Duration of employment: 6 months with possibility of extension

PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.

Since 2007, PATH has been working to improve health systems and services to create healthier futures for Ethiopians. PATH in Ethiopia is currently implementing various high impact, evidence based, sustainable programs with the aim of saving and improving the lives of the most vulnerable and underserved women and children in the country in collaboration with Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health, Regional Health Bureau, community groups, and other partners.

During the COVID-19 vaccine introduction and roll out, gaps and challenges were observed; including vaccine hesitancy among health care providers, urban dwellers and some religious leaders, rumors, fake news, misconceptions, misinformation, disinformation, and lack of information where and when COVID-19 vaccines are being given. Additionally, as quick acceptors get vaccinated timely, the group lag behind are more resistant and challenging. To address the gaps and challenges, a customized, tailored, culture, gender and religious sensitive, inclusive and high impact communication and demand generation strategies and approaches required at all levels.  Also, COVID-19 vaccines have short shelf life, it requires timely community mobilization for mass vaccination to avoid vaccine expiry and minimize avoidable wastages.

PATH Ethiopia seeks to recruit qualified and experienced communication and demand generation Technical Assistance (TA) at national level. The national communication and demand generation TA will work as part of the national communication team at MOH EPI unit and in collaboration with the national communication technical working group and will provide technical assistance to the national team in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national communication strategies to address gaps and challenges for COVID-19 vaccine uptake. The TA post is funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance through CDS need based support. The national communication and demand generation TA will work under the guidance and supervision of responsible program manager at PATH Ethiopia country office with close consultation with the national EPI manger and will be based in MOH/EPI unit, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide technical support to national EPI team and national Communication Technical Working Group (C-TWG) to ensure the demand generation strategies and approaches are developed and implemented to reach all the eligible population with COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization services
• Coordinate and liaise with national EPI team, UNICEF and partners for bi-weekly C-TWG meetings and ad-hoc meetings as necessary including preparation of meeting agenda, meeting minutes and any necessary follow up actions
• Support C-TWG to develop plans and activities to promote COVID-19 vaccine, increase trust in health and immunization services, and generate demand and uptake for COVID-19 vaccine among eligible population
• Provide support to develop/revise, implement, and update national demand generation strategy with approaches, plans and activities geared towards generating demand for COVID-19 vaccine and other primary health care (PHC) services, as needed
• Support the development and endorsement of C4D activities for the vaccine introduction at the central level including development, review, and pre-testing of multi-channel communication materials
• Support organization of targeted advocacy and social mobilization workshops
• Coordinate with the government and media agencies at the central level on regular public opinion monitoring and social listening particularly on rumors, fake news, media coverage on AEFI cases and misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines and broader immunization services
• Provide support for capacity building of frontline health workers, social mobilizers, media and hotline operators on demand generation activities including risk communication plan
• Facilitate and participate in monitoring and evaluation for demand generation and risk communication activities for the COVID-19 vaccine delivery including conducting rapid assessment for public awareness, acceptance, hesitancy and trust around the COVID-19 vaccine and field visits to regions in close collaboration with national EPI team and UNICEF
• Ensure demand generation approaches used are tailored, culture, gender and religion sensitive, inclusive, consultative, and participatory to carry along all stakeholders
• Collect human-interest stories from the field on the voices and experiences of communities and stakeholders around the introduction and roll out of COVID-19 vaccine in Ethiopia
• Conduct regular field monitoring and evaluation missions to Regions, Zones and Woredas to oversee implementation progresses and quality.
• And any other activity as requested by the supervisor

Required Skills Required Experience

• Master’s degree or higher in public health communications, and or other relevant behavioral/social science field.
• Minimum ten (10) years’ experience in public health programming, policy or research, with at least five (5) years’ experience in the area of immunization and maternal/child health programs.
• Experience managing a comprehensive strategic behavior change program, including communications to advance an organization’s mission and goals required.
• Formal training in and demonstrated understanding of theories and frameworks relating to individual behavior change and broader social responses, the evidence base for social and behavioral/communications interventions and best practices and familiarity with the current SBC literature is preferred.
• Hands-on experience designing, planning, implementing and evaluating behavioral interventions and/or communication campaigns is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with government, partners, donors and international organizations at various levels.
• Skilled in successfully working with geographically dispersed teams and working in a multi-cultural environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team, including cross-cultural teams.
• Experience developing various web/print/social media or organizing events desired.
• Substantial experience in social and behavior change programming required.
• Excellent analytical, written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to travel to regions, estimated to be about 40%.

MUST HAVE LEGAL AUTHORIZATION TO WORK IN ETHIOPIA

PATH IS DEDICATED TO DIVERSITY AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

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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.

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Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred and 1 to 3 years of related experience.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.