Facs Communications Specialist

Background

UNDP has developed its new Strategy for Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems (FACS) to focus its vision and enhance its support to transform FACS. FACS are fundamental to the sustainable development of the 170 countries UNDP supports. FACS are often the largest contributor to their economies; food and nutrition are fundamental for citizen health, and FACS have a key role to play in achieving the SDGs. Yet, FACS are in crisis and need to be radically transformed to become sustainable. UNDP, building on its experience, has for the first time consolidated its FACS support and vision into this Strategy.

A FACS practice has been established within UNDP´s Nature, Climate and Energy team, which is tasked to support UNDP Country Offices with FACS-related challenges in a way that is aligned with UNDP´s FACS strategy. UNDP´s Green Commodities Programme (GCP) is one of UNDP´s global programmes in support of implementing UNDP´s FACS strategy and represents the core of UNDPs´ FACS team currently. GCP’s global targets, objectives and delivery strategies are based on inclusive and sustainable growth and development - combining governments and markets in agriculture through public-private partnerships and democratic dialogue processes. GCP’s focus on strengthening the livelihoods of smallholder producers within commodity supply chains and reducing environmental footprints, particularly deforestation, through public-private partnerships can be key for UNDP’s ambitions to reduce poverty, reduce deforestation and engage the private sector in SDGs.

The Green Commodities Programme (GCP) exists to improve the national economic, social, and environmental performance of agricultural commodity sectors. GCP works within agricultural commodity production in countries of UNDP operation where the programme can have a significant impact on rural livelihoods, mitigate climate change, and maintain the ecosystem services and resilience of landscapes and seascapes.
FACS leads several global initiatives. GCP through the GGP is supporting the World Bank with the implementation of the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Program (IP), financed under GEF-7. The Programme is designed to promote sustainable integrated landscapes and efficient food value chains at scale. The FOLUR IP aims to encourage transformation to more environmentally sustainable production practices and more resilient landscapes. The GCP support will be focused on the global platform with the objective of contributing to transformational shifts in the use of environmentally sustainable practices and policies for priority global value chains.
The Communications Specialist is expected to provide oversight and ensure all communications related functions, including production of editorial content, blogs, videos, press materials, outreach to various audiences such as media, donors, partners, and others, newsletters, management, and coordination of communications support, etc. are successfully carried out.

**Responsibilities**:
The Communications Specialist will carry out the following duties:
FACS Communications Strategy

Review existing strategies and improve strategic direction, as needed, particularly on key messaging, media outreach, contemporary content, dissemination, and positioning.
Implement and evaluate the impact of the communications strategy and work plan, guiding senior management on communications on an ongoing basis.

Oversee FACS Editorial and Content for all communications products

Identify, develop, and create compelling content, such as blogs, multimedia stories, videos, graphics, and social media updates and tactics, to showcase the impact of the work on the ground.
Draft press releases, talking points, Op-Eds and video messages as needed.
Overseeing the development of content and regular updating of the FACS website to ensure that the site is engaging and retains timely content across all of its pages.
Oversee the development of the quarterly Highlights e-update, ensuring that content is impactful for targeted audiences.
Ensure the FACS presentations, decks, and materials are updated on an ongoing basis.

Management of FACS communications

Overall management of communications for UNDP FACS team and its global initiatives to ensure clear, consistent, and effective outreach to key global audiences and stakeholders.
Quality control of communications collaterals on global initiatives.
Provide general oversight on communications budgetary needs and expenditures, ensuring that senior management and finance are kept up-to-date on progress and changes.
Management and oversight of the FACS communications team.
Maintain and coordinate communications management tools: the editorial calendar (updated quarterly) and the events calendar (updated annually).
Ensure flow of information and dissemination of materials amongst project team and partners as needed.
Pro-actively seek out communications opportunities in FACS work.
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