Communications Officer, P4

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**Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.**

**ABOUT WFP**:
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to end global hunger. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that **n**o** child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

In emergencies, WFP gets food to where it is needed, saving the lives of victims of war, civil conflict and natural disasters. After an emergency, WFP uses food to help communities rebuild their shattered lives. Present in nearly 80 countries, the organization has the global footprint, deep field presence and local knowledge and relationships necessary to provide access to nutritious food and contribute to the lasting solutions, especially in many of the world’s most remote and fragile areas. We manage an operating budget of approximately $5.9 billion each year, distributing 12.6 billion rations to those most in need. We reach an average of 80 million people with food assistance in around 80 countries each year. The World Food Programme office in Johannesburg is a Regional Office coordinating and supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance and providing technical support to 12 Southern Africa countries including, Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

**ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT**:
These jobs are found in Headquarters (HQ), Regional Bureaux (RBs) and in Country Offices (COs). Job holders provide advice on advocacy and communications issues and analyse and interpret material of a complex nature. In RBs, job holders report to the Regional Director or the designate, with functional supervision from the Head of Unit or the designate. These roles manage advocacy and related communications for a region and coordinate all focal points in the region to ensure the implementation of WFP's global communications, advocacy and marketing strategy is in liaison with HQ Communications, Advocacy and Marketing Division.

**JOB PURPOSE**:
Based in the Communications, Advocacy and Marketing and Reports (CAM) Unit and working closely with the Regional Director’s Office (RDO), the position will lead the design and implementation of core advocacy and communications strategy and activities carried out by WFP in the Southern African region to enable ‘Saving Lives and Changing Lives’ mandate and delivering the SDG 2. Reporting to the Head of CAM but working under the guidance of the Regional Director, the postholder will drive effective positioning WFP priorities with national governments, regional power blocs, International Financial Institutions, African Union Member States, centres of excellence, parliamentarians, academic institutions, civil society groups and movements as well as intergovernmental organizations. In addition, the postholder will build the advocacy capacity of the regional colleagues and other relevant teams to implement effective advocacy initiatives.

The consultant will be based in WFP Regional Bureau in Johannesburg, South Africa.

**KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)**:
1. Define and implement regional advocacy and communications plans, support the implementation of the corporate advocacy and communications strategy, in order to position WFP with key advocacy stakeholders, maintain and enhance the visibility for and reputation of WFP, and support fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with WFP strategy.
2. Provide advice and support to COs on the design and implementation of country advocacy and related communications plans, ensuring compliance with wider WFP’s influence strategy and taking into account the specific country context and audience in order to develop appropriate, effective advocacy plans.
3. Plan and execute advocacy and communications campaigns that favorably impact the views of the public, opinion leaders, donors, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), regional power blocs and civil society in order to raise WFP’s profile and support Changing Lives agenda.
4. Ensure effective design and delivery of advocacy products that effectively convey the desired message to targeted audience(s).
5. Oversee a contact list of regional advocacy key stakeholders to ensure a regular flow of news/information.
6. Facilitate and oversee the generating of a range of advocacy products and content in order to support regional and country specific advocacy activities, ensuring consistency with corporate messages and aspirations.
7. Plan and deliver internal communications on advocacy so employees understand and engage with WFP’s strategy and how they contribute to meeting WFP’s mission through advocacy.
8. Analyse advocacy opportunities, identifying trends and issues, presenting clear rec