Organizational Setting

The Forestry Division leads FAO’s work in promoting sustainable forest management and providing leadership on the environmental, social and economic dimensions of forestry, including its contributions to poverty reduction and food security and nutrition. It liaises with member countries, civil society and the private sector in aspects ranging from development of effective forest policies to forest conservation and management issues and strengthens the role of forests in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Division also collects, analyses and disseminates information on the world’s forest resources and, on the production, trade and consumption of wood and non-wood forest products.
The purpose of this call is to provide FAO’s Forestry Division with a list of qualified candidates for three different specializations as indicated below.
Three requested profiles (or Job Titles):
•    Communication and Outreach Specialist
•    Knowledge Management Specialist
•    Multimedia Specialist (graphic and web design)

Reporting Lines

Selected applicants will report to Team Leaders across a range of teams in the Division, with the functional supervision of the NFO/OCC focal point and of the Office of Corporate Communication (OCC), other FAO Divisions, and external partners as required.

Technical Focus 

Communication, knowledge management and outreach. The consultant(s) will support the teams in the development, editorial production, quality assurance and dissemination of information materials both for technical audiences and for the general public, while working in close collaboration and liaison with FAO staff at Rome headquarters and regional and country offices, as well as key partners.

Tasks and responsibilities

In close collaboration with the NFO’s focal point for the Organization’s Office of Communications (OCC) and the OCC’s branches and focal points, the consultant will undertake the following tasks.

1. Communication and outreach specialist

The assigned tasks and responsibilities related to communication and outreach can include the following:

•    Draft, edit, proofread and fact check written communication products (news stories, press releases, speeches, newsletters, web pages, key messages, blogs, brochures, briefs and reports) ensuring compliance with FAO standards (FAO style, names of countries and FAO terminology).
•    Develop/support communication and outreach work with key partners through multiple communication and social media channels, which may include elements of coordination with other internal and external partners;
•    Collaborate with teams to develop multimedia content (video, photos, gifs, interactive stories) for multi-language social media campaigns;
•    Identify different outreach approaches for different audiences; design and deliver social media campaigns for targeted audiences; data visualization/social media content creation (videos/gifs/stories).
•    Manage and support global events and knowledge exchanges, in cooperation with relevant partners.

2. Knowledge management specialist

The assigned tasks and responsibilities related to knowledge management can include the following:

•    Support the organization of events and knowledge sharing activities, such as internal meetings, seminars and webinars, technical workshops, publication launches, social media campaigns, photo exhibits, etc.
•    Coordinate the maintenance of knowledge platform(s) with relevant content and activities from FAO and key partners, including liaison with members;
•    Provide support for creating e-newsletters, email announcements and other outreach products.
•    Assist with internal communication within the outreach team and technical teams in the Forestry Division and other Divisions. Take minutes of meetings, as required.
•    Develop and update teams’ webpages and/or knowledge platforms through the use of relevant information, documents and media in different languages.
•    Prepare reports of media campaign outcomes, using powerpoint and/or email. Collate statistics from social media, publication downloads, website traffic and media analysis, where relevant.
•    Maintain detailed records of all published content (in excel) for reporting and monitoring.

3. Multimedia (graphic and web design) specialist

The assigned tasks and responsibilities related to multimedia (graphic and web design) can include the following:
•    Provide graphic design and layout support for written and multimedia products (PPTs, banners, web pages) and promotional materials using the existing visual identity and templates.
•    Provide design support for social media (cards, GIFs and videos) and develop innovative recyclable assets while conforming to FAO social media branding guidelines.
•    Provide video and motion animation design support to prepare digital communication materials using the existing visual identity and templates.

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).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree (for consultants)/University degree (PSA) in communication, journalism, visual communication, social science or international development studies, or a field related to FAO’s mandate;
•    One to four years of relevant experience for base level consultants/PSA.SBS, at least five years’ relevant experience for middle level consultants/PSA.SBS, and at least 10 years (15 years for PSA.SBS) relevant experience for senior level consultants in knowledge management and/or communication.
•    Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other UN languages. For PSA.SBS working knowledge of only one of these two.
•    Master’s degree and environmental background and experience will be considered assets.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

Communication and Outreach specialist:

•    Extent of experience with the development of written and audio-visual communication products.
•    Professional writing experience; excellent oral and written communication skills
•    Ability to transform technical materials into communication products for the general public
•    Ability to write/draft compelling human-interest stories, speeches and video scripts
•    Ability to draft high-level perspective pieces.
•    Knowledge and compliance of FAO terms, language and standards
•    Ability to analyze and digest complex concepts, understand a wide range of forestry issues, and prepare them in written form in a range of products for use across multiple platforms
•    Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines
•    Extent of knowledge and experience working in multicultural settings and multi-disciplinary projects/programmes
•    Knowledge management experience, especially related to forestry, may be considered an asset.
•    Forestry and/or climate change related expertise in research and writing and in the development of outreach materials is considered an asset.
•    Technical knowledge of editorial and production processes.
•    Experience with Microsoft Office products, including PowerPoint and Excel, plus online platforms and tools – Sharepoint, Microsoft Teams, Google groups, Google Drive, Dropbox
•    Extent and relevance of academic qualifications

Knowledge Management specialist:

•    Extent and relevance of academic qualifications.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in knowledge sharing methods and tools.
•    Extent of experience in event management and facilitation skills for meetings, workshops, study tours and conferences.
•    Ability to organize and manage knowledge management products and use this knowledge while compiling outreach products and organizing events.
•    Proficient use and experience with Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
•    Ability to manage and use online platforms and tools – Sharepoint, Microsoft Teams, Google groups, Google Drive, Dropbox
•    Excellent analytical and conceptual skills, as well as gender sensitive and cross-cultural competency.
•    Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines.
•    Ability to perform well in cross-disciplinary teams.
•    Extent of knowledge and experience working in multicultural settings and multi-disciplinary projects/programmes.
•    Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization best-practices

Multimedia specialist:

•    Extent and relevance of academic qualifications
•    Extent of experience with creating social media materials (static and animated)
•    Extent of experience with the development of written and audio-visual communication products, including graphic layout and web design
•    Work experience in Adobe FrameMaker (no later than 2015 release)
•    Familiarity with RTL languages in Adobe FrameMaker
•    Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines