Global Health Fellows Program
Technical Advisor II: Malaria Technical Advisor, Behavior Change Communication
President’s Malaria Initiative Team, Infectious Diseases Division, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition, Bureau for Global Health, US Agency for International Development
Location: Washington, DC
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-09-147
The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, Management Systems International, and Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. GHFP is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
GHFP’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID Population, Health and Nutrition programs by developing and increasing capacity of health professionals in Washington, DC and overseas. This is accomplished through the recruitment, placement and support of junior, mid and senior level health professionals; a diversity initiative focused on providing internship and mentoring opportunities in international public health to underrepresented communities; and professional and organizational development activities to bolster USAID’s ability to maximize results and strengthen its leadership role in global health.
INTRODUCTION
The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) is a $1.2 billion five-year expansion of US Government (USG) resources led by USAID to reduce malaria-related mortality by 50 percent in up to 15 sub-Saharan African countries through a rapid scale up of a package of proven malaria prevention and treatment measures: artemisinin-based combination therapy, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy, and indoor residual spraying. The Initiative is results-based, focused, and exhibits a high level of financial and programmatic accountability. USAID is the lead agency for implementation of PMI.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Malaria Technical Advisor, Behavior Change Communication is a key member of USAID’s PMI team, providing guidance, monitoring, and technical support to USAID at its headquarters and in the field with missions and PMI country teams, technical counterparts, and Ministries of Health, and USAID cooperating agencies. S/he will exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, in serving US Government priorities at critical technical and policy forums, in resolving problems and conflicts, and in taking steps necessary to meet deadlines.
Specifically, the Malaria Technical Advisor, Behavior Change Communication will:
- Provide technical support to one or more PMI focus countries and participate as an integral member of an interagency country support team
- Provide guidance to USAID missions and PMI country teams on the development of annual country malaria operational plans
- Monitor and track overall progress of PMI plans and activities
- Provide advice and assistance to regional bureaus and missions involved in malaria efforts, particularly the PMI-targeted countries in sub-Saharan Africa
- Provide support to Missions by participating in population, health and nutrition country teams, reviewing mission strategies and annual reports, and assess technical and programmatic support needs
- Provide technical expertise and input to support the management of centrally administered communications programs and projects
- Serve as a communications technical expert for stakeholders about malaria developments and USAID's role
- Provide behavior change communication (BCC) orientation/training sessions as necessary for PMI staff who work on programs with a BCC component (in-country and at headquarters), Bureau and Agency leadership
- Facilitate exchanges between countries in order to share experiences, materials and capabilities, including best practices and lessons learned in communications
- Maintain and continue to incorporate messages, strategies, approaches, and materials in PMI’s BCC repository
- Work with the Global Health Bureau’s Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition and the technical offices in regional bureaus to enhance linkages between communications, malaria and other development-related activities
- Assist in the development of a long-term behavior change strategy along with partners as countries move towards pre-elimination or decreased malaria transmission
- Review literature for new developments, best practices and emerging issues in communications and malaria
- Attend technical meetings and workshops, and participate in relevant training events
- Formulate recommendations for the malaria team’s responses to new developments and emerging issues and share with colleagues, Bureau leadership, and missions
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
- Master’s degree in public health, behavioral sciences, health communications, or related discipline
- 5-12 years’ experience in malaria or other health program design, implementation, coordination and monitoring in developing countries, preferably in Africa of which 2 years in international/resource poor setting
- Experience in leading strategic planning for information, evaluation and communication programs and health promotion
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation communication, and ability to apply research to practice
- Demonstrated technical leadership, policy experience, and problem solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment
- High degree of judgment, maturity, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop and present work and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs
- Ability to work effectively with a broad range of USG personnel and partners, and in a team environment and communicate highly technical health information to both health and non-health audience
- Strong interpersonal communication and excellent oral communication and writing skills
- Knowledge of USAID programming, evaluation functions and procedures in USAID Washington and in the USAID missions desirable
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally
- Computer skills in MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, and Access
- US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency required
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary will be based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs.
http://www.phi.org/pdf-library/2009_Benefits_Booklet_GHFP.pdf
