PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales solutions—including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide.
PATH is seeking a Communication Associate to provide information, education and communication services for the Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) project that will be implemented in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. HHA project aims to improve screening and detection, treatment and increasing coverage and reach of services; quality of care; and demand for care through tailored interventions that focus on awareness-raising, service integration, and capacity-building with focus at the primary health care level. The two-year project funded by Astra Zeneca is being implemented in three countries in Africa, namely Kenya, Ethiopia and Senegal. Ghana becomes the fourth country to implement the HHA project. Key activities in this project include awareness raising, training and capacity building, data collection, data interpretation and dissemination.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist in the development of education and communication plan for the Healthy Heart Africa project to meet the project objectives.
- Assist the Regional Coordinator/Technical Adviser to identify stakeholders and partners to be involved in communication, screening and hypertension care and engage with them in their respective roles to achieve project objectives.
- Collaborate with the GHS Health Promotion Department in Ashanti Region to identify critical behavior, practices and influencers (including cultural beliefs and practices), outline how they affect hypertension education uptake and changes that need to occur at various levels.
- Assist with implementation of HHA project work plan in tandem with project objectives.
- Together with the Data Manager, develop indicators and methods to collect behavior and attitudinal change information around hypertension prevention and treatment according to standard guidelines.
- Travel to project sites to perform activities including organization of community meetings, training, screening, data collection and other activities as required.
- Make presentations at various fora including the Ghana Health Service performance meetings, conferences, annual meetings of professional group, etc.
- Take part in development of communication materials for public awareness raising on hypertension.
- Assist in the development of project including fact sheets, success stories, video clips and news items for social and traditional media as well as the PATH website.
- Undertake other activities as directed by PATH and the project donors.
Required Skills
Required Experience
- A Bachelor’s degree in a Health Promotion, Communication, Medical Psychology or other Social Sciences.
- At least three years’ experience in health education and health communication role at a district and community level, preferably on a donor-funded project.
- Experience working directly with health personnel, i.e. clinicians, public health practitioners and paramedics as well as community health workers.
- Field experience in development of communication messages, organization of mini campaigns and media relations.
- Experience in conducting research, data collection, facilitation and presentation.
- Knowledge and experience working with GHS and/or MOH is a plus.
- Minimal understanding of non-communicable diseases, especially hypertension.
- Knowledge and experience working with GHS and/or MOH is a plus.
- Experience in the Ashanti Region and understanding the cultural milieu is required.
- Strong community sensitization and social mobilization skills.
- Good people-management and social interaction skills.
- Ability to work independently and within a group.
- Demonstrated ability to create communication documents in Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Adobe and other relevant software; ability to use audio and video editing software is a plus.
MUST HAVE LEGAL AUTHORIZATION TO WORK IN GHANA.
PATH IS DEDICATED TO DIVERSITY AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
PATH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. EVERY QUALIFIED APPLICANT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT. PATH DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, GENETIC INFORMATION, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY STATUS, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, MILITARY OR PROTECTED VETERAN STATUS, OR ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC PROTECTED BY APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LAW.