United States of America: Senior Communications Advisor

Organization: Global Health Fellows Program
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 18 Sep 2014

The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with Global Health Corps, GlobeMed, Management Systems International and PYXERA Global. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by addressing the Agency’s immediate and emerging human capacity needs. The program seeks to accomplish this goal first through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels. These program participants include fellows, interns, corporate volunteers and Foreign Service National professionals. The program then provides substantial performance management and career development support to participants, including annual working planning assistance, and ensures that professional development opportunities are available.

Looking to the future, GHFP-II also seeks to establish a pool of highly-qualified global health professionals that will ensure the Agency’s ongoing technical leadership and effectiveness. This objective is supported by an extensive outreach program that brings global health opportunities and specialized career advice to a diverse range of interested individuals, with a particular focus on those underrepresented in the field of global health.

BACKGROUND:

The goal of the Office of Health Systems (OHS) is to provide worldwide leadership and technical expertise in health systems strengthening (HSS), a process that concentrates on ensuring that people and institutions, both public and private, undertake core functions of the health system in a mutually enhancing way, to improve health outcomes, protect citizens from catastrophic financial loss and impoverishment due to illness, and ensure consumer satisfaction, in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner. HSS includes a broad suite of activities that establish a foundation for doing other technical work in USAID’s priority countries including, but not limited to, policy development for universal healthcare coverage, training health care providers and community health workers, building monitoring and evaluation systems, improving medicine and health commodity supply chain functions, and generating health care financing solutions.

OHS leads a network of HSS colleagues throughout the Bureau for Global Health (GH) and the Agency in the development and implementation of USAID’s agenda and strategy to promote effective, sustainable, country-owned health systems capable of: promoting health, preventing disease, advancing reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition; combating infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases; and addressing emerging public health priorities. OHS leads the Agency’s health systems research efforts including development of a research portfolio and a metrics and tools for measuring health systems improvements. It tracks and aligns USAID resources, funds and programs for HSS to this agenda. OHS also works to build partnerships and synergies to support this agenda and strategy, including with other US government agencies, host country governments, donors, the private sector, and civil society.

OHS is USAID’s hub for generating, capturing and sharing state-of-the-art knowledge on the factors that contribute to: (a) strengthening health systems, including experiential knowledge complex systems thinking, service delivery, community engagement and outreach, governance, finance, human resources, medical products, vaccines, and related technologies; (b) information systems including application of information and communications technology; and (c) public-private partnerships. OHS works with other offices in GH, USAID missions, regional bureaus and partners to advance HSS knowledge and innovations and promote country uptake.

OHS serves as the core of USAID’s talent management in HSS. It works to grow and nurture the technical expertise and intellectual capital of HSS specialists. OHS ensures basic HSS knowledge among all health officers, health systems practitioners, and health-related institutions in developing countries. OHS develops and facilitates recruitment, training, professional development, staff rotations and exchanges, and networking opportunities.

INTRODUCTION

Within OHS, the role of the Senior Communications Advisor (Senior Advisor) is critical to the success of OHS. The Senior Advisor has the unique and exciting challenge of leading Agency HSS stakeholders to develop, coordinate, implement, and monitor a communications and knowledge management (KM) strategy around USAID’s HSS work; create efficient and cost-effective approaches to promote a learning environment at USAID on HSS; manage and build knowledge across HSS programming; and ensure that information feeds back into Agency HSS implementation. The Senior Advisor will be responsible for proactive outreach, message content development and management for internal and external communications platforms, and coordinating the movement of relevant information to appropriate audiences through appropriate and approved channels.

The Senior Advisor accomplishes these efforts in a participatory and inclusive manner. In carrying out these responsibilities, s/he establishes, nurtures, and maintains strong working relationships with a wide range of players with varied perspectives. These players include, but are not limited to: teams such as Communications and KM within OHS, Global Health Bureau, USAID/Washington, regional bureaus, and overseas missions; teams within Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning, Legislative and Public Affairs; other USG agencies, donor organizations, and thought leaders in the global health and development communities.

The OHS knowledge exchange objective is to leverage our knowledge assets to strengthen developing country health systems by capturing, synthesizing, sharing and applying best practices on health systems strengthening throughout OHS, the GH Bureau and the Agency’s health sector. The Senior Advisor will receive day to day direction from Lead Health Systems Specialist.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Communications Advisor is responsible for:

Communications Strategy, Vision, and Leadership

Developing, implementing, and evaluating an OHS communication strategy for audiences in the USAID Headquarters, USAID Field Missions, and external to USAID.

• Analyzing the OHS communication strategy for consistency with GH’s Bureau’s strategic vision.
• Expanding external strategic engagement with HSS issues advocates, science and technical community, academia and policy experts.
• Identifying key stakeholders and key managers for communications. Internally, maintaining a contact list of all OHS professional contacts. Externally, developing an outreach list.

Communications Operations

• Communicating information about HSS work through scientific, media and other channels. Leveraging media channels efficiently and effectively.
• Developing and disseminating brochures, print, video and electronic materials that convey the scope and breadth of USAID’s HSS work and its impact in terms that are appropriate for a variety of audiences, from Congress to disease program advocates to the general public, including the annual Report to Congress
• Reviewing and constantly improving OHS’s processes for content development, marketing, and sharing lessons learned both internally at USAID and externally with the wider community and through the media.
• Preparing talking points, speeches, presentations and other material as needed in support of OHS management.
• Publishing videos and photography on organizational website and blogs.
• Establishing and promoting information standards, capturing and sharing best practices, approaches, and lessons learned, and promoting the adoption and use of working communities of practice within OHS, partner projects and the broader health systems and health development community.

Knowledge Management

• Supporting and growing a health systems network at USAID that connects health systems strengthening colleagues throughout the Agency to share knowledge.
• Managing the web-based Health Systems Hub that provides USAID staff and other stakeholders with accurate, timely, comprehensive information on developing country health systems and on USAID health systems strengthening programming.
• Providing advisory oversight to projects and missions, facilitating cross-country learning, including but not limited to south-south technical assistance, study and oversight visits, video and conference calls.
• In coordination with the M&E Advisor, developing tracking and reporting methods to improve OHS efforts, share lessons learned, and determine strategic outcomes of OHS programming, including the annual Report to Congress.

International travel approximately 20%

Training and Professional Development

· Keeping informed of communications and knowledge management within health systems strengthening.

· Deepening knowledge of health systems strengthening programming.

· Participating in professional meetings as appropriate to SOW.

· Participating in professional continuing education and skills training within the purview of GHFP-II.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience developing and implementing strategic communications programs, with some knowledge management experience, and with at least three (3) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.
• Demonstrated experience in managing a comprehensive strategic communications program to advance an organization's mission and goals.
• Demonstrated skill and comfort in proactively building relationships and demonstrating influence with staff at all organizational levels.
• Significant experience working in communications and knowledge management within the health sector.
• Demonstrated familiarity with key concepts and development issues in global health and health systems strengthening.
• Extensive experience working in organizational communication as well as public relations.
• Proven experience with press outreach and media relations, preferably mainstream media.
• Experience in Congressional or other high level public relations promotion is highly desirable.
• The ability to work with and influence senior colleagues.
• Proven experience in using social media and Web 2.0 approaches.
• Familiarity with current web-based tools, apps, and IT platforms.
• Excellent analytical and written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to organize workload, respond to multiple demands, and meet short deadlines.
• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment.
• Ability to work well in a culturally diverse and team-based environment.
• Motivation to work independently with limited supervision.
• Availability to travel internationally.
• US citizenship or permanent residency required.

How to apply:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by September 18, 2014 by 5:00 pm Eastern time.

Applicants who applied previously have been given consideration and need not re-apply.

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