Reporting and Communications Specialist

Gaza

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Gaza
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Communication and Public Information
    • Documentation and Information Management
  • Closing Date: 2026-01-15

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.

The FAO Coordination Office for the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) Programme implements the Country Programming Framework for Palestine to enhance the wellbeing of Palestinian people by making the agrifood system more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable in alignment with national policies and strategies and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSCDF).

Reporting Lines

In close collaboration with Office of Communications (OCC) branches and appropriate Communication focal points, the Reporting and Communication Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS) Head of Office, the direct supervision of the Operations Officer and in close consultation with the Head of Programme and, as appropriate, the Communication Officer in the Regional Office for Near East and North Africa (RNE), Office of Emergencies and Resilience (OER) and the Resource Mobilization and Private Sector Partnerships Division (PSR) Units.

Technical Focus

Reporting and communications work serving specific projects and the FAO country programme.

Tasks and responsibilities

Communication/Outreach\:

• Develop visibility products for FAO WBGS (i.e. signage at project sites, posters, videos, flyers, brochures, etc.) to enhance and promote messaging to external stakeholders, including donors, humanitarian agencies and the general public, in line with OCC guidelines for multimedia production and corporate publishing standards, including FAOSTYLE, and with donor communications and visibility strategies for projects.

• Develop informational products (lessons learned documents from monitoring and implementation, presentations, brochures, infographics, speeches, etc.) and talking points for different audiences and fora, including workshops, events, donor consultation meetings and regional and international events.

• Capture and develop human interest stories in the field on beneficiaries and other FAO WBGS activities.

• Maintain media relations in the WBGS, including through the drafting and circulation of press releases among the in-country humanitarian networks (LACS), as well as drafting media talking points.

• Support donor relations and create content packages for donors.

• Represent the Office in UNSCG and HCT-AWG meetings (in person and online) in oPt to communicate FAO priorities, provide updates on advocacy efforts, and ensure alignment with UN system-wide communication initiatives.

• Perform as FAO WBGS Communications Unit lead, providing day-to-day supervision and tasking, guidance, and specialist communications advice to team members to ensure high-quality, timely, and aligned communication outputs.

• Act as the Office’s main Communications focal point for FAO divisions and units, UN agencies, donors, media partners, and local stakeholders.

• Liaise directly with OCC-OER, LOG, and LON communication focal points, as required, providing updates on planned communications, sharing publications, and updating on Country Office advocacy messages for internal coordination and the wider UN system.

Social Media\:

The objective of the role is to create the digital space for engaging with the public, civil society, the international community and other relevant stakeholders on topics related to agrifood systems and shaping the discourse around the four betters, leaving no one behind

• Collate information and develop appropriate digital assets, in line with global FAO key messages, terminology, standards and guidelines, and day-to-day management of thematic/regional/country social media channel(s), {add account handles and/or URLs}, as per the FAO social media guidelines and in support of country/regional/global strategies, liaising and coordinating with the relevant technical officers, Regional Communication Officers (RCO) and OCC, as appropriate, and relevant supervisor for clearance.

• For videos intended for use on social media channels, liaise with RCO and OCC to review scripts, formats and final clearances.

• Produce and develop outreach messages for social media plans and campaigns (including radio messages, television-spots, etc.), as well as exploring more potential digital outreach initiatives to raise offline and online visibility.

Reporting\:

• Contribute to the final preparation, consolidation and review of progress/terminal reports and the Country Annual Report, ensuring quality and alignment with the organization’s editorial policy and individual donor requirements.

• Contribute to preparing/editing/revising programme/operational documents such as policy papers, assessment reports, notes for the file, internal memoranda, publications, etc.

• Create and maintain templates (Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc.) and provide technical support for staff to use them.

Multimedia\:

• Provide photography and video coverage in the field, when required, in line with FAO Office of Communication technical specifications and guidelines on video and photographic production.

• Create and manage effective storage solutions of images using Flickr and other internal platforms such as OneDrive.

• Work with external designers to ensure their deliverables come with high quality and follow OCC’s and development partners’ branding and visibility guidelines.

• Provide visual and graphic editing and production services using tailored software to develop visual information management Products, when required.

• The officer-in-charge of the video production should liaise with OCC at the appropriate stages for distribution and publication of the video products. Videos should follow the FAO Video production guidelines\: https\://www.fao.org/3/cc5308en/cc5308en.pdf.

• For videos intended for use on social media channels, liaise with the Regional Communication Officer (RCO) and OCC to review scripts, formats and final clearances.

• 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.

Other\:

• Supervise Affiliate Workforce in administrative systems (GRMS) and in day-to-day activities as needed.

• Participate in interview panels as a Panel member for International Affiliate Workforce when requested.

• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Communications, Social/Political Sciences, International Relations or a closely related field. Consultants with bachelor`s degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.

• At least five years of professional experience in performing similar functions.

• Working knowledge (Level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Working experience with UN agencies/International organizations is desirable.

• Excellent ability to write for different audiences using different communication media.

• Very good command of Microsoft Office Suite.

• Knowledge of FinalCut Pro and Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign and Photoshop, is desirable.

• Demonstrated ability to work in a team, and interpersonal skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and prioritize tasks.

• Ability to travel across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

• Extent of familiarity with the geographical region.

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

• 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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.


• 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.
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