Health Communication Specialist II
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FHI 360’s United States Programs business unit works in all U.S. states and territories, focusing on the main drivers of success for Americans: health, education, and employment. Our Social Marketing and Communication (SMC) department within the United States Unit is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Health Communication Specialist.
Strong consideration will be given to applicants in Atlanta, GA and Washington, DC, but this position is open to remote applicants anywhere in the United States.
Overview: SMC uses science-based social marketing and communication approaches to address public health, education, and employment challenges in the U.S. SMC implements a diverse portfolio of social marketing, public relations, communication, and training and technical assistance projects in the U.S. that are funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, foundations, and private associations. In the past decade, our team has worked on issues such as diabetes, emergency and pandemic preparedness, obesity prevention, sexual health, HIV/AIDS, youth financial education, employment skills development, cancer, asthma, immunizations, violence prevention, access to health care, and tobacco control and cessation.
Job Summary:
The Health Communication Specialist II is a key position that will support primarily the creative development task within SMC’s HIV Communication Team. The team supports CDC with the implementation of the Let's Stop HIV Together campaign in the Unites States, along with other projects within SMC.
Key tasks will include:
- Providing leadership and day-to-day management of the task team in partnership with the creative task manager.
- Managing various communication processes and workflows in support of strategic communication needs.
- Serving as a trusted communication advisor of consumer communication needs, content development, review and approval.
- Working closely with the creative development task manager and other task managers to coordinate activities and meet deadlines.
- Liaising with clients and acting as a main point of contact for all creative requests.
- Working closely with task managers on message strategy and key message development.
- Writing copy and content for a broad range of materials, including Video, radio, print, and digital promotional items, social media posts, consumer materials (factsheets, brochures, infographics, website content, etc.), outreach products (toolkits, partner emails, recruitment letters), and project management resources (communication plans, creative briefs, strategy documents, and summary reports).
- Collaborating with Design Lab, FHI 360’s in-house graphic design group, on creative development needs.
Major Responsibilities:
- Translate consumer testing and research findings into persuasive communication products.
- Draft campaign work plans, creative briefs, and reports.
- May provide operational and technical support as needed such as writing and/or reviewing monthly technical reports, updating work plans, etc.
- Coordinate with subcontractors, vendors, researchers, other team members, partners, and clients to establish workflows and timelines and keep them up to date.
- Use good judgement to monitor and address client issues in a timely manner and keep senior project management apprised of activity progress and barriers.
- Contribute to business development efforts, including proposal strategy, writing support, and development of speculative creative.
- Provide creative development and writing support to other projects as needed.
- Contribute to the team’s upbeat culture of innovation, customer service and excellence.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Advertising, Public Relations, Journalism, English, Communications, health promotion or related field with five or more years' experience with strategic communication, health communication, marketing, outreach, public relations, advertising, promotion, or other communications methods required.
- 5-8 years of writing, editing, and publications experience.
- Excellent judgment and demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with external clients.
- Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), government agency, or private organization. Experience working with CDC is not required, but is considered a major plus.
- Familiarity with SharePoint and web-based content management platforms a plus.
- Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite including Teams.
- Excellent technical and creative writing skills. Demonstrated experience in translating public health science into persuasive, digestible copy for consumers and professionals.
- Thrives in high volume, dynamic environments and operates effectively amongst ambiguity.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to project manage with efficiency and diplomacy
- Experience working on communication projects for CDC a major plus.
- Agency or large media campaign experience a plus.
- Expertise in HIV Prevention and Treatment and Sexual Health a major plus.
- Spanish-language fluency, both written and spoken, a plus but not required.
- Demonstrated knowledge of health communication and/or social marketing principles.
- Ability to work independently as well as part of a heavily matrixed team.
- Ability to prioritize and competently manage a variety of activities with multiple deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Supervision Given/Received:
- Has no supervisory responsibility.
- Receives instructions on new assignments.
- Reports to a Manager, Associate Director or Director.
Typical Physical Demands:
- Typical office environment.
- Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
- Ability to move 5 - 50 lbs.
Travel Requirements:
- Up to 10% - 25%
**Or an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience sufficient to successfully perform the key responsibilities of the job.
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
FHI 360 will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws.
FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support a healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.