Assistant Communication Specialist (2601915)

• Organizational Unit: FABGD - FAO Representation in Bangladesh
• Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
• Type of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)
• Grade Level: N/A
• Primary Location: Bangladesh-Coxs Bazaar
• Duration: 12 months (possibility of extension based on performance review and availability of funds)

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FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply

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Organizational Setting

FAO Bangladesh established the Cox’s Bazar programme and sub-office in 2017, after the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The sub-office implements projects under two workstreams, namely food security and livelihood and natural resource management, in support of both Bangaldeshi host and Rohingya refugee populations in the Cox’s Bazar sub-districts. FAO Cox’s Bazar works with government partners, other UN organizations, and development partners and is an active stakeholder in inter-sector programming and interventions.

Reporting Lines

This is a SC-7 level and Cox’s Bazar based position. The Assistant Communication Specialist is under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Bangladesh, day to day supervision/ guidance of the FAO Head of Sub-office in Cox’s Bazar and works in close collaboration with the Country Office in Dhaka.

Technical Focus

The incumbent shall familiarize him/herself with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines to ensure mandatory coherence of all communication and information outputs. He or she will need to work within the framework of the overall annual communications plan of FAO Bangladesh and be expected to develop and implement his or her own annual plan and deliverables. The incumbent will be expected to work on communication requirements for Cox’s Bazar.

Tasks and responsibilities

In close collaboration with Office of Communications (OCC) branches and appropriate Communication focal points, the incumbent will

General communications:

• Support in preparing a simple communication/content plan at the start of the assignment, outlining key outputs and timelines.
• Support the implementation of communication and visibility activities aligned with FAO corporate guidelines and programme priorities.
• Coordinate with Country office, OCC, OER and project teams to ensure alignment, consistency and clearance of communication products.
• Ensure visibility of projects and FAO Bangladesh in project partners’ materials and publications and provide guidance on the correct use of the FAO logo, in line with corporate guidelines.
• Assist in the preparation, finalization, revision and timely submission of key resource mobilization documents to ensure alignment with FAO and donor communication standards/requirements.
• Actively represent FAO in communication forums to build strategic partnerships and advocate for FAO's emergency and resilience priorities. Produce human interest stories, short impact videos, factsheets, progress brief and high-quality photos for the different projects aligned FAO storytelling guidelines
• Upload photos and videos to FAO’s Digital Media Hub and/or Emergencies Flickr in line with FAO submission requirements.
• Provide rapid communication support during crisis events (e.g., fires, cyclones), delivering swift flash updates, field multimedia, and coordinated emergency messaging.
• Lead communication planning and visibility for field visits, donor missions, high-level events and programme launches, including media packages, talking points and visibility materials.
• Review all externally shared reports through a communications lens prior to publication to ensure narrative consistency, accurate branding, and adherence to FAO standards.
• Photos should follow the FAO Photo Library Production Guidelines: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pu6vckocxhlc7fc/FAO_Guidelines_for_Photo_Production_202206.pdf?dl=0
• Videos should follow the FAO Video production guidelines: https://www.fao.org/3/cc5308en/cc5308en.pdf
• Any other task assigned by the supervisor.

OCHA-related communications:

• Coordinate regularly with Country office, Regional office and HQ communication units to plan, clear, and align media relations and donor-facing content with corporate strategies. Ensure all content reinforces coherent narratives aligned with FAO priorities, crisis‑resilience frameworks and resource‑mobilization objective.
• Deliver high-quality output as per grant agreement with OCHA-BHF funds such as photos, video and visibility items.
• Produce compelling multimedia content (stories, photos, and videos) that showcases FAO’s field results and impact in crisis contexts.
• Upload photos and videos to FAO’s Digital Media Hub and/or Emergencies Flickr in line with FAO submission requirements.

Social Media:

The objective of this specific aspect of the role is to create the digital space for engaging with the public, civil society, the international community and other relevant stakeholders on topics related to agrifood systems and shaping the discourse around the four betters, leaving no one behind.

• For videos intended for use on social media channels, liaise with Country office, RCO, OCC and OER to review scripts, formats and final clearances.
• Ensure that all communication products comply with global FAO key messages, terminology, standards, and guidelines.
• Monitor social media for results, compliance with guidelines, trends and risks, in consultation with RCO and OCC, as appropriate.
• Provide monthly engagement reports with key performance indicators.
• Prepare a monthly social media content calendar with innovative and issue-focused content to promote the work of FAO.
• Perform any other related duties.