Communications Officer P3 - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

The Communication Officer (P3) in WFP Burkina Faso will play a key role in shaping and implementing communication strategies to support WFP’s mission in a country facing significant humanitarian challenges. Working within the WFP Country Office, the officer will raise awareness of WFP’s work, advocate for resources, and engage stakeholders, including the media, government, donors, and affected communities. The role requires strong communication skills, a deep understanding of the local context, and the ability to navigate a rapidly evolving environment. The officer will collaborate across units to ensure WFP’s messages are clear, effective, and aligned with operational objectives in response to food insecurity and crises in the country.

This position reports to the Country Director, with functional supervision from the Regional Communications Officer, to ensure that the communications activities of the Country Office align with WFP’s needs in the country of assignment. The role will also consider the regional communications plan and WFP’s corporate communications goals.

JOB PURPOSE:

To develop, plan, and implement communications activities that support the overall communications strategy and WFP objectives.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Develop, maintain, and update an appropriate work plan for the assigned area, which implements the corporate communications strategy, to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, and support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with WFP strategy.

• Plan, manage and evaluate communications campaigns that favorably impact the views of the public, opinion leaders and donors to raise WFP’s profile and support fundraising activities.

• Prepare communications products that effectively convey the desired message to the targeted audience(s).

• Maintain and develop a contact list of journalists and media outlets and manage the regular flow of news/information about WFP’s work to the media, ensuring reputational risks are identified and managed.

• Define a social media plan for the assigned area that leverages social media content, platforms, networks, and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.

• Generate and/or facilitate the production of donor-specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos, and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fundraising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.

• Track and analyze traditional and online media, to identify trends and/or issues, and propose solutions and ideas to improve the effectiveness of communication strategy and activities

• Manage junior communications officers/team, develop work plans, monitor performance against objectives, and ensure appropriate development to enable high performance.

• Coordinate and prepare accurate and timely reporting on communications activities that enable informed decision-making, evaluation of objectives, and consistency of information presented to stakeholders.

• Build capacity of WFP staff on all aspects of external relations communication, providing advice, guidance, and training to ensure consistent, quality communications activities that deliver the desired impact.  

• Work in close collaboration with counterparts to align activities and ensure a coherent approach to communications within WFP.

• Contribute to preparedness actions, providing technical recommendations and guidance, and monitoring the management of communications-specific risks.

• Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Advanced University degree in a relevant subject such as Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or others, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.

Experience:

• 5 years of relevant progressively responsible experience of professional experience in communication, media, or public information.

• Able to draft neutral, transparent, and context-appropriate messaging during crises or conflicts.

• Experience working in complex emergency settings with access constraints, including for media.

• Able to build strong relationships with national government communication offices to coordinate communications, especially in challenging humanitarian contexts.

• Previous experience in successfully developing and implementing communication strategies that highlight the humanitarian-development nexus, showcasing partnerships with communities and the impact of humanitarian assistance.

• A strong background in developing narratives and stories that emphasize local innovation, resourcefulness, resilience-building, and community-driven solutions to challenges.

• Proven capacity to coordinate community engagement in contexts of challenging humanitarian access, including experience in building networks with local media and community radio stations.

Language:

• Fluency in both French and English

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE:

• Strong expertise in developing and implementing communication strategies for complex humanitarian and development contexts.

• Advanced understanding of traditional and digital media landscapes, with proven experience in leveraging social media platforms for effective communication.

• Proficiency in content creation, including writing, editing, photography, videography, and multimedia production.

• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and work collaboratively across diverse departments and stakeholders.

• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.

• Analytical skills to assess media trends, measure communication impact, and recommend actionable improvements.

• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability to operate effectively in a multicultural environment.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills to build relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, donors, and media representatives.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is dedicated to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our recruitment process is inclusively crafted to welcome candidates of all backgrounds, celebrating diversity and ensuring a respectful environment for all. We aim for an accessible and fair recruitment journey. Should you need any reasonable accommodations or have accessibility concerns, please reach out to us confidentially at global.inclusion@wfp.org. Our DEI team is here to ensure your full participation in our recruitment process.

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete, and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, language skills and UN Grade (if applicable).

• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• Please make sure you upload your professional CV in the English language

• Kindly note the only documents you will need to submit at this time are your CV and Cover Letter

• Additional documents such as passport, recommendation letters, academic certificates, etc. may potentially be requested at a future time

• Please contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org in case you face any challenges with submitting your application

• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.