Use a Custom Field in page.tpl.php
Since you want to function on a "page level" (outside the content area) what you can do is:


Use hook_preprocess_page
Get the node id being viewed
Query the node using node_load or just your "term field" alone using EntityFieldQuery


This would somehow look like:

Your theme or custom module

// This function is inside my template.php
function YOURTHEME_preprocess_page(&amp;$variables) {
  // This array key is only present when a page is a node page(node/&lt;nid&gt;).
  // If this is set, this contains the node object already.
  if (isset($variables['node'])) {
    $n = $variables['node'];

    // Don't forget to change this also to check if the reference field 
    // has at least one reference/target node.
    if (isset($n-&gt;body['und'][0])) {
      $variables['site_category'] = 'PARTY! This displays the field we need';
      /**
       * The above line is just an example.
       *
       * You would replace it with the codes to load the target node:
       *   $target_node = node_load($n-&gt;field_site_category[......]);
       *
       * Display the title of the target node
       *   $variables['site_category'] = $target_node-&gt;title;
       */
    }
  }
}


page.tpl.php

&lt;?php if (isset($site_category)): ?&gt;
  &lt;?php print $site_category; ?&gt;
&lt;?php endif; ?&gt;


I added some screenshots of the outputs:

When viewing a node page



When not viewing a node page



Also to get the array keys inside variables, there is a module called Devel. Install it like any module and use its helper function dsm($your_var). This displays the contents of the variable in a pleasant manner.