Brief introduction

 The Tuberculosis Local Organizations Network (LON) is the USAID funded project designed to fight and end TB effectively and efficiently by partnering directly with local entities within TB priority countries of which Ethiopia is one, to provide accessible services, resulting in increased diagnosis and treatment success rates.

 Purpose of the project

 The purpose of TB LON Project is to find and refer the missing TB cases in three urban administrative settings (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harari) by using urban community TB approach to increase its contribution of case notification from 3.4% to 20%.

 Purpose of the position (general)

The primary role of the Advocacy, Communications and Social Mobilization Officer (ACSMO) is to facilitate communication flows to ensure that REACH Ethiopia and Consortium partners decision-makers and key external stakeholders (including partners, affected communities, government bodies, and donors) receive the information they need regarding the LON project in a timely way and format that is adapted to the target audience. This will require strengthening and streamlining existing information management systems to respond to demands from internal and external stakeholders. The ACSMO will also help to develop and implement an advocacy agenda at field level related to identified project priorities and together with the Program team, develop policy positions and advocacy messages to reach decision-makers and targets at large.

The Advocacy, Communications and Social Mobilization Officer will support REACH Ethiopia’s efforts of effective communication and advocacy strategy alignment and implementation. S/he will play a significant role in shaping the external face and policy engagement of REACH Ethiopia and will work closely with program team members to ensure the development and dissemination of integrated, aligned, well-targeted, measurable advocacy messages and communications.

 He/she will identify sound, cost-effective, and practical approaches to enhance TB control that are consistent with Government of Ethiopia and donor policies and priorities.

Answerability and Position in the organization

The Advocacy, Communications and Social Mobilization Officer reports to the Program Manager and is a member of the senior project coordination and management team.

Major and overall Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Quality

• Supports the formulation and implementation of project communication and advocacy strategies and strive for the achievement of the following;

• Creation and implementation of the TB LON project publications, policy/guideline, etc.;
• Provide inputs content development, coordination of production, dissemination of press releases, publications, articles and sharing of project knowledge and successes;

• Provision of inputs and information for elaboration of project communication strategy based on comprehensive communication strategy;
• Support to increased awareness of REACH Ethiopia’s and consortium partners mandate, mission, vision and values through dissemination of information and organization of public events;
• In cooperation with Program Manager and the team, develop and prepare materials for awareness raising;
• Organizes publicity, advocacy, knowledge sharing events and promotional opportunities and facilitate provision of logistics support to the events;
• Review reference materials and maintains information data-base and photo as well as audio libraries;
• Liaise with media outlets to ensure that the appropriate information and messages are reaching the target groups and the public at large;
• Develop and implement strategies to increase and improve public outreach;
• Prepare promotional materials on the project including pamphlets, videos, etc.;
• Prepare communications reports for the project management team and donor;
• Work with an IT focal person and help develop and maintain organization’s website for information dissemination;
• Strictly works on and makes sure that branding and marking is applied as per the branding strategy and marking plan of TB LON;
• Designs a coherent framework that enables ACSM to help address four key challenges:

• Improving case detection and treatment adherence;
• Combating stigma and discrimination;
• Empowering people affected by TB;
•  Mobilizing political commitment at all levels and resources for TB

• With key program staff and stakeholders, ensure the project’s strategic objectives for TB LON and ACSM activities are fully accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards;
• Provide leadership in the planning and coordination of ACSM activities in three cities, ensuring activities are implemented on schedule and meet relevant national and international guidelines and geared towards ultimately satisfying organizational, donors, target groups and public interest at large;
• Lead design of advocacy, communication and social mobilization strategy for the TB LON project, identifying strategies to engage, influence and mobilize different stakeholder, including political, religious and community leaders, and target groups in TB prevention and control response;
• Provide sub-grantees with the design and implementation of their ACSM strategies;
• Oversees the development of materials needed to realize the project’s Social and behavioural change communication SBCC strategy, which may include development and testing of training curricula, messaging, and other communication tools and materials;
• Coordinate development of sub cities demand generation plans for the target population;
• Roll out and disseminate updated and branded TB guidelines, standard operating procedures and other job-aids at the facility and community levels;
• Support the design and implementation of feedback and response channels to enhance accountability of program with regard to beneficiaries;
• In collaboration with program management team, provide guidance and technical oversight to sub-partners and other collaborating agencies to ensure that lessons learned and best practices for ACSM are documented and disseminated;
• Initiate and participate in evaluation of targeted demand generation strategies and assessment activities related to advocacy, community mobilization and communications with the goal of improving project outcomes;
• Stays current in knowledge in the field of TB and ACSM;
• Perform other duties as required;

 Management and Administration

• Review ACSM and overall program reports, provide feedback on implementation progress and performance, and identify solutions to address challenges and weaknesses;
• Ensure implementation of activities in compliance with all USAID administrative and operational procedures and policies;

Representation and Advocacy

• Coordinate closely with the Program Manager, relevant Cities and sub cities staff to plan ACSM activities and ensure that the organizational, national and donor guidelines are being appropriately and consistently applied;
• In collaboration with program management, contribute to the development and implementation of tools, approach and strategies to strengthen ACSM;

Contract term: Full time Position, fixed term as per the project period

Number of positions:  1     

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Team role player, capable in planning, organising & management skills;
• Communicates clearly verbally and in writing;
• Makes innovative and creative contributions to Project design;
• Proactive, takes initiative and capitalises on opportunities;
• Shows initiative for learning and self-development;
• Executes work effectively and efficiently;
• Acts according to REACH Ethiopia values; uses ethical considerations to guide decisions;
• Manages conflicting priorities to meet deadlines under strict time constraints;
• Mentors, inspires, motivates and develops other staff;
• Networks, forges and nurtures productive and good working relationships with staffs, donors and partners;
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform;
• Proven inter-personal skills and ability to work well both within a team and independently;
• Ability to communicate with stakeholders at all levels;
• Excellent interpersonal, team building and problem-solving skills and Advocacy skills;

 Required Qualifications and Requirements:

• University degree in communication, social sciences, information management or a similar field or Master’s Degree in above listed fields;
• 5 years’ for Bachelor and 3 years’ experience for Master’s Degree in advocacy, communications, and dissemination with good understanding of the current development and humanitarian trends and issues;
• Proven experience of communicating information and advocacy with a wide range of different audiences;
• Ability to review and edit reports and other written documentation for dissemination and publication;
• Familiarity with current strategies and best practices for social and behaviour change;
• Demonstrated ability to plan and deliver trainings on social mobilization and behaviour change communication;
• Ability to collect information and undertake research under potentially difficult and constraining conditions;
• Demonstrated knowledge of evidence-based ACSM models and strategies, best practices in community health interventions, and linkage to services and approaches to addressing gender issues relating to uptake of health services;
• Ability to present information and communication products for a range of different audiences;
• Experience in social media as well as media liaison and media tools e.g. photography, video etc;
• Awareness of potential sensitivity of the information in the context of NGOs arena and health/development programs and the ability to differentiate between information for internal versus external audiences;
• Willingness to work and travel to other cities and in difficult circumstances and adhere to agreed-upon security procedures;
• Knowledge of donor communication and visibility requirements.