Communications Officer SC9, Lebanon Country Office, Beirut

ABOUT WFP:
Assisting more than 90 million people in 83 countries each year, the World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

In Lebanon, WFP works to support approximately 700,000 people with regular assistance using e-cards. WFP also supports Lebanese schools with school meals, and has run over 300 development activities which include supporting rural infrastructure, as well as education and training opportunities for vulnerable individuals in families. WFP also supports Lebanon’s National Poverty Targeting Programme.  
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT: This post is based in the WFP Lebanon Country Office (CO), reporting to management and acting in close coordination with the regional communication team in Cairo.
JOB PURPOSE: To implement the communication strategy by supporting and delivering a range of communications activities and overseeing other communications functions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive, nor exhaustive): 
The incumbent will report to management and will perform the following tasks:
1.    Implement and review country specific communication work plans designed to maintain and enhance the visibility and reputation of WFP, as well as support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with overall communications and WFP strategies.
2.    Manage press relations for the CO, engaging with media representatives, and acting as the first-stop contact, referring interviews to the Country Director as appropriate.
3.    Support staff to ensure that standard OIM & PR procedures and templates are followed to drive the quality, consistency and standardisation of information management and performance reporting across WFP. 
4.    Support the drafting of, and contribute to, any Operational Information Management and (OIM) and Performance Reporting (PR) related normative guidance as required. Contribute to initiatives for developing improved, streamlined, and harmonised OIM & PR. Contribute to identifying Corporate Performance Reporting Improvements. 
5.    Contribute to communications and reporting through good research, analysis of assigned area of work and timely preparation and distribution of information products to target audience(s).
6.    Maintain a contact list of journalists and media outlets and support the flow of news/information about WFP’s work to the media, in order to support regular and appropriate communications.
7.    Support the communications team, implementing the social media plan by developing social media content, and utilising platforms, networks and partners to enhance coverage and support of WFP’s activities.
8.    Generate donor specific visibility content including, text, photos, videos and audio for use across a range of integrated online platforms, in order to support global and country fund-raising activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages.
9.    Monitor and analyse traditional and social media to inform the development and/or evaluation of communication activities and strategies.
10.    Guide communications staff, overseeing creative content, acting as a point of referral and supporting them with more complex analysis and queries.
11.    Collate outreach data contribute to the preparation of accurate and timely reports, Support communications activities that enable informed decision making and ensures consistency of information presented to the media and other stakeholders.
12.    Support capacity building of WFP staff on all aspects of communication, provides advice and guidance within area and level of expertise, in order to ensure that all activities meet desired standards of consistency, quality and impact. For example the design and review of training materials.
13.    Liaise and interact with WFP staff and external counterparts to support aligned activities and a coherent approach to communications within WFP.
14.    Follow standard emergency preparedness practices to support WFP to quickly respond and deploy food and needed resources to affected areas at the onset of a crisis.
15.    Other as required.

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: Advanced University degree in Journalism, International Relations, Public Relations, Communications or other relevant field, or First University degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses.
Experience: Five years of relevant progressively responsible experience in communications, ideally for a humanitarian organisation.
Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in Arabic and English.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE: 
•    Has proven experience in English and Arabic media relations
•    Has proven experience writing and editing in English
•    Has gained experience in utilising specialist communications techniques to enhance functional outputs
•    Has provided direction and instruction to more junior staff members within area of expertise