Senior Associate, Communications

The USAID Integrated Health System Activity (PROPEL Health Timor-Leste)  

PROPEL (Promoting Results and Outcomes through Policy and Economic Levers) Health, a USAID-funded five-year $100 million project awarded to Palladium, aims to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation; adequate, predictable, and sustainable health financing; enhanced government stewardship, transparency, and accountability; and use of evidence-based advocacy approaches at global, national, and subnational levels to promote best practices.  

The USAID Integrated Health System Activity in Timor-Leste (PROPEL Health Timor-Leste) shall aim to work with the Ministry of Health and key local actors to accelerate progress toward building a sustainable and inclusive health system – focusing on strengthening family planning/ reproductive health (FP/RH), maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (MNCAH), and nutrition programs and improving related health outcomes through primary health care-based health system strengthening and demand generation approaches. The USAID Integrated Health System Activity will:   

Strengthen effective health governance and efficient health financing mechanisms; Provide technical support to generate and utilize timely and reliable information for decision making within the public health system; Enhance management capacities for human resources for health (HRH); and  Improve the demand for health services through strengthening institutional capacities for social accountability and promoting health-seeking behavior.

Position Summary:

The Senior Associate will support the USAID Integrated Health System Activity in Timor-Leste to communicate about the project’s interventions. The Senior Associate will be expected to produce high-quality written materials that will document USAID Integrated Health System Activity support, targeting internal and external audiences. 

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to: 

Contribute to preparation and finalization of key presentations and deliverables including work plans, quarterly and annual reports, PowerPoint slides, and other technical products/reports, providing formatting and editing support for all products. This may include collecting input from various team members and combining into a single product. Develop a communications strategy and communications products such as success stories, newsletter articles, web updates, stories and features for internal and external dissemination, under the direction of the Country Director and USAID Integrated Health System Activity Home Office team. Identify effective communication dissemination strategies (print, audiovisual, social media) for diverse audiences and develop communication materials on key project objectives and achievements. 
Build and execute social media strategy, create, schedule, and post content (written posts, images, graphics, and video).Support administrative needs of the team, including organizing project documents and project files and other tasks/duties as needed. Support technical components of project meetings, workshops, and trainings, in collaboration with the finance and operations teams; this may include finalizing agendas, compiling participant resources, sending invitations, and managing the participant list. Collaborate with the Finance & Administrative team to ensure support for logistical needs for in-country travel and coordinating staff field visits. Translate to supplement on an as needed basis and/or if last-minute requests arise. Provide communication guidance and capacity building to USAID Integrated Health System Activity staff and project partners, through training and mentoring to help partners apply communication in their contexts.  Organizes and supports communications and materials for project training, conferences, workshops, and meetings.  Develops and manages innovative mechanisms and tools to capture and share USAID Integrated Health System Activity ideas, achievements, and impact. In collaboration with US-based communication team, manages the dissemination of USAID Integrated Health System Activity products globally. Coordinates the project’s participation in workshops and conferences by helping to identify appropriate meetings, plan abstracts, prepare and finalize materials, and provide onsite 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.  Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned. 

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Communications, Business, Public Health, International Development or other related field 2-4 years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 6-8 years without a Bachelor’s degree. Experience with international development and donor-funded programs is preferred. Familiarity with USAID-funded projects will be an advantage. Experience in digital communications e.g. managing social media platforms. , Public Relations, / and stakeholder communications Strong Design skills (knowledge of Adobe Suite and Canva), effective writing skills and experience of working with multiple platforms (eg: Facebook, Twitter, Adwords) Strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills. Strong oral and written communication skills in English and preferably in Tetum. Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite programs, including Outlook, Word and Excel and preferably experience with SharePoint. Eagerness to learn about and grow in the field of health system strengthening is preferred. Proven professional knowledge of MS Office applications and appropriate organizational skills.
Timorese nationals are encouraged to apply.