Senior Communications Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members - 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide and has started working in Sri Lanka since 1979 with its Representation (Country Office) opened in Colombo.  The FAO contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, and through four Betters (Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment and a Better life) - leaving no one behind.

Context:

FAO is implementing a United States (US) Macro Grant project in Sri Lanka aimed at strengthening the preparedness, resilience, and adaptive capacity of vulnerable farming communities facing multiple and interconnected shocks. These include the impacts of Cyclone Ditwah, disruptions associated with the Middle East crisis, and the forecasted El Niño conditions expected to affect agricultural production and water availability in the coming seasons.

The project targets smallholder paddy farmers in the districts of Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Puttalam, and Vavuniya, as well as vegetable farmers in Badulla and Nuwara Eliya. This project’s interventions seek to safeguard agricultural production, enhance food security, and strengthen livelihoods through a combination of agricultural input support, climate-resilient production practices, and anticipatory action measures.

Key project interventions include the provision of fertilizer and other essential agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers during the Maha 2026 cultivation season. Certified paddy seed producers will receive short-duration paddy seed varieties, fertilizer, hermetic storage bags, and moisture meters to support quality seed production during the Maha 2026/2027 season, ensuring the availability of suitable seed stocks for the Yala 2027 season, when water scarcity risks are expected to increase due to El Niño.

Vegetable farming households will receive quality seeds, fertilizer, and plastic crates to improve crop production and post-harvest management.

To mitigate anticipated water shortages during the Yala season, the project will promote Other Field Crop (OFC) cultivation through the provision of solar-powered irrigation pumps, supporting efficient and climate-resilient agricultural practices.

As part of a broader livelihood diversification strategy, the project will also support women farmers in Batticaloa through backyard poultry interventions, contributing to improved household income generation, nutrition, and resilience.

In addition to direct livelihood support, the project will place significant emphasis on strengthening anticipatory action systems at the local level. This will include enhancing community preparedness, early warning dissemination, risk-informed planning, and response mechanisms for both flood and drought hazards, thereby improving the capacity of farming communities and local institutions to anticipate, prepare for, and mitigate the impacts of climate-related shocks and stresses.

Therefore, the Communications Specialist is expected to support the effective communication and visibility of this multifaceted project through the development of communication products, stakeholder engagement, documentation of project achievements, media outreach, and dissemination of information related to digital voucher-based assistance and the strengthening of early warning systems.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall administrative leadership and supervision of the FAO Representative in Sri Lanka (FAOR) and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR (Programme), and in close coordination with the Communication Analyst, the incumbent Communications Specialist will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing communication, visibility, and knowledge management activities for the project in close consultation with the FAO Country Office technical teams, the Department of Agriculture, other relevant stakeholders, and the Budget Holder (BH), the incumbent will support the effective dissemination of project information, ensure compliance with FAO and donor visibility requirements, and promote awareness of project achievements, good practices, and lessons learned.

Technical Focus

Provide technical support for the design and implementation of communication, visibility, advocacy, and knowledge management activities under the United States Macro Grant Project. Support the development and dissemination of strategic communication products to enhance awareness of project objectives, interventions, achievements, and impacts among government counterparts, development partners, donors, media, and target communities. Facilitate stakeholder engagement and ensure compliance with FAO corporate communication standards and donor visibility requirements. Lead the documentation and promotion of project results, lessons learned, best practices, and beneficiary success stories to strengthen project visibility, support evidence-based advocacy, and promote knowledge sharing on resilience-building, food security, and sustainable agrifood systems interventions.

Tasks and Responsibilities

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

•    Develop and implement a comprehensive Communication and Visibility Plan for the US Macro Grant Project, aligned with FAO corporate communication standards and donor visibility requirements.
•    Prepare and disseminate high-quality communication products, including press releases, success stories, human-interest stories, briefing notes, newsletters, factsheets, brochures, speeches, talking points, and social media content.
•    Lead the documentation of project achievements, results, best practices, lessons learned, and beneficiary impact stories through written, visual, and multimedia products.
•    Coordinate field missions to collect communication materials, including photographs, videos, testimonials, and case studies that showcase project interventions and impacts on vulnerable farming communities.
•    Ensure proper visibility and acknowledgement of donor contributions across all communication materials, events, publications, and project activities in accordance with donor and FAO branding guidelines.
•    Develop communication materials in English, Sinhala, and Tamil, ensuring accessibility and effective outreach to diverse target audiences.
•    Coordinate media engagement activities, including media briefings, interviews, press conferences, and field visits for journalists to promote awareness of project achievements and FAO's work in Sri Lanka.
•    Build and maintain strong relationships with national and local media organizations, communication focal points, government institutions, development partners, and UN agencies.
•    Produce digital and visual communication products, including infographics, videos, presentations, web stories, photo essays, and other multimedia content for internal and external audiences.
•    Manage and regularly update FAO Sri Lanka's website and social media platforms with project-related content, news, success stories, videos, and key messages.
•    Monitor, track, and analyse media coverage and social media performance related to the project and prepare periodic communication and visibility reports.
•    Support the organization of project launches, workshops, stakeholder consultations, field visits, donor missions, awareness campaigns, and other outreach events, ensuring effective communication and visibility.
•    Coordinate closely with the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO), communication teams of other UN agencies, government communication units, and implementing partners to promote coherent messaging and joint advocacy initiatives.
•    Contribute to knowledge management initiatives by developing and maintaining project communication archives, photo libraries, success story repositories, and other knowledge products.
•    Coordinate with the Office of Communications (OCC), FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), and relevant headquarters units to ensure compliance with corporate communication policies, quality standards, clearance procedures, and branding requirements.
•    Support the preparation of donor reports, presentations, and communication inputs highlighting project achievements, results, and impacts.
•    Perform any other communication, visibility, knowledge management, and stakeholder engagement tasks as assigned by the FAOR and Assistant FAORs. 
•    Videos should follow the FAO Video production guidelines:  https://www.fao.org/3/cc5308en/cc5308en.pdf  
•    Photos should follow the FAO Photo Library Production Guidelines:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/pu6vckocxhlc7fc/FAO_Guidelines_for_Photo_Production_202206.pdf?dl=0   
•    Support FAO country communications team in managing country social media channels, as per the FAO social media guidelines:  https://www.fao.org/communications/policy/social-media/en/   
•    All social media assets should be produced must comply with FAO standards, including: 
Social Media Branding guidelines: https://www.fao.org/3/cb5044en/cb5044en.pdf 

FAO Standards and guidelines:

Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes. 
All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including: 
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en   
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia   
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en   
FAOSTYLE https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en    
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm   
FAO Names Of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en   
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (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  

 
•    University degree from a recognized University in mass media communications or a related field
•    At least five (5) years of relevant experience in the field of humanitarian sector. 
•    Working knowledge of English and Sinhala and/or Tamil.
•    National of Sri Lanka

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Proven experience in strategic communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge management, preferably in agriculture, food security, resilience, humanitarian, or development programmes.
•    Demonstrated ability to develop high-quality communication and visibility products, including press releases, success stories, donor reports, digital content, social media materials, and advocacy products for diverse audiences.
•    Strong understanding of UN communication protocols, donor visibility requirements, and corporate branding standards, with familiarity with FAO policies, programmes, and project reporting requirements considered an asset.
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION