Communications Specialist

Organizational Setting

FAO Mongolia works with the vision "to be a leading, credible and responsive partner in ensuring food and nutrition security of the population". The office has been coordinating projects and programmes in research, capacity building, natural resources management, technology transfer, food and agriculture policy, livestock production systems management, emergency and post-crisis management, forestry information, statistics, food security and nutrition, emergency response operations, crop production system management, and food quality and safety.

The project “SDG-Aligned Budgeting to Transform Employment in Mongolia” aims to support increased employment and promotion of decent work in Mongolia. The Project is managed by UNDP in partnership with FAO and ILO. FAO will contribute to the Employment Promotion Component of the project. This component combines efforts towards four outcome areas for boosting employability: existing national programmes for employment, Mongolia’s ecosystem for enterprising/innovation, the range of skills and capacity development services, and scalable pilots that can yield insights for policy directions which, in turn, inform the first three. FAO’s main outcome will be to undertake selected pilots with scope for scaling up, with large-scale potential for youth employment and training, especially in rural areas. The experience of pilots will contribute to effective public-private partnership models, building evidence, establishing lessons, and policy development, and better informing national programmes, apart from expanding opportunities and worker productivity.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Prog) in Mongolia and in close liaison with the FAO Mongolia Communication and Networking Specialist.

Technical Focus

The Project is managed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) and has the following four components: Component A) Bridging Policies with Budgets; Component B) Budget Oversight and Transparency; Component C) Employment Promotion: Boosting Employability; and Component D) Effective Application of International Labour Standards by Strengthening Institutions of Work.

UN-FAO is responsible for implementing a part of Component C: Employment Promotion and aims at Undertaking selected pilots with scope for scaling up, with large-scale potential for youth employment and training, especially in rural areas. The experience of pilots will contribute to effective public-private partnership models, building evidence, establishing lessons, and policy development, and better informing national programs, apart from expanding opportunities and worker productivity. It will be implemented in close coordination with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry.

Tasks and responsibilities

• In close consultation and collaboration with the FAO Mongolia and EU Communication Coordinators and with relevant stakeholders, conduct communication and visibility activities to raise government and public awareness of project interventions,
• Build partnerships with relevant stakeholders including farmer and herder groups and private sector stakeholders, and review and modify the work plan as necessary,
• Implement the communication work plan in collaboration with public and private partners,
• Collaborate with media organizations with the purpose of dissemination of projects’ information to the public,
• Assist in the preparation and updating of briefs, speeches, talking points, presentations, brochures, infographics, reports and public information materials,
• Prepare creative contents including video, human-interest story etc. related to the project progress,
• Prepare a quarterly project newsletter and submit articles about the project activities in the target aimags for publication on FAO websites,
• To be engaged in complementing the FAO website, developing information and upgrading, disseminating information to the public through social networks, and organizing online advocacy to improve public understanding;
• Undertake field visits to document project field activities, gather stakeholder perceptions and capture knowledge attitudes and practices;
• Proactively seek out good beneficiary feature story possibilities for TV, newspaper and journals;
• Identify training requirements in communications, and develop and implement a training programme for the project staff and related stakeholders;
• When required, translate a variety of materials including speeches, press releases, brochures and reports produced by the projects and national consultants, into English or Mongolian as required,
• Perform other duties as requested.
• Liaise with the Office of Communication (OCC) will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes.

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
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.pdf;
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.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• A university degree in journalism, communication, public relations, economics, business administration, translation and interpreting of English, or other relevant disciplines,
• At least 7 years of work experience in communications and social media,
• Working knowledge of English and Mongolian,
• Nationality of Mongolia.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• An excellent command of English is required as are proven writing and reporting skills,
• The ability to operate under pressure and good interpersonal skills,
• Social media experience and ability to utilize video tools is an advantage.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills,
• Proactive approach to improve the visibility of the FAO Mongolia activities,
• Experience in awareness-raising activities,
• Strong writing, composition and editing skills in both English and Mongolian.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION