AFOSP PROJECT COMMUNICATION OFFICER (PO)

ASEAN FARMERS ORGANISATION SUPPORT PROGRAMME – ENGAGING WITH ASEAN

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title	PROJECT COMMUNICATION OFFICER (PO) - ASEAN FARMERS ORGANISATION SUPPORT PROGRAMME – ENGAGING WITH ASEAN
Classification	Equivalent with Locally Recruited Staff – Level 3
Report to	Project Manager
Term of Employment	This position is a project based position for period of one year. Funding will come through the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) under the EU-IFAD ASEAN Farmers Organisations Support Programme.

BACKGROUND

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that: there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among people of ASEAN.  It was of this concern that ASEAN leaders established ASEAN Foundation during ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Commemorative Summit in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 15 December 1997.      

ASEAN Foundation is an organisation from and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN’s body, the Foundation is tasked to support ASEAN mainly in promoting awareness, identity, interaction and development of the people of ASEAN.

For more info about the ASEAN Foundation, visit: www.aseanfoundation.org

In 2015, the ASEAN Foundation received support from the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) to collaborate on the ASEAN Farmers Organisation Support Programme (AFOSP) with the overall aim to support ASEAN Farmers’ Organisations to become:

Stable, performing, accountable organisations, capable of providing effective and sustainable services to their members, with the ability to influence policy and corporate processes on agriculture and food security issues at local, national, ASEAN regional and global levels.

To achieve this goal, AFOSP will work across two programmatic areas – the Medium-Term Cooperation Programme with Farmers’ Organisations in Asia and the Pacific (MCTP2) and Farmers Fighting Poverty.

The ASEAN Foundation’s role in APOSP is to form a key link between rural Farmers’ Organisations across the region and the range of ASEAN institutions who hold interests in the programme, particularly through policy dialogue processes. The ASEAN Foundation ensures that all stakeholders from the above groups are active and engaged within the processes, and promote the knowledge and use of the ASEAN Blueprint, particularly the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community blueprint, throughout the implementation activities. The ASEAN Foundation’s role is to increase and promote the participation local Farmers’ Organisations within regional policy-making processes.

This AFOSP-Engaging with ASEAN initiative falls under the ASEAN Foundation’s thematic area on community building. Under this thematic area, projects have the goal of encouraging participation from different stakeholders for them to benefit from the process of ASEAN integration. The goals are also about strengthening existing bonds of solidarity and cooperation, placing people at the centre of the community building process.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The AFOSP-Engaging with ASEAN initiative seeks a Project Communication Officer to support the Project Manager by ensuring effective and efficient day-to-day implementation of communication and project activities. S/he works in close collaboration with the other Programme and Operations staff at the ASEAN Foundation.

GENERAL FUNCTIONS

The Project Communication Officer is expected to provide technical support with regards to strengthening communication and knowledge management activities of the AFOSP-Engaging with ASEAN initiative and to take the lead in other project activities organisation of meetings, events, etc. 

S/he will liaise and coordinate project activities with ASEC, EU and Asian Farmers Association for or Sustainable Rural Development (AFA) and identify thematic learnings for knowledge sharing in ASEAN.   

Specifically, the roles and responsibilities of the Project Officer are as follows.

In the area of Communications:

·         Participate in the implementation of a communications strategy for the Project

·         Maintain Project media relations for reaching main partners, donors, and general public audiences

·         Produce and disseminate project experience/promotional materials such as newsletters, leaflets, brochures, articles, success stories, etc

·         Ensure regular update of the Project’s website, Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels

·         Monitor and report on communications performance metrics on social media on a monthly basis

·         Monitor media, and regularly update Project Manager of any media coverage relevant to their work

·         Work with the ASEAN Foundation’s Communications Manager to identity media opportunities and plan and implement media events including interviews with media houses, organization of press conferences and other tasks.

·         Plan and co-organize public and media events

• Provides regular updates and reports on progress in areas or responsibility
• Keeps himself/herself informed about project activities and the context in which the project operates

In the area of Project Monitoring activities:

·         Participate in the  drafting of annual work plans, budgets creation and monitoring, disbursement, procurement, recruitment and monitoring plans as well as necessary updates

·         Plan procurements for the events such as event contractors, resource persons, moderators, rapporteurs, other supporting staff and materials

·         Collaborate with other staff  of the ASEAN Foundation to ensure proper and effective holding of events e.g. policy dialogues, forums, workshops, study tours, learning exchanges

·         Prepare detailed reports on events including workshops, seminars, conferences, study tours, etc

·         Support programme/project teams so that they comply with organisational policies and guidelines e.g. publication policy, travel policy, social ethics guidelines.

·         Perform other duties as agreed with the Project Manager

SPECIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

Essential

·         University degree in communications, international relations, international development, or related field.

·         At least two years of progressive experience in communication activities as well as project management.

Desirable

Familiarity with EU funded projects is an asset. 

Technical Skill

Essential

·         Excellent working level of English language in both writing and speaking

·         Experience of promoting social media e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

·         Experience of producing press releases, articles, newsletters or presentations

·         An event management generalist with proven track record in managing or arranging project events.

·         Advanced user level computer skills and strong knowledge of various software including Excel, Power point and Word.

·         Strong analytical skills.

·         Excellent inter-personal and negotiation skills.

Desirable

·         Experience and knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

·         Experience coordinating multi-partner projects, and proven experience in partnership building and networking.

TIME FRAME

The duration of the project is for one (1) year

REMUNERATION

A lump sum monthly salary will be provided commensurate with the qualification and experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All interested applicants to send application, stating the above post with the following documents to recruitment@aseanfoundation.org:

a) Application letter

b) Curriculum vitae and salary history and expected salary

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION

22 November 2017