Pathfinder Overview

Pathfinder International is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health. We place reproductive health care at the center of all that we do—believing that it is not only a fundamental human right, but is critical for expanding life opportunities for women, families, communities, and nations, and paving the way for transformations in environmental stewardship, decreases in population pressures, and innovations in poverty reduction. Pathfinder provides women, men, and adolescents with a range of quality health services—from contraception and maternal care to HIV prevention and AIDS care and treatment. Pathfinder strives to strengthen access to family planning, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.

Program Overview

Transform: Primary Health Care (PHC) is a USAID funded project to improve healthcare outcomes to End Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD) in Ethiopia, which in turn support Government of Ethiopia efforts within the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP). Transform: PHC will operate in the four most populous rural regions of Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, Tigray and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region). This will be accomplished in part by: mitigating the drivers of child and maternal mortality in Ethiopia’s most populous regions through the facilitation and implementation of quality health service delivery; improved management and performance of health systems; and implementation of innovative and evidence-based social behavioral change and communication interventions. Transform: PHC will strengthen the capacity of the health system to effectively use management tools and implement best practices at all levels of the health system and health care delivery with a major focus at the primary care level that include primary hospitals and PHCU.

Position Purpose

The Communications Technical officer is principally responsible for the development of both long and short-term strategies to raise the profile of the TRANSFORM/PHCU. S/He provides technical assistance to implement communication strategies to support the project, events, publications and media relations. This position is responsible for executing tactics for the promotion of TRANSFORM/PHCU through a variety of communication channels including print, digital, media relations and social networks, to the national and global public health community in order to improve the quality of programing. S/he will also be a lead person to organize site visits for donor and GOE delegation.

Key Responsibilities

·       Develop and implement an annual communications plan, in coordination with country staff and the HQ Communications team

·       Manage and monitor all communications activities for TRANSFORM/PHCU, ensuring they are effective and in line with the communications plan

·       Initiate, coordinate, and manage the collection of photographs, video, quotes, and impact stories to showcase program impact

·       Identify and write impact stories for use in TRANSFORM/PHCU publications and for inclusion in donor reports and materials

·       Mange the production and dissemination of pamphlets, brochures, press releases, brochures, and other communication materials

·       Manage the development and production of video and reports documenting project activities and impact

·       Develop and organize media sensitization training.

·       Organize and coordinate all site visits, including documentation, photography, any meeting minutes, and any communications materials needed

·       Organize events, exhibits and booths to promote project impacts and the work of Pathfinder and its partners, leveraging national and international days of recognition

·       Organize and coordinate all quarterly Project Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) Meetings and site visits and organizes the documentation of such visits, including the writing up of the minutes of those visits and meetings and proper archiving.

·       Liaises with the national media and promotion organizations and develops cordial relationships with them in order to draw on their expertise and facilities at times to promote the works of TRANSFORM/PHCU

·       Develop and produce project newsletters in both electronic and print formats.

·       Support and contribute to national advocacy efforts

·       Develop and maintain an electronic library of all photos, stories, and other communications materials or assets produced or collected for use in future project communications pieces

·       Maintain country- and project-specific content on iShare

·       Coordinate with the HQ Communications team to ensure country and project web pages on Pathfinder.org are updated and accurate

·       Promote and enforce the project’s brand in the country through proper use of templates and logos, and display of branded items, including banner stands, vehicle signage as per the donor requirements for branding

·       Guide, support and advise project staff on the planning of communications activities to ensure quality and impact, including the delivery of training to field officers on how to write impact stories and take photos

·       Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor.

·       Master’s Degree in communications, advocacy, media, journalism, or similar field is a requirement.

·       Minimum of five years of experience in writing, publishing and disseminating advocacy briefs, technical briefs is mandatory.

·       Excellent English and Amharic speaking, writing and editing skill; event planning, budgeting, organizing and monitoring skills; problem-solving, analytical and interpersonal skills are of great importance;

·       Advanced knowledge in computer applications particularly in Word, Publisher, Power Point are mandatory.

·       Must have great interpersonal skill; must be able to work within a team under minimum supervision.

·       Previous experience of working in health programs is an asset.

·       Must demonstrate strong interest and commitment to family planning and reproductive health services and maternal and child health services

·       Must have demonstrable personal integrity and honest.

·       Solid understanding of social media platforms

·       Strong attention to detail

·       Must be willing to travel frequently to project activity regions and woredas as per need.

·       Basic videography skills and ability to use digital SLR camera and multimedia communications (photographs, podcasts, social networking technologies) is an asset

·      Excellent research and interview skills