Job Description
Overview
Credence and its partner, the Public Health Institute (PHI), are both employers for the Global Health Technical Professionals (GHTP) project which provides expertise in support of USAID global health programs. The hiring of this position will be through the PHI and as such the selected person will become a PHI employee.
Summary Statement
The Communications Advisor is an integral part of the communications team and works under the technical guidance of the Senior Communications Advisor to articulate and implement communication and outreach priorities for USAID’s Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN). The team’s responsibilities include executing strategic internal and external communications for MCHN; overseeing the development, publication and distribution of new materials; responding to requests for information from a variety of stakeholders; supporting the MCHN front office with communications and public affairs needs; conducting wide-ranging social media campaigns, and assisting with special events planning. This role would play a technical leadership role on strategic communications for the Office’s maternal and child nutrition and WASH portfolios. As an Advisor, s/he must also gain a clear understanding of the Senior Strategic Communications Advisor role and be prepared to serve as a backstop in his/her absence. The position requires maintaining a working knowledge of the Agency’s maternal, child, and environmental health and nutrition priorities, policies and programs through missions, implementing partners, and projects.
Job Requirements
The Communications Advisor primarily provides technical assistance to USAID Washington bureaus and USAID country-level programs to roll-out programming under the Multi-sectoral Nutrition Strategy (2014-2025) while also supporting efforts to prevent maternal and child deaths and, the Water in Development Strategy (2018-2023), and the communications, knowledge management and capacity building associated with them. S/he provides technical assistance, guidance, and support for communications and knowledge management to activities implemented by Washington-funded projects, particularly USAID Advancing Nutrition, MOMENTUM, and others to ensure that project resources align with Agency priorities, messaging, and branding guidelines. S/he also maintains a close working relationship with nutrition, maternal and child health; and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) advocates, implementing partners, and other relevant project staff to maintain and elevate visibility for USAID’s work on maternal and child health, WASH and nutrition. S/he supports and advises USAID leadership on strategic involvement in global and national partnerships as they relate to communications, especially for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, Nutrition for Growth, Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and others. S/he actively seeks new, strategic platforms and events to increase the visibility of USAID’s work on nutrition, maternal and child health, and WASH and develop communications materials to share at such opportunities.
On behalf of the Office, s/he collaborates with other USAID bureaus and offices to accomplish Agency objectives related to maternal and child health, WASH and nutrition communications and knowledge management, including cohesive messaging on USAID’s maternal and child health, WASH and nutrition work, policy and strategic development, knowledge sharing, and program and project planning. S/he works in day-to-day close collaboration with the Agency’s Center for Nutrition in developing and implementing a cross-bureau communication and knowledge management strategy for nutrition. As part of the wider Global Health Communications team, s/he works closely with other communicators across the bureau and in the front office, to tell a consistent, cohesive story about USAID’s global health work. S/he also works closely with colleagues in the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs (LPA) to respond to external inquiries about the Agency’s work on maternal and child health, WASH and nutrition and amplify content on Agency handles.
The Advisor will receive technical guidance from the Nutrition Team Leader and from the MCHN Office Director who oversees the Communications Team.
Responsibilities
The Advisor will be responsible for:
- Provide technical support on strategic communications for maternal and child nutrition, and support and/or contribute to strategic communications for maternal and child health and WASH topics as requested by the Lead Communicator or Deputy Office Director.
- Collaborate with strategic communications experts in the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS), Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) , to share cohesive messaging on USAID’s nutrition and food security across USAID and externally, and to elevate USAID’s nutrition work with external groups.
- Backstop the Lead Communicator as required in the absence of the Lead Communicator.
- Facilitate the development and sharing of high-quality, consistent, appropriately messaged talking points, briefers, and externally-facing materials for nutrition, as well as for maternal and child health and WASH, as needed.
- Coordinate maternal and child health and nutrition content on the Agency’s website and social media channels.
- Identify and plug opportunities for GH’s nutrition work to be strategically included in high-level events and shared by key stakeholders at national, regional, and global fora.
- Support the day-to-day workflow for MCHN communications staff as requested.
- Assist the Lead Communicator to guide the MCHN Office’s annual communications workplan, and monitor the budget with the Deputy Office Director, including buy-in to 1-2 support mechanisms for nutrition and maternal and child health.
- Liaise with LPA for press inquiries, Agency front office needs and priorities, and to ensure maternal and child health, WASH and nutrition content is shared through Agency handles.
- Provide technical assistance, guidance, and support for communications and knowledge management to Washington-funded nutrition-related projects, particularly USAID Advancing Nutrition, to ensure that project resources align with Agency priorities, messaging, and branding guidelines; provide technical assistance for branding and messaging consistency to maternal and child health project staff and partners, as requested
- Maintain a close working relationship with nutrition advocates and partners maintain and elevate visibility for USAID’s work on maternal and child nutrition.
- As part of the Global Health Communications Team, work closely with communications specialists across the Bureau to develop resources that tell a unified, comprehensive story of the Agency’s global health work.
- Keep all existing nutrition communications resources up to date, including topline messaging, talking points, fact sheets, stories, and publication materials.
- With the Lead MCHN Office Communicator, review major presentations, external materials, and project branding and marking plans for compliance with Agency branding guidelines.
- Collaborate with knowledge management experts in GH, RFS, BHA and elsewhere to curate content for and keep nutrition internal knowledge management and communications platforms updated.
- Create communications materials for nutrition knowledge sharing with target groups and audiences including an online resource library and interactive platforms.
- Prepare success stories, social media, correspondence/briefers/talking points, videos, reports, concept/position papers, blogs, and other strategic communications pieces related to nutrition and maternal and child health, including for relevant campaigns and global advocacy days.
- Participate in professional continuing education, skills training and professional meetings to enhance relevant technical skills and career development.
- Complete and execute an Individual Learning and Training Plan and Annual Work Plan.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years relevant experience or Master’s degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in public health, nutrition and food policy, communications, knowledge management or a related discipline.
- At least 5 years of professional experience with two or more public health technical disciplines such as: (Maternal, newborn and child health, WASH, Social and Behavioral Change, etc); job duties/responsibilities generally related to position description requirements.
- Experience in nutrition programs in health, or food security with communications and knowledge management experience with or without experience in an international or resource challenged setting.
- Demonstrated expertise in human nutrition preferred.
- Experience in an international or resource-challenged setting desirable.
- Hands-on experience designing, planning, implementing and evaluating communication campaigns, and/or knowledge management platforms or hubs is highly desirable.
- Experience working with nutrition, maternal child health or communications data analytics for programs design and management.
- Experience developing various web/print/social media or organizing events desired.
- Familiarity with USG policies and procedures; experience working with USAID or other donor-funded programs preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively staying within a timeframe in diverse contexts, and as part of inter-disciplinary teams.
- Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
- Ability to travel internationally and domestically approximately 25%.
- US citizenship or US permanent residency required.
