United States of America: Communications Specialist – E2A

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, ensure availability of safe abortion services and post-abortion care, advocate for sound reproductive health policies, and, through all of our work, improve the rights and lives of the people we serve.

Program Overview

Evidence to Action for Strengthened Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls (E2A) is USAID’s global flagship project for strengthening quality family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) service delivery. The project is designed to reduce unmet need for FP by implementing and scaling up best practices to ensure that women and girls receive – and use – quality services through all stages of the reproductive life cycle. By promoting healthy FP/RH behaviors, gender equality, and compelling evidence for FP use, E2A directly supports global FP/RH initiatives such as: Accelerating Progress (FP2020); Global Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ health (2016-2030) (UN); Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN); and Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality: USAID Maternal Health Vision for Action Evidence for Strategic Approaches (USAID). The project, which began in 2011, will continue until September 2019. The project is led by Pathfinder International in partnership with ExpandNet, IntraHealth International, Management Sciences for Health, and PATH.

Position Purpose

The Communications Specialist will support the Communications Manager to implement the E2A communications strategy. S/he will play a prominent role in supporting events, managing social media accounts, updating the E2A website, and finalizing publications. It is expected that this position will assist with the organization and coordination of both E2A-hosted events and preparation for external events attended by E2A staff; this will include setting up webinars, assisting with formatting presentations, liaising with conference organizers, working with all staff to organize materials for dissemination, and submitting purchase requisitions to the finance department. S/he will also provide some visual design support in simple formatting and laying out of technical documents, and secondary written products (briefs, factsheets, etc.). S/he will work with the Communications Manager to ensure adherence to E2A’s branding and marking plan. The Communications Specialist will play an integral role in the dissemination of E2A products as well as the administration and organization of E2A’s communications activities.

Key Responsibilities

Event Planning and Organization

• Manages the hosting or co-hosting online events (e.g., webinars, Twitter chats, etc.).

• Provides support to staff in the organization and coordination of events, including technical materials for dissemination, presentations, display materials such as banners and signs, etc.

Social Media Support

• Leverages dates of recognition or current events to promote findings and highlight data from new and existing publications.

• Supports the implementation of E2A’s social media strategy.

• Assists in the management of social media accounts (Twitter and Facebook).

Design, Formatting of Publications

• Formats documents in Microsoft Word.
• Provides some design and formatting support using Adobe InDesign and Illustrator.
• Creates high-quality visual designs for presentations.
• Helps turn data into graphs, charts, and infographics.

Writing, Copy Editing, Proofreading

• Provides copy editing and proofreading support to E2A technical publications and communications products.
• Assists with writing web content, as needed.
• Contributes written content to E2A newsletters, as needed.

Website

• Updates E2A website on an ongoing basis.
• Writes content for country pages based on new activities and updates.

General Administrative Support

• Provides support to staff on production and dissemination of printed and electronic materials.
• Works with Communications Manager to contract consultants and vendors for graphic design, printing, and other communications products.
• Represents E2A in relevant forums and professional meetings.
• Carries out other tasks as assigned by his/her supervisor

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field such as Communications or Journalism plus one to three years of professional communications experience
• Strong organizational skills with excellent attention to detail and follow through; ability to meet deadlines and guide others to meet theirs
• Proactive, with demonstrated project-management skills
• Experience with events coordination and management
• Familiarity with social media strategy implementation, including Twitter, Facebook
• Strong writer and communicator
• Advanced computer skills, especially with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook).
• Familiarity with web and mobile technologies
• Team player with excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate and develop effective business relationships with staff at all levels of the organization
• Ability to take initiative and work independently with a proactive and creative approach

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in design tools (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator)
• Familiarity with reproductive health, family planning, HIV/AIDS terminology and programs
• Experience working in organizations serving populations in Africa
• Proficiency in French

Pathfinder International is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.

http://www.pathfinder.org/about-us/join-our-team/