VACANCY

Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation – Malawi (BCMCF-M) is a not-for-profit organization working in partnership with the Malawi government in the health sector. Our Mission is to provide high-quality, high-impact, highly ethical pediatric and family-centered health care, health professional training and clinical research, focused on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition and other conditions impacting the health and well-being of children and families worldwide.

The Baylor-Tingathe program was designed in 2008 to respond to suboptimal uptake of PMTCT and pediatric HIV services in Malawi. The program seeks to support Malawi in reaching the ambitious UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals, by improving the identification of HIV-positive persons, timely treatment initiation, and long-term engagement in care.  The program is funded by USAID, and is currently operating in 6 districts in Malawi. Under the program is implementing , there is a study, known as PRACTICE study (Package of Resources for Assisted Contact Tracing: Implementation, Costs, and Effectiveness). This is an NIMH-funded implementation science cluster RCT on HIV voluntary assisted contact tracing (ACT). ACT is an evidence-based practice that seeks to identify persons living with HIV in need of HIV treatment and HIV-uninfected persons in need of HIV prevention.

Baylor Foundation- Malawi is seeking applications from qualified candidates to fill the position of Communications Officer to primarily support the Tingathe Outreach Program that employs Community Health Workers (CHW) to improve HIV care in Malawi. The project provides support for HIV testing, clinical and health systems strengthening, mentorship, community education, training of clinical staff, and patient case management.  The position will also support the Baylor Foundation- Malawi Center of Excellence (COE) as needed.  Specifically, the Communications Officer will provide support to both Tingathe (75%) as well as the COE (25%).

Position: Communications Officer
Contract Duration:  1 year (renewable)
Position Type:  Full-time
Location:  Lilongwe, Malawi
Start Date:  1^st October 2024,
Application Due Date: 1^st September, 2024.

Position Description: The Communications Officer will provide communications support and facilitate internal and external communications with stakeholders.  Examples of internal stakeholders include other Baylor Foundation- Malawi programs, Baylor employees, senior management of partner organizations, and the Baylor Foundation-Malawi Board of Directors.  External stakeholders include USAID, NIH, other donors, Ministry of Health, and the public. 

Duties and responsibilities:

• Developing a strategy to enhance internal communication and implementing it through providing direct document writing assistance and capacity building for program staff.
• Writing and creating communication pieces (project updates, success stories, fact sheets, case studies) to keep stakeholders and internal staff informed about Baylor Foundation- Malawi activities.
• Keeping abreast with and contributing to USG calls for articles, photo contests, success stories and other communication requests.
• Crafting and maintaining a communications policy and standards, including ensuring compliance with USAID branding and marketing requirements
• Creating and distributing a periodic internal newsletter used to disseminate information to internal stakeholders.;
• Contributing to technical briefs and abstracts for publication.;
• Coordinating with Baylor Foundation -Malawi Service Lines and Departments on communication for the Foundation’s Baylor-Malawi websites, including baylorfoundation-malawi.org and tingathe.org.
• Conducting capacity-building workshops for program staff to develop writing and communications skills
• Represents Tingathe program at USAID’s development outreach communications meetings as assigned

Qualifications

Applications are sought from experienced, mission-driven candidates who meet the following profile:

• 5+ years- experience in a communication focused role
• Bachelor’s Degree required, concentration in communications or a related subject preferred
• Outstanding communicator and writer (in English) who can tell stories, communicate strategically, and articulate messages logically and persuasively to various audiences
• Experience designing visual communications pieces preferred; exposure to and experience with graphical editing software (e.g. photoshop) is a plus
• Experience communicating with different cultures; sensitive to the way different cultures communicate
• Excellent interpersonal skills, mature, disciplined, loyal, and shows initiative with an ability to work independently and within a team
• Experience working with organizations doing in HIV/AIDS programming, especially testing, treatment and care is a plus;
• Experience with teaching/capacity building; enjoys teaching others
• Experience with social media and websites is a plus
• Established skills in building effective internal work relationships at all levels, and maintaining productive and cordial working relationships with stakeholder counterparts
• Familiarity with USAID/PEPFAR programming
• Ability to meet deadlines with strong attention to consistency, detail, and quality

Application Instructions 

Applications must include the following:

1. A motivation letter providing explanation and detail on how the applicant satisfies the required candidate profile
2. A current Curriculum Vitae
3. A portfolio of their communications work, including a least 5 pieces of independently created writing and/or visuals that demonstrate the quality and variety of candidate’s communication experience.
4. Names and contact information of three (3) traceable referees who are not relatives.

Suitably qualified and experienced candidates should apply on  https://apply.workable.com/tingathe

Only short-listed applicants will be acknowledged.