Director of Advocacy and Communications, Accelerated Vaccine Introduction

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Director of Advocacy and Communications, Accelerated Vaccine Introduction

Tracking Code: 4738

This position will be temporarily located in the Ferney Voltaire PATH office until the team relocates to Geneva in late 2011.

PATH is an international, nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health. PATH's mission is to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors. 

PATH's Vaccine Access and Delivery Global Program supports the integration of vaccines for public health impact and disease control in developing countries by focusing on activities that facilitate vaccine introduction and widespread use, such as determining disease burden, conducting clinical trials, establishing the health economics of vaccine use, raising awareness of disease burden and the impact of vaccination, increasing the availability of technologies through licensing and commercialization, and advocating for appropriate policies. In addition, the Program implements activities that improve the accessibility of high-quality immunization services, including training, supervision, health information systems, immunization safety, logistics and communication.

Vaccine Access and Delivery is currently recruiting for a Director of Advocacy and Communications to support the Accelerated Vaccine Introduction initiative (AVI), AVI partners include the GAVI Secretariat, WHO, UNICEF and a consortium of technical institutions led by PATH funded by the GAVI Alliance. The primary goal of AVI is to support the accelerated introduction of vaccines against rotavirus and pneumoccocal disease into the routine immunization practices of GAVI-eligible countries. In addition, AVI is building a platform for the accelerated introduction of future vaccines supported by GAVI, including those against human papilloma virus, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, and rubella. 

Specific responsibilities for this position include:

• Develop and implement advocacy and communication strategies that create demand for new vaccines at the country-level to achieve AVI project goals and objectives. Design and implement.
• Lead efforts to create evidence-based, compelling materials and delivery approaches to enable action by decision-makers at the regional and country levels.  
• Work in partnership with colleagues at GAVI, UNICEF, WHO and partner institutions on collaborative efforts to promote the value of vaccine introduction.  
• Manage an international team of staff, consultants, and vendors; develop and oversee work plans and budgets; lead rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the advocacy efforts; and ensure achievement of objectives.  
• Ensure that advocacy and communications efforts remain aligned with overall project implementation and adjust to changes in the landscape.

Required Skills

• Experience in the conception, design and management of advocacy strategies, initiatives, and programs that have resulted in governments enacting major policy changes, preferably for improved public health in the developing world.
• Demonstrated leadership skills in the use of advocacy to drive policy.
• Ability to achieve goals while working in a multi-party, consensus-driven environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading advocacy and communications efforts related to the introduction of new technologies in developing countries, preferably for new vaccines.
• Proven effectiveness to communicate complex scientific and economic information to many stakeholders through multiple channels.
• Experience identifying and working with key opinion leaders.
• Team-focused with the ability to interact with diverse colleagues, and facilitate strong working relationships between partners; adept at working closely with others over geographical distance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; diplomacy in communicating with a broad and diverse audience.
• Ability to travel up to 25% time annually.

Required Experience

College degree (Master's level or higher preferred) in public policy, international relations, communications, or a related field.  Minimum of 15 years progressive leadership experience in international communications and advocacy, including experience designing and directing multi-faceted, multi-country campaigns. Experience living and working in at least one developing country preferred.  Minimum of 5 years experience managing staff in multiple countries.

Job Location: Ferney Voltaire, FRANCE

Position Type: Full-Time/Regular 

To apply: please visit our employment website, http://www.path.org/employment.php, click on the career site link, search for job code 4738, and apply online. PATH is dedicated to diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.