Job Description

Location: Ghana, Accra

Department: Partnership for Healthy Cities

Vital Strategies is a global public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We currently work in more than 80 countries, supporting data-driven decision-making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include noncommunicable disease prevention, tobacco control, road safety, food policy, overdose prevention, environmental health, and data for health. Our programs are primarily concentrated in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific; the Overdose Prevention Program is our first initiative in the U.S. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make Vital’s work more inclusive. We encourage people of all racial, economic, social, cultural, sexual orientation, and gender expressions to apply.

About the Partnership for Healthy Cities Program:

With most of the global population now living in urban settings, cities and their leaders play a critical role in developing, implementing and enforcing policies to create healthy environments for healthier populations. The Partnership for Healthy Cities (PHC), supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Vital Strategies, is a global network of 74 cities whose mayors have committed to prevent NCDs—including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and chronic lung disease—and injuries through proven interventions. Learn more about the Partnership for Healthy Cities here: www.cities4health.org

Job Purpose:

The Partnership for Healthy Cities initiative is expanding, and the Regional Communication Manager for Africa is a new role. This role will work closely with the Deputy Director of Communication, PHC, city communication officers, and the global and regional Partnership for Healthy Cities team to identify and deliver opportunities to strengthen internal and external communication efforts that promote healthier, safer cities and amplify the initiative’s impact on noncommunicable disease (NCD) and injury prevention at the city-level. Working in collaboration with the Partnership for Healthy Cities team, this role is responsible for the coordination of technical guidance, supporting the implementation of a range of communication activities including public relations, and assistance in strengthening campaigns and messaging that help drive the success of urban health policies and programs in the region.

This is a full-time, remote position for a candidate based in East Africa including: Rwanda, Ghana, Kenya, or Uganda. Vital Strategies intends to hire the selected candidate via an Employer of Record (EOR). Candidate must live and be authorized to work in the respective country you are applying from.

Duties and Responsibilities:

City Communication Strategy and Planning – 

• Research and engage with local, national, and regional media outlets, conferences, podcasts, and thought leadership opportunities. Facilitate media engagements, interviews, workshops, trainings, press briefings, and events to advance the Partnership’s mission.
• In collaboration with the global and regional Partnership for Healthy Cities teams, support African cities in the network to develop and execute proactive communication and advocacy strategies and plans that advance each city’s NCD and injury prevention work and the goals of the Partnership for Healthy Cities;
• Analyze target audiences, evaluate the regional media landscape, and identify the resources cities need to increase their visibility and expand their outreach;
• Work with the Partnership for Healthy Cities global and regional teams to identify opportunities to promote city work and assist local city communication officers in developing, executing, and evaluating diverse communication products, including press releases, media pitching, talking points, presentations, reports, digital content, and public health campaigns;
• Collaborate with city teams to create and tailor messages for various internal and external audiences. Stay informed on city activities and monitor public discourse in the media and social platforms to facilitate both proactive and reactive messaging.

Technical Assistance Coordination – 

• Coordinate with the global Partnership for Healthy Cities team to build communication capacity among urban health teams, including such topics as message mapping, media training, and strategic communications;
• Develop and distribute guidance materials, tools, and templates for cities and local partners;
• Coordinate technical assistance expertise for public health campaigns.

Content Development – 

• Develop compelling content for program-wide communication materials such as blogs, briefings, opinion pieces, advocacy statements, bios, and social media posts, in collaboration with the global communication team;
• Identify opportunities to amplify Partnership-supported NCD and injury prevention work in the region’s cities via the network’s digital channels.

Project Management – 

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with regional stakeholders, including project teams, partner organizations, and media outlets to foster collaboration and advocacy;
• Collaborate with the global team to track and report on regional communication activities, contributing to overall program evaluation;
• Work with the regional and global Partnership for Healthy Cities teams to identify appropriate vendors, partners, and implementing partners for communication activities;
• Perform other duties as required to support the Partnership’s communication efforts.

Education & Experience

Education and Degree – 

Bachelor’s degree, preferably in communications, journalism, public policy, public health, public relations or marketing.

 

Experience:

Required – 

Minimum 6-7 years of professional experience in communications and/or public relations in the region.

Preferred – 

Communications Agency experience preferred;
International development, government, and/or nonprofit experience, a plus;
Existing relationships with regional media a plus.

Must Have

Skills and Abilities – 

Fluency in English and French is strongly preferred;
Proven experience in communication, public relations, or advocacy, ideally in public health or a related field;
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of creating impactful communication materials;
Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including city officials, media and partner organizations;
Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines;
Familiarity with media landscape and public health challenges in the Africa region is an advantage;
Superb interpersonal communication skills;
Self-motivated, highly organized, and detail-oriented;
Exceptional computer skills, with experience in Microsoft Office, media monitoring platforms (e.g. Meltwater), email marketing services (e.g. Mailchimp), social media channels, and content management systems;
Background in public health or nonprofits is a plus.

 

APPLICATION LINK: https://tinyurl.com/3y9svcf3

Employment Status

Full Time

Educational Requirements

Bachelor’s degree

Experience Requirements

5 - <10 Years

Job Location

Accra Ghana