Communications Associate at World Food Programme

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

Education: Completion of secondary school education. A university degree in Communications or relevant field.

Experience: 6 years progressive experience in a relevant business stream

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English Language

These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) and Country Offices (COs), and report to a Communications Officer.

Job holders at this level demonstrate responsibility and initiative to respond independently to queries with only general guidance. There is a requirement to use judgment in dealing with unforeseen problems on a daily basis.

To provide research and specialised communications services that support the creation of content and services aimed at maintaining and enhancing WFP’s visibility and reputation and supporting fundraising activities.

1. Perform specialised communications processes and activities, to support staff in the development, preparation, execution and dissemination of campaigns for target audiences.

2. Conduct research, suggest ideas, and provide coordination support to ensure the timely and effective delivery of video/film, photographic and radio projects. Manage the storage and distribution of audio/visual materials in accordance with relevant policies.

3. Serve as an information focal point, support and/or coordinate media coverage of events to optimise publicity of WFP’s activities.

4. Organise and execute special events, working closely with colleagues, external partners and media, to ensure events are effectively scheduled, publicised and attended.

5. Monitor traditional and social media, and report relevant information to senior staff to inform the development and/or evaluation of communications activities and strategies.

6. Under guidance, prepare content for use on traditional and social media platforms and networks, and printed materials, to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.

7. Distribute and promote communications guidelines for WFP staff to refer to when creating content.

8. Manage updates and further develop internal records and databases, ensuring information is accurate, organised and available for others to access.

9. Respond to specialised queries and requests for support, using initiative and following standard processes, to ensure timely and accurate resolution of all enquiries.

10. Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, in order to provide an aligned, coherent service, and to identify opportunities to collaborate/integrate processes and activities.

11. Implement improvements to communications methods and practices, to contribute to a better flow of information about WFP’s work to the media and stakeholders.

Purpose

• Understand and communicate the Strategic Objectives: Coaches team in the most effective ways to communicate WFP’s Strategic Objectives to WFP team and partners in the field.


•  Be a force for positive change: Implements new methods or tools to improve team’s work processes and productivity.


•  Make the mission inspiring to our team: Maps team’s activities and tasks to specific successes in beneficiary communities to showcase positive impact.


•  Make our mission visible in everyday actions: Explains to teammates how each unit contributes to the overall WFP mission.

People

• Look for ways to strengthen people’s skills: Identifies skill development opportunities such as training modules or on-the-job experiences for self, colleagues and direct reports.


•  Create an inclusive culture: Facilitates team building activities to build rapport in own unit.


•  Be a coach & provide constructive feedback: Facilitates the pairing of junior colleagues with coaches within own team.


•  Create an “I will”/”We will” spirit: Proactively anticipates potential challenges and develops mitigation plans to ensure that team meets goals and targets.

Performance

• Encourage innovation & creative solutions: Identifies opportunities to be creative in own work and to help team be more innovative and accurate in their respective tasks and areas of work.


•  Focus on getting results: Monitors team’s deliverables and provides feedback to ensure outcomes are delivered consistently and accurately.


•  Make commitments and make good on commitments: Provides accurate guidance to team on expected responsibilities and tasks, whilst also upholding own commitment to the team.


•  Be Decisive: Sets an example and provides guidance to junior team members on when to escalate issues when faced with challenging issues in the workplace or in the field.

Partnership

• Connect and share across WFP units: Facilitates partnerships with other WFP units to accomplish missions in the field.


•  Build strong external partnerships: Sets an example and provides guidance to team on how to build relationships with external partners.


•  Be politically agile & adaptable: Articulates to colleagues or direct reports the value of contributing to other WFP teams and agency partnerships in fulfilling WFP’s goals and objectives.


•  Be clear about the value WFP brings to partnerships: Organizes, monitors, and prioritizes own and team’s efforts to ensure that they will fulfill the needs of internal and external partners.

Capability Name
Description of the behaviour expected for the proficiency level

Media and Influencer Relationship Management
Demonstrates ability to respond to and/or escalate needs of media and influencers within own scope of responsibility to raise the profile of WFP, build relationships and further organisational aims.

Media and Communication Expertise
Collates accurate and timely information presented in required format (i.e. written or visual materials) as well as verbally, to enable information flows and informed decision making on communications issues.

Specialised Knowledge in Communications
Exhibits specalised technical knowledge of communications channels processes, tools and techniques. In immediate area of responsibility, provides support in developing written, visual, audio and multi-media content for communications materials and suggestions for improved communications processes.

Sociopolitical Contextual Understanding
Shows awareness of the multilateral/interagency environment and the dynamics in which WFP operates which informs approach to daily tasks.

Communication Strategy and Planning
Demonstrates sound understanding of WFP communications strategy and effectively implements tailored media and communications plans which support the delivery of the strategy.

This section is optional to describe additional responsibilities & knowledge required for the specific job

• Has demonstrated a sound understanding of WFP communication techniques and activities and awareness of the socio-political context in which WFP operates through day to day work

• Has provided ad-hoc guidance to new staff members