Communications Adviser, HP+ Kenya at Palladium International

Project Overview and Role:

Health Policy Plus (HP+) is a USAID-funded seven-year $185 million project awarded to Palladium (formerly Futures Group) on August 28, 2015. HP+ has a mandate across global, country, and subnational levels to strengthen and advance health policy priorities, including those related to HIV and AIDS. It aims to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation, with an emphasis on voluntary, rights-based health programs, and by strengthening in-country partners’ capacity to navigate complex environments for effective policy design, implementation, and financing aligned to their priorities.

Background:
Palladium Kenya is recruiting a Communications Adviser who will support the USAID funded Health Policy Plus (HP+) Kenya and East Africa team to communicate the results of HP+ interventions relating to health systems strengthening. This is a full-time employee position.  The Adviser will be expected to produce high quality written and developed materials that will document HP+ support to national and county governments targeting internal and external audiences that will necessitate stakeholder engagement. This is a full-time position based in Nairobi, Kenya and reporting to the Program Director.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The services, job functions and responsibilities (“Scope of Work”) that the Employee will perform in collaboration with the HP+ global Communication team shall include, but are not limited to:

• Guides the design of a HP+ Kenya and East Africa communication and dissemination strategy and the production of innovative communication tools, products and platforms for HP+ Kenya and East Africa. These include reports, briefs, presentations and special background papers.
• Provides communication guidance and capacity building to HP+ staff and project partners, through training and mentoring to help partners apply communication in their contexts.
• Organizes and supports communications and materials for project trainings, conferences, workshops, and meetings.
  Provides leadership in the design and implementation of policy advocacy activities for HP+ Kenya and East Africa. This includes managing activities related to advocacy training and capacity development, documentation and assessment included in the HP+ Kenya and East Africa Workplan.
• Supports development of quarterly and semi-annual reports to USAID, results reporting to HP+ Results Database, and development of success stories for USAID, as assigned.
• Develops and manages innovative mechanisms and tools to capture and share HP+ ideas, achievements and impact.
  In collaboration with US-based HP+ Communications team, manages the dissemination of HP+ products and success stories globally.
• Coordinates the project’s participation in national, regional, and international conferences by helping to identify appropriate meetings, plan abstracts, prepare and finalize materials, and provide on-site communication support as required.
• Participates, and represents the organization as needed, in outside associations, conferences, and symposia.
  Actively participates in the development of annual work planning, design, implementation, and reporting related to project technical activities.
• Compile high-quality photos at HP+ events and from HP+ counties, including potential hire of photographers and videographers locally, as needed.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned

Duration:
Full-time, April 1, 2020 – August 27, 2020 with possible extension based on funding and performance.  

Minimum Education and Experience Required:

• A Master’s degree in communication studies, knowledge management, development journalism, political science or a related field from a reputable university;
• At least eight years’ experience in setting up and managing communication and knowledge management activities in the development/NGO sector, which should include the following:
  • Conducting audience needs research and developing communication and knowledge management strategies to support large scale programs;
  • Developing audience-appropriate knowledge products and dissemination mechanisms to support transfer of knowledge from program to end users;
  • Conducting training/capacity building in communication, knowledge management and advocacy; as well as supporting knowledge and skills transfer;
  • Documenting impact of project communications and best practices; and
  • Managing pre-press production of program documents and overseeing printing and dissemination.
• Excellent strategy development and writing skills; ability to synthesize information from different sources to produce coherent knowledge and advocacy products;
• Strong editing skills and ability to support other program staff to produce high quality products;  and
• Experience working with donor-funded programs. Experience with USAID-funded projects an added advantage

Applications will remain open until a qualified candidate is identified.  Applicants are advised to submit their application as early as possible.  Only successful applicants will be contacted.