Communication Officer (IPC)

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• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
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• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

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

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.

Organizational Setting\:

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

The Agrifood Economics and Policy Division (ESA) conducts economic research and policy analysis to support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. ESA provides evidence-based support to national, regional and global policy processes and initiatives related to monitoring and analysing food and agricultural policies, agribusiness and value chain development, rural transformation and poverty, food security and nutrition information and analysis, resilience, bioeconomy, and climate-smart agriculture. The Division also leads the production of two FAO flagship publications\: the State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) and the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a global, multi-partner innovative initiative to facilitate decision-making with improved food security analysis, through a set of tools and protocols for classifying the severity and nature of food insecurity and implications for response. IPC incorporates a meta-analysis approach drawing on evidence-based analysis of food security, nutrition and livelihood information through a consensus approach that includes a broad range of stakeholders.

This global initiative is governed and strategically guided by an IPC Global Steering Committee (GSC), consisting of 15 major UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and regional intergovernmental body agencies, including\: Action Against Hunger, Care International, Comité Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS), Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Union, Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), FAO, Global Food Security Cluster, Global Nutrition Cluster, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Save the Children, Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The IPC works\: 1) at the global level, through the IPC Global Steering Committee, which is responsible for the strategic vision and oversight of IPC global standards worldwide; the IPC Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which is responsible for IPC technical normative developments; and the IPC Global Support Unit (GSU) hosted within ESA, which is responsible for the coordination of IPC normative developments, IPC global standards on quality and compliance, and the global coordination of capacity building support to IPC activities worldwide); 2) at the regional level, through GSU Certified Training Units and through Regional IPC Steering/Technical Working Groups that are integrated within existing regional platforms; 3) at the country level, where the introduction and implementation of IPC is supported by Country IPC Technical Working Groups, which are linked and institutionalized within existing government and partner food security and nutrition platforms.

The position is located in ESA at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines

The Communication Officer (IPC) reports to the Economist, IPC Deputy Global Programme Manager, under the overall guidance of the Senior Programme Coordinator/IPC Global Programme Manager and ESA Director.

Technical Focus

Coordinate, manage and implement major selected deliverables of the IPC Global Strategic Programme (GSP)\: 1) quality of IPC outputs is improved; 2) IPC tools and procedures are responsive to evolving analytical developments and challenges; 3) at global, regional and country level, IPC is supported by inclusive and sustainable processes and structures; and 4) IPC information is efficiently communicated and accessible to all stakeholders for effective decision support.

Key Results

Result-oriented team leadership and a communication strategy, communication plans and activities that ensure that the IPC Initiative is positioned as a global leader in food insecurity and malnutrition analysis and information products are strategically communicated to relevant audiences and activities smoothly coordinated with key stakeholders at global, regional and national levels.

Key Functions

• Plans and delivers programmes, products and services including related policies, systems and tools to facilitate the effective media relations and internal as well as external communication activities.
• Analyses information, data, statistics, relativities, trends, problems and/or issues to support effective communication delivery, new initiatives, and the preparation of plans, strategies, reports, policies and/or other products.
• Provides specialist advice and expertise to internal and external partners on specific or complex cases, strategic communication, written communication, policy interpretation issues and/or best practices, etc.
• Manages special projects and provides guidance to consultants for the development and implementation of new products, tools and systems.
• Develops information, training materials and products to increase understanding of programmes, services and policies; promotes capacity development.
• Develops relevant performance criteria and indicators to evaluate programmes, products and services.

Specific Functions

• Designs, updates and implements the IPC communications strategy in support of the delivery of the IPC GSP.
• Provides leadership and guidance to all IPC communication activities and personnel with the aim to continuously improve quality of IPC analyses and related products.
• Develops or oversees the preparation of a diverse range of information, advocacy and marketing material as well as guidance
  and templates to increase understanding of IPC and promotes the uptake of IPC analytical findings, including but not limited to\: IPC global briefs series; communication guidance on how to communicate IPC results; communication guidance on how to interpret and cite the IPC results; a package of standard presentations and communication material for GSU staff; etc.
• Designs visual and simplified communication products and activities tailored for audiences, building on the already existing information products to improve the general understanding of the work for the IPC and its processes.
• Develops country communication plans for the top ten food crises to ensure all key stakeholders are strategically targeted.
  Provides in-country or remote support in implementing the IPC protocol on communication and related tools in selected countries that will conduct IPC analyses to ensure harmonization of efforts and communication effectiveness, timeliness and accuracy in order to adequately inform resource mobilization and crises response activities.
• Through targeted training and the design technical communication style guides, supports technical staff in the production of consistent, accurate and effective messaging on IPC Classifications, including Famine Communication related products.
• Improves IPC media relations by coaching technical staff on media engagement and identifying beat journalists for training opportunities and closer engagement.
• Supports the drafting and publishing of the IPC Technical Guidance and Standards materials in English, French and Spanish, through appropriate dissemination channels, to ease access and increase use.
• Oversees the analysis of traffic and usage statistics of IPC web and social media messaging and content; in close collaboration with relevant IPC team members, proposes strategies and activities to continuously improve outreach, usability and demand for IPC products and messaging.
• Provides communication support to key IPC partners (e.g. SICA, Cadre Harmonize, etc.);
• Provides support to IPC training initiatives by designing communication modules and producing training materials, as required.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in communication, international relations, social sciences or other closely related discipline.
• Seven years of relevant experience in the development of communication for development, knowledge management policies and programmes especially with civil society organizations, social movements, NGOs, cooperatives, producer organizations or governments.
• Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience and knowledge in communication strategies and tools, knowledge sharing and use of new media to enhance dissemination of messages.
• Extent and relevance of experience in training methodologies, networks and community of practices in multi-partner initiatives.
• Ability to analyse communication and information sharing issues in the context of informing decisions in a timely and accurate manager.
• Ability to systematize and share experiences and practices with communities of practice.
• Relevant professional experience in food crises contexts is considered a strong asset.
• Familiarity with the IPC Programme and capacity to liaise with relevant partners is desirable.