Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagement and Health Communications, USAID Global Health

Grade-level Equivalent: ~GS-15

Office/Team: OHA (PEPFAR)

Clearance Requirement: Facilities Access (we will facilitate for the selected candidate)

Period of Performance (o/a): 100 days Full Time Equivalent

Place of Performance: Washington, DC

Telework Designation: Situational

BACKGROUND:

The Bureau for Global Health (GH) is the Agency's center of excellence and focal point in providing worldwide leadership and technical expertise in the areas of child and maternal health and nutrition, HIV, infectious disease, population, family planning and related reproductive health, and health systems. The Office of HIV/AIDS (GH/OHA) has overarching responsibility for the full range of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID's) HIV programs and serves as the Agency's lead office for implementing the interagency President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). GH/OHA's primary functions are to provide strategic direction, technical leadership, and support to field programs, and to effectively manage headquarters programs devoted to reach and sustain HIV epidemic control. As a lead partner in the PEPFAR interagency process, GH/OHA makes decisions concerning the strategic allocation of financial and human resources in the sector and provides leadership in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating HIV programs. This entails ensuring the technical integrity of USAID's headquarters and mission strategies and programs; providing global technical leadership on the full range of interventions related to HIV prevention, care, and treatment; leading HIV research programs; supporting USAID missions in working with partners and other government agencies; and monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the impact of the Agency's HIV programs in support of PEPFAR goals. GH/OHA is composed of eight Divisions and 23 Branches. GH/OHA is committed to ensuring an equitable, inclusive, diverse, accountable, transparent, accessible, and antiracist work environment.

The Strategic Coordination and Communication Division in the Office of HIV/AIDS seeks a Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagement and Health Communications to provide support for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). As a critical member of the Strategic Coordination and Communication Division, the Senior Advisor will work under the guidance of the Division Chief.

The Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagement and Health Communications will primarily support the USAID Office of HIV/AIDS. In this role, the selected candidate will support the development and implementation of strategic executive communications plans related to the global HIV response. The incumbent will be responsible for providing senior-level counsel and advice to Office, Bureau and interagency leadership with regard to strategic communications, and tasks may include developing communications materials for Principals, advising on sensitive relationships or issues, negotiating key communication messaging across the PEPFAR interagency, and proactive partnership and coalition development opportunities. The incumbent is expected to work with a high level of discretion and independence to adapt to evolving needs as they arise.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, include but are not limited to:

• Advise executive leadership, including at the Ambassadorial, Deputy Assistant Administrator, and/or Deputy Assistant Secretary level, on public affairs approaches and strategic communications objectives related to global health and development.

• Coordinate the development of slides, talking points, and other communications deliverables to be used by senior leaders; materials will be intended for both internal and external audiences and cover both domestic and international audiences.

• Develop strategic communications briefing documents for high-level Agency and interagency principals

• Coordinate and conduct activities related to long- and short-range planning, audience research, and dissemination of scientific information to audiences in a variety of formats.

• Provide expert advice and prepare recommendations so that health-related communication activities are based on accepted theory, principles, methods, and practices, including related to change management methodologies such as Prosci or other appropriate frameworks.

• Monitor channel use (such as websites, social media, and internal government cables) as well as the use of communication materials and media coverage in collaboration with other Offices.

• Suggest approaches and formulate recommendations that equip senior leadership to establish and maintain effective working relationships with health officials, partners, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and other stakeholders as needed.

• Provide technical assistance and consultations to public health entities and public health communications programs as needed regarding best practices for strategic communications.

NOTE: The consultant will not perform other inherently governmental functions or duties (e.g. will not serve as AOR/COR or supervise staff), but rather will advise, mentor, and facilitate as appropriate on the performance of inherently governmental functions on the part of the Office or Mission.

KEY DELIVERABLES:

1. Executive communications and change management plan: In consultation with USAID and PEPFAR senior leadership, develop an executive communications plan with a focus on change communications. The plan should identify specific and measurable actions that USAID and PEPFAR senior leadership should take to effectively implement and sustain PEPFAR operational changes that impact USAID Missions.

2. Approach and plan for strategic stakeholder engagement: Develop a conceptual approach and operational plan for strategic stakeholder engagement as it relates to global HIV programs and U.S. foreign assistance for health. The conceptual approach should include considerations for how, when, and who to engage, including USG and non-USG stakeholders such as the U.S. Congress, U.S. Chiefs of Missions, the PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board, HIV and global health advocates, and related Agencies and Departments (e.g. NIAID, Treasury, etc.). The operational approach should map out key touchpoints and messages for USAID and PEPFAR senior leadership to engage in timely discussions, establish shared priorities, and shape the global discourse as it relates to HIV and U.S. foreign assistance for health.

3. Key messages: Develop key messages in support of the executive communications plan and strategic stakeholder engagement plan. These messages should cover a range of topics to be identified by senior USAID and PEPFAR leadership, and will be updated at routine intervals in response to internal and external developments.

• Master's degree in communications or a related field plus 10 years of experience, with at least four years of experience in global health and development.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

• Evidence of diplomacy, discretion, sound judgment, tact, professionalism, and flexibility.

• Evidence of experience supporting senior-level officials to achieve communications and public affairs objectives, for example, through preparing and staffing site visits, preparing media engagement plans and routing media inquiries

• Ability to handle multiple priorities that are subject to change in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable:

• Experience in a large USAID Mission would be especially valuable