Advocacy and Communications Specialist, Malaria, Kenya

PSI seeks qualified candidates for the position of Advocacy and Communications Specialist, Malaria for the ACTwatch research project. ACTwatch, which is carried out in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is a multi-country project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project is designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the anti-malarial market and provide evidence to guide national and international antimalarial medicine policy. ACTwatch is being implemented in six African countries (Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda and Zambia) and Southeast Asia (Cambodia). The project has been expanded using additional funding from the Global Fund to fight AIDS TB and Malaria for studies in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar as part of the evaluation of the Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria. The position is based in Nairobi with 40% International travel and reports to the ACTwatch Project Director, Malaria Child Survival Department (MCSD).


This position leads PSI's work on malaria advocacy at both the national and international levels in order to ensure that ACTwatch results are influencing malaria medicine policy to maximum effect. A clear advocacy strategy that enhances antimalarial access will be developed by the incumbent who will also be responsible for developing and implementing a related work plan.
Responsibilities:

• Develop PSI's advocacy strategy for malaria, and ACTwatch in particular, by consulting within PSI (MCSD, Corporate Marketing and Communications, Country Representatives) and with external partners


• Develop an overall work plan and provide technical assistance to countries for the development of country-specific ACTwatch advocacy workplans. This will include the development of a calendar of events that targets strategic groups, organizations and media at both the country and international levels


• Advise the senior and technical staff within the MCSD and at the country level on advocacy and communications issues including approaches, consistency of language and content of publications and press releases


• Proactively identify and build a network of partners, media and stakeholders through which advocacy is channeled, including ALMA and RBM amongst others


• Improve and update the content of the ACTwatch website and relevant sections of the PSI website making them as useful as possible


• Undertake a wide range of writing assignments such as: talking points for national and international events, press releases, reports, fact sheets, newsletters, PowerPoint presentations, and content for the website


• Participate in writing and editing technical and scientific reports and manuscripts as well as funding proposals


• Represent PSI at international and national meetings and forums, advocating for awareness of and use of ACTwatch and other PSI malaria data, presenting results and facilitating exchanges between partners

Experience:

• Degree in communications, journalism, international relations, public health or equivalent experience


• 5+ years experience in advocacy, communications or public relations of which at least 2 years is within a developing country and one year focusing on a public health issues; knowledge of malaria preferred


• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, with capacity to work and produce results within a tight timeframe


• Demonstrated experience building a network for advocacy purposes; international and developing country arenas preferred


• Advanced computer skills including using websites for communication purposes, developing graphs and PowerPoint presentations


• Excellent presentation and networking skills


• Fluency in French preferred

PSI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
Advocacy and Communications Specialist, Malaria, Kenya