Organizational Setting

The Subregional Office for West Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO SFW) supports 15 countries in advancing agrifood systems transformation in line with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022–2031 and the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and a Better Life, leaving no one behind. 
Strategic communication and social media engagement are essential to position FAO as a trusted technical leader, convener and integrator in West Africa; amplify results and innovation; support advocacy and resource mobilization; and engage youth, women, partners and the general public. 
In West Africa, digital voice, particularly those of farmers, agri‑entrepreneurs, youth and rural innovators, play an increasingly important role in shaping public understanding, behavior and engagement around agriculture, food security, climate resilience and livelihoods. Strategic use of agri‑influencer‑style communication, grounded in FAO’s institutional credibility and technical rigor, is therefore a powerful tool for advocacy, outreach and impact.
In this context, FAO SFW seeks to engage a Communications and Social Media Specialist, to support digital storytelling, content creation and online engagement to support authentic, field‑rooted and youth‑oriented digital storytelling that amplifies FAO’s work, values and results.

Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of the assignment is to strengthen FAO SFW’s digital presence and outreach by producing engaging, high-quality, and policy-consistent social media content that amplifies FAO’s work, priorities and results across West Africa, with a particular focus on youth-friendly, innovative and people-centered storytelling.

Reporting Lines

The Communications and Social Media Specialist reports to the Communications Expert, and works in close collaboration with the SFW Communications team, FAO Africa and OCC.

Technical Focus

•     Digital and Social media
•     Creativity and innovation
•     Digital storytelling and communication

Tasks and responsibilities

In close collaboration with OCC branches and focal points, the incumbent will:

•     Develop creative, engaging and social‑media‑friendly content (short videos, reels, visuals, infographics, captions, stories, live clips and basic animations);
•     Support daily and real-time storytelling through Instagram, Facebook stories, especially during filed missions, events and campaigns;
•     Humanize FAO’s work through storytelling that highlights farmers, producers, agri‑entrepreneurs, youth, women, extension agents and communities;
•     Identify digital trends, storytelling formats and narratives that resonate with youth, rural audiences and agrifood system actors in West Africa;
•     Adapt complex technical and policy messages into clear and accessible digital content;
•     Maintain a clear institutional tone, factual accuracy, inclusive language and cultural sensitivity;
•     Coordinate closely with programme and technical teams to ensure credible representation of FAO interventions and results;
•     Contribute to monthly and campaign‑based social media content calendars;
•     Draft social media posts for FAO platforms;
•     Support live social media coverage of key event; 
•     Contribute to engagement and visibility through innovative formats;
•     Monitor basic engagement metrics (reach, views, interactions) and contribute to summaries.
•     Manage regional social media channel, as per the FAO social media guidelines:  https://www.fao.org/communications/policy/social-media/en/   
•     All social media assets must comply with FAO standards, including: 
Social Media Branding guidelines: https://www.fao.org/3/cb5044en/cb5044en.pdf  
FAOSTYLE (English: https://www.fao.org/3/cb8081en/cb8081en.pdf;  
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm;    
FAO names of countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en;    
UN map standards (available to staff);  
FAO Brand and policy book (available to staff) 
•     For videos intended for social media, liaise with OCCI to clear the scripts prior to editing. The social media videos should follow the branding guidelines outlined here: https://www.fao.org/3/cb5044en/cb5044en.pdf  
•     Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section. 
•     Perform other communication related tasks, as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     University degree in communication, journalism, digital media, agriculture, rural development, marketing, or related field
•     2 years of relevant experience in communication, social media management, agrifood digital content creation, and public information activities, including the development of communication materials, management of online platforms, and support for awareness and visibility campaigns
•     Full proficiency/Working knowledge of English and French
•     Nationality Senegalese or resident of the country with a valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Strong interest in agriculture, food systems, climate action and rural livelihoods;
•     Demonstrated ability to create engaging agrifood‑related digital content (video, photos, stories, reels, captions);
•     Knowledge of West African agrifood contexts and youth digital cultures is a strong advantage.
•     Familiarity with social media platforms widely used in West Africa (X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok or similar);
•     Basic understanding of social media analytics and performance trends;
•     Creativity, curiosity, authenticity and strong visual storytelling skills;
•     Extent and relevance of experience in Digital storytelling and communication
•     Strong interest in agriculture, food systems, climate action and rural livelihoods;
•     Ability to simplify technical agrifood concepts;
•     Attention to detail and respect for institutional standards;
•     Teamwork and responsiveness;
•     Cultural sensitivity and inclusiveness.