By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Communication Specialist (Internal Communications)

Rome

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Rome
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Communication and Public Information
  • Closing Date: 2025-02-17

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT\:

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

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.


Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Office of Communications (OCC) is responsible for both external and internal communications of the Organization. It aims at making FAO's communications strategic, coherent, focused and impactful, while ensuring effectiveness and efficiency in communication-related operations.

The post is located in the Office of Communications (OCC) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, in the Internal Communications Branch, OCCC.


Reporting Lines

The Communications Specialist reports to the Senior Communication Officer, Head of Internal Communications (OCCC).
The incumbent operates independently, takes decisions on work priorities and exercises initiative for dealing with cases without precedents. Supervision received is focused on the quality of work output. He/she provides guidance and advice to other staff, as required.


Technical Focus

Creation and management of internal communications content, including writing, editing, graphic design, video and workflow coordination.


Tasks and responsibilities

• Research and analyse technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional and technology-related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support internal and/or external communication.
• Draft, edit and design a variety of corporate communications, branding and multimedia products aimed at an internal audience, ensuring consistency with FAO's communication policy according to corporate needs and priorities.
• Draft, implement and monitor communication plans and strategies and provide day-to-day support for strategic outputs.
• Compile and analyze data on internal communications, producing reports on engagement, feedback, and impact.
• Develop media assets to enhance brand visibility and optimize internal communication platforms, including improving tools, systems, and processes.
• Participate in multidisciplinary teams and/or lead working groups/teams; collaborate and coordinate with other Divisions/Offices/Centres on work groups and committees and promote communications best practices.
• Coordinate and ensure the timely scheduling of content to internal communications platforms including digital signage, intranet and Viva Engage.
• Support the creative direction of global staff events producing all branding and multimedia content.
• Coordinate intranet operations, ensuring functionality and design consistency. Provide CMS support (Typo3, SiteFinity), liaise with technical personnel, train team members, and maintain guidelines and documentation.
• Any other duties as necessary.
• All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including\:

• FAOSTYLE\: https\://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf (available in six languages); FAO terminology\: http\://www.fao.org/faoterm ;
• FAO Names Of Countries https\://www.fao.org/nocs/en;
• FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff). UN map standards (available to staff).


CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING


Minimum Requirements

• University degree in communication, social science, journalism, political science or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in communication, intranet/web publishing and/or design
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English.


FAO Core Competencies

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


Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience in internal communications, including intranet, digital signage, and staff engagement content.
• Strong writing, reporting, graphic design, editing, and multimedia skills for diverse internal audiences.
• Proficiency with CMS (Typo3, SiteFinity) and familiarity with digital tools (MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Xibo, Viva Engage).
• Ability to develop and execute internal communication strategies aligned with corporate goals and report on impact.
• Experience in multimedia production for events.


Selection Criteria

• Relevant experience in internal communications within international organizations, preferably the UN.
• Proven ability to create engaging internal content (branding, graphics, video, written) under tight deadlines.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to develop, implement and report on internal communication strategies.
• Digital fluency with proficiency in digital communication tools, multimedia design, and engagement analytics.
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills in diverse, multilingual and multidisciplinary settings.
• Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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 any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
  • Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
  • 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 more information, visit the FAO employment website
  • 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

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

We do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.