication and Visibility (C&V) guidelines.
• Proven skills in multimedia content production, including video storytelling, photography, graphic design and template development for print and digital materials.
• Experience working with Pacific media, community radio or local language content production; established relationships with Pacific regional and national press are an asset.
• Familiarity with FAO publication and clearance processes (PWS), social media management tools, and FAO or UN branding standards is an asset.
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
- Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
- Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
- Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
- For other issues, 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.
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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