Knowledge Management and Communication Specialist

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning (MLHCP) and with financing from the World Bank, is implementing the project “Innovative Solutions for Land Dispute Resolution in Sierra Leone” (UTF/SIL/059/SIL).

The project aims to:
•    Strengthen women’s land rights through gender-transformative approaches 
•    Improve land dispute resolution systems 
•    Promote inclusive and participatory land governance

The project involves multiple stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, traditional authorities, and local communities, and requires strict compliance with FAO and World Bank fiduciary, administrative, and reporting requirements.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall oversight of the FAO Representative (FAOR) and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Administration) (AFAOR – Programme).

The incumbent will collaborate closely with the Communication Focal Point (OCC), theTechnical Assistance Coordinator, the FAO Communication Unit, the project team and implementing partners and government counterparts and development partners

Technical Focus

The incumbent will lead knowledge management, communication, and visibility functions of the project, ensuring:
•    Effective dissemination of project results and lessons learned.
•    Compliance with FAO and World Bank visibility guidelines. 
•    Development and management of digital platforms and communication tools. 
•    Strengthened stakeholder engagement and information sharing.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Website Development and Management

•    Design, develop, and maintain a dedicated project website; 
•    Ensure the website is user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and optimized for low-bandwidth environments;
•    Upload and regularly update content including reports, tools, news, and multimedia materials; 
•    Monitor website performance and produce analytics reports; and 
•    Ensure compliance with FAO and World Bank branding and visibility requirements.

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

Knowledge Management and Content Development

•    Develop and implement a knowledge management and communication strategy; 
•    Produce communication materials (briefs, newsletters, infographics, press releases, case studies); 
•    Establish and maintain an online resource hub for project documents and tools; 
•    Ensure all materials are gender-sensitive, inclusive, and accessible; and 
•    Translate key communication products into local languages (e.g., Krio) where appropriate.

Visibility and Outreach

•    Ensure visibility of project activities in line with FAO and donor requirements; 
•    Coordinate media coverage of project events and milestones; 
•    Develop success stories, human-interest stories, and case studies;  
•    Support branding and visibility during workshops, trainings, and high-level events; and 
•    Manage social media integration and digital outreach.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Support

•    Support communication and engagement with stakeholders, including MSPs and partners; 
•    Facilitate dissemination of project information to communities and stakeholders; 
•    Support integration of communication tools into stakeholder engagement processes; and
•    Support visibility and communication aspects of the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).

Reporting and Coordination

•    Provide regular updates on communication and visibility activities; 
•    Contribute to project progress reports with communication-related inputs; 
•    Coordinate with FAO, MLHCP, and World Bank teams to ensure alignment of messaging; and 
•    Train project staff and partners on basic communication and content management.

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    

•    Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Media Studies, Information Management, or related field. 
•    Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in communication, knowledge management, or digital media 
•    Working knowledge (proficiency - level C)'of English.
•    National of Sierra Leone

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills  

•    Strong skills in website development (e.g., WordPress, Drupal, Joomla).
•    Experience in communication strategy development and implementation.
•    Knowledge of FAO/World Bank visibility and branding guidelines.
•    Experience in producing gender-sensitive and inclusive communication materials.
•    Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
•    Proficiency in graphic design and digital tools is an asset.
•    Fluency in English; knowledge of Krio or other local languages is an advantage.

Selection criteria

•    Proven experience in website development and content management systems (CMS) 
•    Experience working on donor-funded or international development projects 
•    Experience with FAO, UN, or World Bank-funded projects is an asset

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. 

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO [link removed] and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application

• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ [link removed].These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings [link removed].
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp [link removed]

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT