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Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist

Multiple locations

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Multiple locations
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Communication and Public Information
    • Education, Learning and Training
  • Closing Date: Closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

  • 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

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAO-RNE) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for rural transformation, transformation of agrifood systems for healthy diets, greening agriculture and resilience and emergencies. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and, in collaboration with divisions, centres and offices at headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities.

This assignment falls under the project Sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems development (FMM/GLO/131/MUL) which supports coherent and enabling policies, strengthened capacities of public and private sector actors, and increased investments from the public and private sector targeting agribusiness development, trade and food loss and waste reduction.

Reporting Lines

The Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist will report to the Agro-Food Industry Officer in the regional office for the Near East and North Africa and work in close collaboration with units in FAO-RNE, other FAO regional offices and FAO-HQ.


Technical Focus

Agrifood systems in the NENA region face multiple challenges, such as climate change, a triple burden of malnutrition, conflict and protracted crises, and degraded natural resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the urgent need for transforming agrifood systems to be more sustainable and resilient. Such transformation of agrifood systems should address the challenges of ensuring availability, access, stability and use of food in ways that provide smallholder producers and rural communities with opportunities for driving income-growth and employment while ensuring the sustainability of the region’s ecosystems..

FAO-RNE supports member countries and regional stakeholders though several programmatic action areas that promote more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. These include reducing food loss and waste along the value chain; developing value chains and agri-businesses, enhancing food safety and quality, strengthening urban food systems, promoting agro-industrial development, and advancing the agenda for agrifood systems transformation to ensure food security and healthy diets for all. Modes of support include policy and evidence, capacity development, knowledge and experience exchange, communications and advocacy, and engagement with regional fora and institutions.

A key area of support at regional level is to provide networking opportunities for knowledge, information, and experience exchange among NENA stakeholders on FLW measurement, prevention, reduction and management. Recent estimates by FAO (2019) and UNEP (2021) show that 11 percent of the food produced is lost in NENA from post-harvest until before retail stage. Seventy-three to 165 kilograms is wasted in hotels, restaurants, catering and household consumption per capita/year. Recognizing the magnitude and impact of FLW, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development dedicated SDG Target 12.3 to tackling the issue, calling for halving per capita global food waste at retail and consumer levels by 2030, and reducing food losses along the production and supply chains. Governments, private sector and many other actors have re-affirmed their commitment to achieving the target through advocacy, better policies and regulations, capacity building and education as well as investment in reducing FLW.

A Network on FLW Reduction in NENA would serve to enhance evidence-based FLW reduction interventions, regional collaboration through dialogue, policy coherence among member countries, and ultimately help accelerate country progress towards SDG Target 12.3. The NENA FLW Network hosted by FAO-RNE would also build partnerships and form information linkages with international networks and FLW reduction initiatives.

Tasks and responsibilities


In the first six months the consultant will:
• Lead the planning and execution of communications-related activities for the FLW Network and FAO-RNE programme area on FLW reduction
• Develop and facilitate a web-based platform for the NENA FLW Network and that provides awareness, advocacy, and capacity development tools as well as a repository of evidence and experience on integrated, multi-disciplinary approaches in developing FLW strategies and interventions, taking into account implications on environment and natural resources, food security and economy.
• Draft materials and content in Arabic and/or English, such as web stories, presentations, social media content, infographics etc to convey and disseminate information to regional stakeholders in Arabic and English.
• Support the preparation of publications and documents (Arabic/English language editing, design and layout, and publication workflow, coordinating with graphic designers) and broad dissemination, within and outside FAO. Ensure that all products comply with FAO standards (FAO logo policy and guidelines; FAO style and terminology) in Arabic and/or English.
• Provide support to the organization of trainings and webinars on Zoom and promotion of these through different channels
• Other related duties as required.


CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING


Minimum Requirements


• University degree in communications, social science, journalism or related field
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in communications, knowledge management, and/or public information relating to food loss and waste, value chain development and/or sustainable food systems.
• Arabic C level & English B level

FAO Core Competencies


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

Selection Criteria


• Level, extent and relevance of experience leading communications for awareness, advocacy, and knowledge exchange for technical programmes; work experience in the region and with international organizations is an asset.
• Depth of Arabic language skills: full fluency in written Arabic is required and will be assessed.
• Ability to participate and work in a team under tight deadlines.
• Ability to manage multiple work streams.
• Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Photoshop is desirable.

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

This vacancy is now closed.
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