Advisor – Strategic Communications

Job Description

Advisor – Strategic Communications ) – Office for Corporate Communication, Rome, Italy; 11‑month consultancy.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. The Office of Communications (OCC) leads FAO’s corporate and internal communication efforts, ensuring consistency in messaging, cost‑effective communication strategies, and supporting the Organization’s visibility and outreach goals.

Reporting Lines

The Advisor reports to the Directors of the Office of Communications (OCC) and works closely with OCC teams, technical divisions, regional offices, and country offices.

Technical Focus

Communication is at the heart of FAO’s mission, supporting advocacy, knowledge dissemination, and stakeholder engagement at national, regional, and global levels. FAO is undergoing a strategic shift toward audience‑led, data‑driven communications to enhance impact and efficiency across its decentralized offices. The Advisor will champion this shift, focusing on establishing systems, processes and capacity to deliver high‑impact campaigns.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Build and implement systems, processes and capacity for OCC and FAO to deliver audience‑led, data‑driven global campaigns and advocacy initiatives supporting resource mobilization, knowledge uptake and advocacy goals.
• Lead the launch of high‑profile, multi‑year campaigns focused on resource mobilization, knowledge and key advocacy positions.
• Drive digital and AI transformation by deploying shared digital tools, AI‑assisted workflows, content analytics and reporting dashboards to support coordinated global campaign delivery.
• Guide the integration of systems to enable targeted outreach, segmentation and performance tracking for global audiences and partners; develop audience segmentation models to strengthen targeting across FAO priorities.
• Generate and apply audience insights from qualitative and quantitative research to inform campaign strategy, messaging, channel selection and continuous optimisation across global communications initiatives.
• Develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess campaign performance, user engagement and ROI for major global communication initiatives.
• Support capacity building across FAO’s communications network through training, tools and best‑practice guidance to strengthen campaign delivery, including across regional and country offices.
• Contribute to cross‑organizational collaboration to ensure coherence between corporate, regional and country‑level communications around flagship global campaigns and international moments.
• Work with OCC’s Global and Technical Coordination branch (OCCGD) to establish feedback loops with technical divisions, regions and country offices, ensuring local insights and content inform global strategies.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in communications, marketing, public relations, international relations or a related field. For those with a bachelor’s degree, at least two additional years of relevant professional experience are required.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in multi‑channel campaigns, digital transformation, stakeholder engagement and advocacy.
• Proficiency in English (C level).

Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Expertise in developing and executing audience‑led, data‑driven global communications campaigns, including multi‑channel campaign architecture, audience segmentation and performance optimisation.
• Proven ability to design and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including KPIs, ROI measurement and reporting dashboards for large‑scale initiatives.
• Strong command of digital communications tools and platforms: content management systems, social media management tools, email marketing platforms and campaign analytics tools.
• Experience deploying AI‑assisted workflows and content analytics to improve communication efficiency, content production and audience targeting.
• Experience designing and delivering capacity‑building programmes, including training, toolkits and best‑practice guidance for geographically dispersed networks.

Selection Criteria

• Proven expertise in data‑driven communications, digital platform oversight and capacity building.
• Ability to work independently and in a multicultural, multilingual environment.
• Preferred experience: audience‑led communications campaigns, data‑driven impact evaluation, capacity building.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Proactively seeks workflow improvements, deadline‑oriented and self‑sufficient.
• Strong attention to detail, critical thinker, sound judgement and positive attitude.
• Aware of ethical and sensitive issues in data and communications; able to handle confidential material.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to explain processes and train colleagues.

EEO Statement

• FAO is committed to workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Female applicants, nationals of non‑and under‑represented Member States, and persons with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.
• All applicants must adhere to FAO values of Commitment, Respect and Integrity.
• All selected candidates will undergo reference and background checks.
• Application confidentiality is guaranteed.
• FAO has a zero‑tolerance policy for discriminatory or harassing behavior.