Communications Officer

Closure Date: 21/Aug/2018, 11:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: FAO ZIMBABWE
Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Zimbabwe-Harare
Duration: 12 months renewable
Post Number: N/A
CCOG Code: N/A

Reporting Lines
Working under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Zimbabwe, and the direct supervision of the LFSP-APN Chief Technical Advisor and in close collaboration with the LFSP Policy Officer and relevant FAO staff, donors, implementing partners, government and other LFSP components, the incumbent will lead the implementation of the LFSP Communication and positioning strategy ensuring coherence with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines developed by the Office of Corporate Communications.

Technical Focus
The technical areas/profiles covered will be as follows:
• Development communications
• Visibility
• Advocacy

Tasks and responsibilities

• Work with team members to review and update the Communications Positioning plan;
• Collect, synthesize and package information; including production, editing of human-interest stories, press releases, web stories and lead in the production of communication products;
• Edit texts of a specialized or technical nature in order to ensure accuracy, clarity, cohesion and conformity with FAO house-style English, policy and practice;
• Cultivate relations with the media, organise and facilitate media coverage for events, guide media engagement for the country programme team, project staff and stakeholders to achieve LFSP and country programme objectives;
• Represent FAO in the Communications Technical Groups and ensuring that FAO areas of programmatic focus are reflected;
• Liaise with several communication service providers for production of material including; visibility materials, publications, photography, audio-visual production, editors, etc.;
• Monitor and analyse current events, public opinion and press, identifies issues and trends, and advises management on appropriate action/responses;
• Regularly produce LFSP communication productions i.e. project publications, website updates, booklets, leaflets; brochures, clips and photo-library;
• Assist in organising projects functions, workshops, meetings, donor and partner field trips, briefings etc.
• Maintaining online social presence of LFSP activities including website updating, Twitter and Facebook,
• Maintain an LFSP database of all project partners, stakeholders and networks;
• Update and maintain contents related to LFSP activities on the country/regional websites and social media / Twitter;
• Liaise and coordinate with country and regional communication officers;
• Produce press releases related to the project;
• Collect and archive photos to be used in feature stories;
• Perform other related duties, including the direct implementation of some technical activities, as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced University degree in communications, development studies, media studies or related field
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive responsible experience in Development Communications, in the area of agriculture or related field
• Working knowledge of English.
• Being nationals of Zimbabwe

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

Selection Criteria
• Experience in drafting/editing a variety of public information documents/ products/infographics/brochures