STRIDES Technical Advisor, Communications

The STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Activity's Communications Advisor oversees strategic planning, development and coordination of all communications activities to promote STRIDES objectives. The position provides communications guidance and leadership across the Activity, consulting with STRIDES management, technical units, FHI 360's policy and advocacy team, and other FHI 360 projects to produce communication products and plan thought leadership activities for STRIDES to improve delivery of service. STRIDES Communications Advisor manages the preparation of STRIDES technical products to ensure alignment with the Activity's brand, leads public relations activities and sub activities, including press releases and social media coordinated with FHI 360's corporate communications team, and recommends media resources best suited to promote project implementation. The position will interact with FHI 360's Design Lab to produce templates and materials to support work planning, reporting, thought leadership, templates, presentations, etc. The Communications Advisor leads the planning of external events, such as webinars, presentations, thought leadership meetings, and conferences to promote STRIDES approaches and accomplishments. The Communications Advisor will be responsible for STRIDES project management, planning, scheduling, reporting, and budgeting related to all communications activities. As STRIDES expands, the Communications Advisor will select, develop, and evaluate personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the communications functions.

Accountabilities:

• Develop and implement STRIDES comprehensive communications and outreach strategy, aligned with donor branding and marking guidelines, consistent with FHI 360's overarching communications policies and priorities, and aligned with the global health security (GHS) technical space.
• Provides technical leadership across all STRIDES communications activities and products to ensure objectives are met and success stories shared.
• Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining solutions, with some supervision.
• Networks with key internal personnel, including FHI 360's policy and advocacy team, design lab, and communications counterparts across other projects.
• Develops technical communications materials for websites, web pages, social media, and other platforms for a range of audiences including, but not limited to, governments, donors and partners, leaders in key sector areas, and local audiences around the world.
• Leads the day-to-day communications activities of STRIDES, including tracking delivery of Activity outputs.
• Coordinates communications requests from STRIDES in-country programs for technical assistance.
• Establishes and maintains vendor relationships for STRIDES communications programs and products.
• Ensures robust documentation of STRIDES activities, lessons learned, and innovations for donor reporting and public dissemination.
• Develops tools for the design and implementation of specific technical components; oversees development, execution, budgetary planning, training and maintenance of communications plans for STRIDES.
• Collaborates proactively with FHI 360 headquarters communications staff to share STRIDES stories, leverage organizational communication platforms, and contribute to corporate visibility and advocacy efforts.
• Manage STRIDES photo library in accordance with FHI 360 photo consent requirements.
• Leads the day-to-day technical activities of STRIDES communications portfolio.

Applied Knowledge & Skills:

• Ensures appropriate and timely communications support for STRIDES global and in-country activities.
• Ensures the quality of STRIDES communications technical activities and systems at all levels of the Activity.
• Conducts routine coordination with employees and consultants, on-site and in the field.
• Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, practices, and procedures with communications strategies.
• Solid knowledge of standards for the technical area/field, operational processes and procedures, work, and task flow.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects, set realistic priorities, and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
• Proficient writing and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer software skills, including various software and web applications.
• Ability to manage their own work to job and performance standards.
• Ability to influence, motivate, negotiate and work well with others.
• Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English. Fluency in a second language (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and/or Arabic) desirable.

Problem Solving & Impact:

• Demonstrates the ability to assess needs within agreed upon duties and considers course of action best to meet those needs.
• Effectively applies knowledge of technical area to solve a range of problems.
• Demonstrates the ability to develop solutions to problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches.
• Works on problems of complex scope that require in-depth evaluation of data and various factors.
• Problem-solving involves evaluating and resolving discrepancies with data, analyses, processes, etc. within prescribed guidelines.

Supervision Given/Received:

• May supervise junior staff members to meet departmental and organizational strategic goals.
• Coordinates own workflow and sets individual priorities.
• Works under general guidelines for completion and accuracy as determined by the supervisor.
• Develops and recommends solutions to management to meet STRIDES internal and external needs.
• Serves as mentor to more inexperienced technical staff.
• Typically reports to a Director.

Education:

• Master's Degree or its International Equivalent in Knowledge/Information Services, Communications, Environment, Health, Behavioral, Life/Social Sciences, International Development, Human Development or Related Field.
• Project Management (PM) Certification preferred.

Experience:

• Typically requires 8+ years of marketing and public relations experience.
• Demonstrated progressively responsible experience in global health, health security, or international development. Familiarity with global health security concepts (i.e., disease surveillance, diagnostic network strengthening, emergency preparedness) desirable.
• Documented experience providing technical assistance and capacity building in the communications technical domain.
• Prior work experience in an NGO, government agency, or private organization.
• Articulate, professional and able to communicate in a clear, positive manner with clients and staff.
• International program management and implementation experience preferred.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at a computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift 5-25 lbs.

Technology to be Used:

• Personal Computer, Microsoft Office 365 (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype/TEAMS, email), office telephone, cell phone, and printer/copier.

Travel Requirements:

• 10-25%

This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

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