VACANCY AT FUTURES GROUP: KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION IMPLEMENTATION OFFICER

The Sexual HIV Prevention Programme (SHIPP) of South Africa is a USAID-funded flagship PEPFAR initiative in its final year of implementation and reporting that aims to galvanize and support impactful combination sexual prevention activities in South Africa (SA). This initiative has taken  a multi-sectoral approach linking the health, education and social development sectors targeting in and out-of-school-youth and sexually-active adults in order to help achieve the national target of 50% reduction in HIV incidence in line with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, STIs and TB 2012 -2016.

SHIPP has consistently worked to promote an enabling environment for evidence-based policy and strategy at the national and provincial levels supporting a mix of targeted HIV prevention interventions at the national, provincial and locality level (district, sub-district or municipality). The SHIPP team has provided short, medium, and long-term technical assistance and capacitation support at national, provincial, and local levels. SHIPP provides assistance to the South Africa Government (SAG) across all 3 spheres of government to implement combination prevention activities to strengthen the national HIV/ AIDS response.

SHIPP is seeking a Knowledge Dissemination Implementation Officer for a short-term contract 1 April – 19 September 2015.

Position Summary

The Knowledge Dissemination Implementation Officer will provide technical training and coaching to SHIPP stakeholders, consultants and SHIPP technical staff to create and coordinate a range of dissemination and communication tools (including lessons-learned, success stories, policy briefs, ‘brown-bag’ events and national and district-level end-of-project events.  This position is based in SHIPP’s Pretoria office and will involve less than 30% travel with South Africa.

Key Responsibilities 

• Support, coach and strengthen the capacity of SHIPP staff and stakeholders to prepare and deliver a wide ranging dissemination and communications strategy;
• With the Strategic Information team contribute to the design of Tracking Tools to monitor progress in delivery of  SHIPP’s End-of-Project dissemination and Communication Plan;
• Design and deliver a professional writing mentorship programme to support staff and stakeholders to genuinely participate in, and deliver SHIPP’s End-of-Project dissemination and Communication Plan;
• Under the supervision of the Technical Director – Strategic Information, take overall co-responsibility for proof-reading, copy-editing and formatting of all the SHIPP’s key dissemination documents, as well as its scientific (e.g. conference poster presentations) and communication publications (lessons-learned, success stories and policy briefs);
• As part of the Strategic  Information team, develop communication materials independently and disseminate the documents effectively to stakeholders using different formats, including case studies, policy/advocacy briefs, success stories, blogs and journal articles;
• Commission the editing, formatting, lay-out and printing of dissemination documents.

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree or above in public health, science journalism, health communication/promotion or related field;
• 5+ years’ of field experience in science communication/ public engagement with science and the dissemination of programmatic and operations research and evaluation findings to stakeholders across international, national and provincial and district-level stakeholders;
• 3+ years of editorial, copy-editing, formatting and layout of programme and scientific documents for a research, communication or publishing organization;
• Ability to communicate technical data to non-technical audiences;
• Demonstrated skills in training in professional writing, mentorship and capacity development through technical assistance, training and coaching – this will include inter alia strong skills and experience in public speaking-training  and presentation skills;
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of the HIV epidemic and the HIV prevention response in  South Africa;
• Experience in reporting to international donors, including the US Government;
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships across teams and organisations;
• Highly organised with the ability to work independently and in a team;
• Great attention to detail, ability to perform multiple tasks and deliver according to very strict timelines;
• Willingness and ability to travel within South Africa, up to 30% of working hours;
• Excellent communications skills; full professional or bilingual proficiency (ILR Level 4/5) in English is required. Fluency in key South African languages is a plus;
• Reliable, flexible and goal orientated; Strong problem solving skills.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to stand or sit, and move about the facility.

Work Environment

• Usual office working conditions free of disagreeable elements.

All applications for this position should be submitted to SHIPPHR@futuresgroup.com with the subject line: Knowledge Dissemination Implementation Officer. 

Futures Group provides equal employment to all participants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or marital status.

Closing Date: 25 March 2015