Regional Technical Assistant for Communication and Demand Generation

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 COCVID-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 regional level. The regional communication and demand generation TA will work as part of the regional communication team at MNCH directorate and in collaboration with the regional communication technical working group and will provide technical assistance to the regional team in the customizing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of regional 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 regional 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 regional EPI coordinator and will be based in regional/EPI unit. 

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to RHB EPI team and regional Communication Technical Working Group (C-TWG) or EPI task force to ensure the demand generation strategies and approaches are customized to regional context and implemented to reach all eligible population with COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization services
• Support in evidence-based planning of communication and community engagement activities
• Coordinate the C-TWG meetings and ad-hoc meetings as necessary including preparation of meeting agenda, meeting minutes and any necessary follow up actions
• Support technically the RHB EPI team to develop plans and activities to promote acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine, increase trust in health and immunization services, and generate demand and uptake for COVID-19 vaccine among target population
• Support regional EPI team to develop/customize, implement, and update the 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
• Coordinate with the government and regional media agencies at the regional 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 capacity building support for frontline health workers, social mobilizers, media, and regional hotline counselors 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 Roll out to increase public trust around the vaccine and field visits to zones and woredas in close collaboration with RHB
• Organize advocacy activities to engage influential leaders, decision makers, and media professionals at regional and zonal levels
• Support the health system in mapping and regularly updating community platforms, gate keepers and the most effective communication channels within the region
• Collect human-interest stories from the field on the voices and experiences of communities and stakeholders around the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine in Ethiopia
• Identify and propose interventions that focus strongly on interpersonal and group communication in resistant/ hard to reach areas involving available community platforms and gate keepers
• Conduct regular field monitoring and evaluation missions to Zones and Woredas to oversee implementation progresses and quality.
• And any other activity as requested by the supervisor

Duty station: Afar region-Semera, Somali region-Jijiga

No. of Positions: 2 (two)-one per region

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 write, read and speak local language of the duty station is a plus.
• Ability to travel to zones and woredas, estimated to be about 40%.