Organizational Setting

The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub (hereafter the Hub) supports countries implementing food system transformation pathways that have been developed in the occasion of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. FAO hosts the Hub in Rome on behalf of the UN system. As per the Hub’s approved programme of work for 2024-2026 “the strategic work, decision-making, and engagement of the Hub continues to be steered by an Oversight Steering Group comprising the Principals of FAO, WFP, IFAD, UN-DCO and the UN “Food Systems Task Force” Leads (WHO and UNDP), with participation from the UN DSG.”
The Hub has a coordinating and connector role, drawing on the capacities of the UN system and leveraging the advice and expertise of the wider ecosystem of support, serving countries by incentivizing existing institutions to deliver on their mandates systemically. In this context, the Hub covers work under five coordination clusters as follows:
•    Landing the Vision of Food Systems Transformation (Overarching Cluster)
•    Policy and Governance Cluster
•    Science and Knowledge Cluster
•    Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration Cluster
•    Finance and Investment Cluster
A major milestone of the Hub’s 2024-2026 work plan is the organisation of the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocking Moment in 2025 (UNFSS 4). The Senior Advocacy Specialist is expected to play a leading role in defining and executing the Hub’s communications strategy at the organizational level and ensuring that relevant messaging from the Hub reaches top international media outlets and media news sources. He/she will provide guidance and complementary expertise to the Hub advocacy and communication experts in generating high-quality content from technical programmes, events, policies and programme/projects reports and news reports to enhance the visibility of the Hub’s work among Members, the UN system and potential donors – and throughout the international community.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Advocacy Specialist will report to the Director of the Hub.

Technical Focus 

Communication and Advocacy

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Director of the Hub and in close collaboration with the Communication Departments of the Agencies supporting the Hub (e.g. FAO Office of Communications, OCC, Executive Office of the UN Secretary General etc.) the incumbent will:
•    Forge strategic partnerships with individuals and organizations who can help produce content and promote Hub’s work and activities, as well as provide research insights to improve communications; to promote the work of national convenors, partners, and civil society actors.
•    Develop news-driven and authoritative content to lead the narrative on food systems transformation and show the UNFSS and Hub’s impact, create storytelling to maintain the UNFSS momentum by signposting concrete actions that governments and other global, national, or local actors have taken to advance food systems transformation, promoting them in view of the upcoming UNFSS 4 in 2025.
•    Ensure that the content created reaches maximum impact with the general public by developing distribution strategies from the outset, boosting the visibility of Hub’s content, and placing it on external channels.
•    Foster and maintain media relations with key global media outlets and journalists to help raise the Hub profile and visibility.
•    Prepares and issues high-level statements, remarks to the press, and speeches for the Hub.
•    Pitch in coordination with the Hub supporting Agencies, press releases, stories and op-eds to top international media outlets and media news sources.
•    Ensure Hub’s leading share of voice in a variety of top international media news sources and social media on all matters relating to food systems, National Pathways, UN Food Systems Summit, etc. Under the Hub’s duty of care, we propose initiatives and use reactive, opportunistic, and proactive communications.
•    Lead the Hub advocacy and communication experts to timely disseminate press releases and other information material to the UN Agencies supporting the Hub and press correspondents and partners.
•    Guide the Hub advocacy and communication experts to conduct media monitoring and prepare media coverage reports on specific issues.
•    Support liaison with the FAO Office of Communication (OCC), and with the Communications Departments of all Agencies supporting the Hub directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with UN standards and appropriate review and clearance processes.
•    Perform other duties as requested.

Liaison with the OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, appropriate review and clearance processes.

All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:

FAOSTYLE (English: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf;  French: https://www.fao.org/3/AC339FR/ac339fr.pdf;  Spanish: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339s/ac339s.pdf;  Arabic: https://www.fao.org/3/ac339a/ac339a.pdf;  Chinese:
https://www.fao.org/3/ac339c/ac339c.pdf);
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm;
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en;
Story guidelines http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/UPDATED-Digital-Storytelling-Guide-EN-FINAL.pdf;
Story template http://intranet.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/occ/Quick_Guides/FAO-Stories-Template-UPDATED.pdf;
UN map standards (available to staff);
FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff).

Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in journalism, communication, or a closely related field.
•    Five years of relevant experience for category B and ten years for category A in journalism, communication, news production and/or editing, or closely related fields; including work experience with FAO or the UN System.
•    Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core 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
•    Extent and relevance of experience in relations with media and news outlets
•    Extent and relevance of experience in publishing articles in major media