Communications Officer NOB

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is the United Nations frontline agency against world hunger. It is the largest and longest serving humanitarian agency in Benin. Currently WFP activities are:  Nutrition sensitive school meals activities; Institutional capacity strengthening; Nutrition treatment; Malnutrition prevention; Asset creation and livelihood support. WFP has operations in various parts of the Country. WFP cherishes and takes pride in fostering a working environment of high capacity, diversity and innovation. We are currently seeking experienced and creative applicants for the position of Communication Officer (NOB) to join our team.

Under the general supervision of the Country Director and the technical oversight of the Regional Communication, Advocacy and Marketing unit, the Communication and Advocacy Officer will design and implement communication and advocacy plans that positions WFP as a strategic partner to end hunger and malnutrition in Benin, deliver a range of communications activities – engage stakeholders and contribute to influence policy, manage media relations, digital content  - providing research and analysis, and prioritising effectively.

Advocacy 

• Support the design and implementation of a communication and advocacy strategy that analyses the situation, identifies advocacy issues, set goals and objectives; analyze policy and power, identify targets and influencers, develop an action plan, resourcing and implementation of the plan;

• Seize opportunities for WFP’s thought leadership on food security and nutrition with tactics and messaging to impact appropriate audiences;
• Contribute to communications through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products to target audience(s).

Content production and Digital

• Support the CO in producing or outsourcing the production of compelling content including, text, photos, graphics, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms and media, to support advocacy, brand building, as well as illustrate and demonstrate impact of WFP’s work for fund-raising activities;
• Support the social media plan by developing social media content, and utilizing platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.

 Networking and Partnerships

• Develop and maintain partnerships through extensive networking and proactive collaboration with the media, advocacy groups and other critical partners (including Government, UN entities, NGO, bilateral counterparts) and key influencers, whose support is essential to achieving WFP objectives.
• Ensure collaboration with internal global/regional communication partners to guarantee and consistency in messaging to enhance understanding
• Generate donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, to support global and country fund-raising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Understands WFP’s Strategic Objectives and the link to own work objectives.
•  Be a force for positive change: Flexibly adapts individual contributions to accommodate changes in direction from supervisors and internal/external changes (such as evolving needs of beneficiaries, new requirements of partners).
•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Recognizes and shares with team members the ways in which individual contributions relate to WFP’s mission.
•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Sets own goals in alignment with WFP’s overall operations, and is able to communicate this link to others.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people's skills: Assesses own strengths and weaknesses to increase self-awareness, and includes these in conversations on own developmental needs.
•  Create an inclusive culture: Participates in open dialogue, and values the diverse opinion of others, regardless of background, culture, experience, or country assignment.
•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Proactively seeks feedback and coaching to build confidence, and develop and improve individual skills.
•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Participates in accomplishing team activities and goals in the face of challenging circumstances.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Shows willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work.
•  Focus on getting results: Consistently delivers results within individual scope of work on time, on budget and without errors.
•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Commits to upholding individual accountabilities and responsibilities in the face of ever-changing country or functional priorities.
•  Be Decisive: Makes rational decisions about individual activities when faced with uncertain circumstances, including in times of ambiguity regarding information or manager direction.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Seeks to understand and adapt to internal or cross-unit teams’ priorities and preferred working styles.
•  Build strong external partnerships: Demonstrates ability to understand and appropriately respond to and/or escalate needs of external partners.
•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Portrays an informed and professional demeanor toward internal and external partners and stakeholders.
•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Provides operational support on analyses and assessments that quantifies and demonstrates WFP’s unique value as a partner.

• Has gained experience in utilising specialist communications techniques to enhance functional outputs
• Has provided direction and instruction to more junior staff members within area of expertise

Competencies:

• Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner.
• Willingness to explore and experiment new ideas and approaches in own work.
• Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills and the ability to liaise effectively with representatives from the international community, local and international media, governments, private sector, civil society, academia and other relevant actors, when required;
• Effectively, and in a timely manner, liaises and interacts with colleagues and concerned parties internally and externally
• General knowledge of Information Management with some understanding of the basic theoretical background.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including substantive analysis and report writing skills.

Media Relations

• Monitor and analyse traditional and social media to inform the development and/or evaluation of communication activities and strategies.
• Lead on managing reputational risk issues – leveraging WFP Regional Bureau and Headquarters competencies as needed;
• Ensure that responses to direct or indirect requests for information about the work of WFP CO, provide understanding of its objectives, policies and activities;
• Manage relations with the media – draft, edit texts for news releases, feature articles, briefing notes, backgrounders, Questions & Answers (Q&A), arrange interviews; and provide content;

Content production and Digital

• Support the CO in producing or outsourcing the production of compelling content including, text, photos, graphics, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms and media, to support advocacy, brand building, as well as illustrate and demonstrate impact of WFP’s work for fund-raising activities;
• Support the social media plan by developing social media content, and utilizing platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.

• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Only Beninese nationals  are eligible to apply for this position
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. 
• Selected candidate will be employed on a fixed-term contract with a probationary period of one year. WFP offers an attractive compensation package. For more details please visit International Civil Service Commision website: http://icsc.un.org  (link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/salaries/benin.htm

25th september 2019.