Communications Assistant

Overview

Job Location: Washington, DC

Telework Eligible: Yes, at least 3 days per week in-person reporting at Washington, DC office.

Remote Eligible: No.

Summary Statement

The Global Health Training, Advisory and Support Contract (GHTASC) delivers effective global health programming to advance the mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Global Health (GH) through institutional support and workforce development services from junior, mid-level, senior and expert advisory, and administrative professionals.

Credence and its partner, the Public Health Institute (PHI), are both employers for GHTASC, and are seeking a Communications Assistant under GHTASC. This position will be hired under Public Health Institute (PHI).

Position Summary

The Bureau for Global Health is the Agency’s focal point and primary source in providing worldwide leadership, donor coordination, and technical expertise for the global health sector including in child and maternal health and nutrition. The Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (GH/MCHN) sits within the Bureau for Global Health and serves as the Agency’s technical and policy lead on maternal and newborn health, child health, immunization, nutrition, and WASH with a focus on ending preventable child and maternal deaths.

As described in Preventing Child and Maternal Deaths: A Framework for Action in a Changing World, USAID’s maternal and child survival programs focus on achieving a common vision: A world where all potential contributes to the development of their communities and countries. This strategic approach includes reaching the unreached, primary health care, human resources for health, local partnership, commitment and accountability, and data for decision making.

Further, the Office’s maternal and child nutrition programming is guided by the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act (GMPTA) of 2021, which was signed into law on October 19, 2022. This legislation directs the USAID Administrator to: 1) advance targeted and evidenced-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of global malnutrition; and 2) improve coordination of such programs. GMPTA prioritizes targeting vulnerable populations, especially children under 5, and pregnant and lactating women.

The Communications Assistant will be an integral part of the MCHN Strategic Communications and External Engagement Team and will contribute to content creation and support the knowledge management of various communication assets. They will receive day-to-day guidance from the Senior Strategic Communications Advisor/Team Lead and the Communications Advisor.

Salary Range

Full pay range for this position is $23.13 to $41.38 per hour, with the starting wage determined based on candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the duties listed below

The Communications Assistant will be an integral member of the MCHN Communications Team and will help to shape the Office’s strategic communications approach, including through the regular development of clear, concise, and compelling remarks and written materials. Specifically, the Communications Assistant will be charged with the following:

• Assist with the development of communications materials, including fact sheets, web pages, and graphics, for an external audience describing USAID’s efforts to prevent child and maternal deaths.
• Draft Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram content for USAID’s social media channels, including campaigns for key global health days that commemorate and raise awareness among the general public.
• Conduct comprehensive media monitoring activities to track and analyze relevant news coverage, social media trends, and industry developments for USAID’s maternal and child survival programs.
• Develop and maintain editorial and content calendars on a weekly and monthly basis to support team collaboration and coordination.
• Curate and manage a repository of visual assets, including photos, illustrations, graphics, and icons.
• Facilitate internal knowledge management by maintaining a story bank, compiling leadership quotes, and organizing relevant communications resources to ensure easy accessibility and utilization across the team.
• Organize and manage folders containing USAID communications and branding resources for technical experts.
• Submit content pitches and strategically secure inclusion and visibility of program highlights in a variety of USAID newsletters.
• Format and edit high level documents and presentations for clarity, professionalism, and visual appeal.
• Help facilitate public outreach events, including symposiums, Congressional briefings, and other large-scale events.
• Develop and maintain communications and outreach standard operating procedures, templates, and quality control measures to ensure consistency and effectiveness in internal and external messaging.
• Write meeting minutes and ensure timely follow-up on action items.
• Aid in data collection and management for various multimedia assets such as stories, videos, and reports.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education, Requirements and Qualifications

Qualification Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 1 year of relevant experience, Associate’s degree and 3 years of relevant experience, or High School graduate and 5 years of relevant experience.
• US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency with the ability to obtain and maintain a Facility Access clearance is required. For Permanent Residents, this means having resided in the US for at least 3 of the past 5 years.

Other Qualifications:

• Experience with social media management and digital communication tools.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a keen eye for detail.
• Prior experience in editing and quality control.
• Familiarity with maternal and child health and nutrition issues preferred.
• A passion for global health.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or Public Relations preferred.

Competencies/Performance Criterion

• Innovation: Takes initiative to propose new ideas/approaches and demonstrates ability to find new and better ways to accomplish work
• Client Service: Communicates with clients, handling any issues politely and efficiently; understands and is available to clients; maintains pleasant and professional image.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of work responsibilities and holds high standards. Keeps commitments and takes appropriate actions to ensure obligations are met. Pursues efficiency and effectiveness and adheres to organization policies and procedures.
• Interpersonal Skills: Works in cooperation with others and communicates effectively with co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, clients, and other outside contacts.
• Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues professional development that is aligned with organizational role, contribution, and goals; proactively shares knowledge with others to foster learning across the organization.

Prior to submitting your application your resume must include relevant paid and non-paid experience showing dates held with month, year and hours worked per week for each position. Please ensure that all relevant experience and education is documented on your resume. There is no limitation to resume length; updates to resumes will not be accepted during the interview and selection process.