Strategic Communications Specialist

A. Summary Statement:

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

The Global Health Training, Advisory and Support Contract (GHTASC) delivers effective global health programming to advance the mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Global Health (GH) through institutional support and workforce development services from junior, mid-level, senior and expert advisory and administrative professionals.

B. Position Summary:

The Strategic Communications Specialist will primarily support the Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) as a PHI Institutional Support Contractor (ISC). In this role, the selected candidate will provide technical assistance to USAID Washington Bureaus and USAID Missions to support efforts to prevent maternal and child deaths through communications, knowledge translation, and capacity-building efforts. The position strategically supports digital communications and knowledge translation activities–providing guidance, training, and other forms of assistance–to activities implemented by Washington-funded projects and MCHN Missions in partner countries. In particular, the position will support communications related to the USAID MOMENTUM project suite, ensuring alignment with Agency priorities, messaging, and branding guidelines. In addition to communications and knowledge translation, key skills and abilities are required in digital/social media, organization, and knowledge management. The Specialist will work closely with MCHN advocates, implementing partners, and other relevant project staff to maintain and elevate visibility for USAID MCHN’s work, engaging with several communications working groups. The position also supports and advises USAID leadership on strategic involvement in global and national partnerships as they relate to communications, especially for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health; Global Polio Eradication Initiative; Every Breath Counts Coalition; UNICEF; and others. They actively seek new, strategic platforms and events to increase the visibility of USAID’s MCHN and cross-cutting work and develop communications campaigns and materials to share at such opportunities.

On behalf of the MCHN Office, the Specialist collaborates with other USAID Bureaus and Offices to accomplish Agency objectives via strategic communications, digital engagement, and knowledge translation, including cohesive messaging on USAID’s MCHN work, policy and strategic development, knowledge sharing, and program and project planning. As part of the wider Global Health Communications Team, the position will work closely with other GH, Bureau, and LPA communicators to tell a consistent, cohesive story about USAID’s global health and development work and respond to external and internal inquiries, taskers, and briefers. In particular, the Specialist will be responsible for providing technical guidance and creative ideas on digital strategies and platforms, coordinating with the GH Bureau Digital Engagement Working Group and providing day-to-day digital media guidance to MCHN staff and the MCHN Communications Intern.

Full salary range for this position is $76,700 to $120,900 per year, with the starting salary determined based on candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Employment Type: Full Time

C. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Build and strengthen effective working relationships with various internal and external stakeholders critical to successful communications and outreach efforts.

• Collaborate with strategic communications experts across the Bureau for Global Health, regional bureaus, other B/IOs, and Legislative and Public Affairs to share cohesive messaging internally and externally on USAID’s work to prevent maternal and child deaths, and to strategically elevate USAID’s global health and development work with external groups.
• Liaise with Legislative and Public Affairs for press inquiries, Agency front office needs and priorities, and to ensure MCHN content is shared through Agency handles.
• Maintain a close working relationship with PCMD advocates and partners to elevate visibility for USAID’s MCHN work.
• Provide technical assistance for branding and messaging consistency to MCHN project staff and partners, as requested; and coordinate the MCHN Communications Working Group quarterly meetings with implementing partners.

Serve as the digital media focal point for the MCHN Communication Team and as the MCHN liaison on the GH-wide digital engagement working group.

• Coordinate the development and dissemination of regular newsletters and digital postcards to share program updates, highlight success stories, and elevate USAID’s MCHN investments with 100k subscribers from the international development community.
• Oversee and prepare content for various digital platforms such as updates to MCHN webpages, success stories, and photo blogs for usaid.gov. This includes ensuring all required clearances are obtained prior to posting.
• Develop an Office social media strategy and schedule approved content for using Global Health Bureau’s social media accounts to ensure regular promotion of key messages and successes from the MCHN portfolio.
• Create social media toolkits and other digital campaigns around global advocacy days, high-level convenings, new project launches, and publication unveilings. Coordinate with external contractors on complex creative projects for social media, as needed.
• Use data and analytics to measure and report on digital communication activities and results. Pitch new ideas on digital media tactics to the Senior Strategic Communications Advisor for MCHN using data-driven insights.
• Provide guidance and training to others on new and emerging trends and best practices, as part of the GH-wide digital engagement working group.

Support USAID’s engagement in high-level convenings and events, including international conferences and local Congressional events.

• Identify and plug opportunities for MCHN’s work to be strategically included in high-level events and shared by key stakeholders at national, regional, and global fora. Provides coordination support with vendors/service providers for events and programs.
• Prepare speeches, talking points, briefers, press releases, and pitches for events.
• Develop event-specific traditional and digital media strategies and coordinate the production of event-related collateral.

Contribute to internal communication quality control and knowledge management processes.

• With the Senior Strategic Communications Advisor, review major presentations, external materials, and project branding and marking plans for compliance with Agency branding guidelines.
• Maintain, update, and devise new knowledge management systems, processes, and guides for managing communications and external outreach requests, content, and assets.
• As part of the communications team, assist with keeping all existing communications resources up to date, including topline messaging, talking points, fact sheets, stories, and publication materials.

Demonstrate a commitment to learning and development.

• 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.

• Conduct travel internationally and domestically approximately up to 25% of the time.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

D. Qualification Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree with 4 years of relevant experience, bachelor’s degree with 6 years of relevant experience, Associate’s degree and 8 years of relevant experience, or High School graduate and 10 years of relevant experience.

Other Qualifications:

• At least 4 years of professional experience with two or more global health and development technical disciplines such as: maternal and newborn health, child health, family planning and reproductive health, or immunization etc.; job duties/responsibilities generally related to position description requirements.
• Experience with global health and development programming as well as communications, digital engagement, and knowledge management.
• Experience in international or resource-challenged settings.
• Hands-on experience designing, planning, implementing and evaluating communication campaigns, and/or knowledge management platforms/hubs.
• Experience developing various web/print/social media or organizing events.
• 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 interdisciplinary teams.
• Excellent analytical, visual, written, and oral communication skills. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical public health materials.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from senior staff, political appointees, media, and the general public.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
• Ability to travel internationally and domestically approximately up to 25% of the time.
• US citizen or US permanent resident with the ability to obtain and maintain facility clearance.

E. Competencies:

• Innovation: Employee takes initiative to propose new ideas/approaches and demonstrates ability to find new and better ways to accomplish work.
• Customer Service: Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates with customers, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers, follows procedure to solve customer problems, understands company products and services, maintains pleasant and professional image.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of work responsibilities and holds high standards. Keeps commitments and takes appropriate actions to ensure obligations are met. Pursues efficiency and effectiveness and adheres to Organization policies and procedures.
• Interpersonal Skills: Employee demonstrates ability to work in cooperation with others and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, clients, and other outside contacts.
• Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues professional development that is aligned with organizational role, contribution, and goals. Proactively shares knowledge with others to foster learning across the Organization.

F. APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Prior to submitting your application your resume must include relevant paid and non-paid experience showing dates held with month, year and hours worked per week for each position. Please ensure that all relevant experience and education is documented on your resume. There is no limitation to resume length; updates to resumes will not be accepted during the interview and selection process.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

PHI WORKFORCE MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

Per the PHI Workforce Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is a condition of employment for all domestic based employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they are granted a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.

New hires need to provide proof of full vaccination prior to their start date or apply for an exemption/accommodation within three business days after their start date. Depending on the circumstances, new hires who do not comply with this Policy, or who cannot be reasonably accommodated, will either have their employment suspended or terminated. Candidates who are non-compliant will have their offers rescinded.

This position described in this announcement falls under a contract with the Federal Government, and therefore is subject to the provisions put forward in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions. Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government

EEO STATEMENT

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

ADA STATEMENT