Job Title: Communication
Officer
Reporting to: Project Manager
Location: Dodoma
Level of Engagement: Full time
Duration of engagement{ One-year with possibility to extend
Summary of the Position
The Health Promotion and System Strengthening Project
(HPSS-Tuimarishe Afya) is a Swiss-Tanzania Corporation project being executed
by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (SwissTPH) with its
headquarter in Dodoma Tanzania. The HPSS project is being implemented since
2011 in phases, and is currently in its 3rd phase. The current phase 3 (exit
phase) has been designed to focus on supporting the Government of Tanzania
(GoT) through the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly
and Children (MoHCDGEC), and through the President’s Office – Regional
Administration and Local Government (PORALG). The project supports the national
rollout of the Community Health Fund CHF lliyoboreshwa and the Medicines
Management Jazia Prime Vendor Scheme to all regions in Tanzania. In addition,
phase 3 aims at facilitating the same ministries to rollout innovations in
Health Technology Management (HTM) and Health Promotion and supporting the
GoT’s course on digitalisation of the health system. Being the last phase of
the HPSS project, a focus is also set on generating evidence-based results
through operational research and systematic monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
activities and on using those findings to capitalize on the project results and
contribute to policy development and the decision-making process of the
government for strengthening the health system.
Aim of Job
The Communication Officer (CO) will be responsible to
implement and further develop the HPSS Communication Strategy. The incumbent
will monitor communication needs and demands of the project, and regularly
review existing materials for a maximum communication impact of the project.
The CO will coordinate and manage HPSS visibility actions in workshops,
symposiums and exhibitions with aim at arriving at maximum effective media
coverage of HPSS achievements. The Communication Officer shall be responsible
and accountable for the development, regular update and implementation of the
flow of project information to showcase attainment of the Project’s goals and
objectives in line with the Swiss TPH/HPSS Project mandate and approaches. The
Communication Officer is accountable for the management of the communication
system and to provide strategic and technical guidance, and will work closely
and interact with Project Manager, Chief Finance and Administration Officer,
M&E Officer and component/subject experts based in Dodoma and Basel,
Switzerland.
Main Tasks
- Oversee
implementation of the project Communications strategy and activities
related to project outreach
- Monthly
evaluation of effective media relations strategies.
- Draft
press releases, editorials and scripts for educational messages.
- Organize
press conferences and media round table discussions.
- On
monthly basis, in collaboration with Project Technical Advisors, Experts
and government counterparts write stories and feature articles in the
newspapers that enlighten the public on Project’s activities.
- Coordinate
and upload content on the HPSS web-sites as needed to keep these always
fully up-to-date
- promote
project’s visibility through digital (social media) and print
communications channels, by developing and up-loading relevant and
interesting content
- Work
with project partner (MoHCDGEC and PORALG) to assist them in developing
and implementing communications strategies for mobilizing communities to
join health insurance, and develop documentaries on project processes and results
- Assist
technical staff on development of public awareness campaigns
- Support
technically project capitalization activities by leading processes for
creating compelling materials – creatively using text, photography, audio,
video and graphics to share highlights of HPSS-Tuimarishe Afya work and
activities for strengthening the health system and social health insurance
in Tanzania mainland.
- Collect
contents for the development and dissemination of project weekly/monthly
newsletter
- Manage
and coordinate the planning, logistics and registration of participants
for project events as requested by the PMU
- Manage
the project communications budget and ensuring timely reporting
- Ensure
weekly bulletin and newspaper cuttings are well pinned to the notice
boards at the headquarters and in the regions.
- Preform
daily media monitoring of newspaper articles, television and radio news
bulleting, online TV, and social media for material substantively
affecting the work of the Project
- Perform
other duties as assigned by the Project Manager
Requirements
- Proven
experience in a communications role in a large organization with multiple
stakeholder groups, ability to work diligently and independently, bring
highest standards of business and personal ethical conduct, and being keen
on improving own knowledge, skills and attitudes
- Ambitious
and self-motivated with the capacity to deliver high quality products
under tight/pressure working schedules.
- First
rate written skills with the ability to develop high quality, accurate and
consistent communications materials, newsletters, leaflets, briefings and
so on for non-specialist audiences
- Excellent
oral communication and interpersonal skills, with a customer focus and the
ability to work with staff at all levels
- Competence
in Computer graphics and designing skills, management and actualizing of
Websites, Intranet, and social media.
- Professional
ability to take quality still and video pictures.
- Bring,
build and maintain good relationships with journalists, bloggers,
stakeholders and public that will help advance Project’s objectives.
- Experience
in handling live social media during events
- Excellent
Proficiency in Kiswahili AND English
- Proficiency
with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power point and Access)
- Knowledge
of government infrastructure, policies and interface (optional)
Qualifications
- Preferably
Master’s Degree in Journalism and/or Public Relations and/or Mass
Communication or its equivalent
- Bachelor/Advanced
Diploma in Journalism and/or Public Relations and/or Mass Communication or
its equivalent.
- At
least three years’ experience in Print and/or electronic media.
- At
least three years working in the development and cooperation field or
corporate environment
Application should be accompanied with:
- A
well-typed CV
- Certified
copies of relevant certificates
- Contacts
stating name in full, physical address, telephone numbers and email
addresses of the candidate
- Names
and contacts of three (3) referees
Send your application to the following address:
Human Resource Officer,
Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) Project,
P.O. Box 29,
Dodoma.
OR
Online application via email: hr@hpss.or.tz
Kindly note, only short listed candidates will be contacted.
The Deadline for submission of application is on 30th July 2021 at 16.00 hours.
