Advocacy Specialist at Improving Healthy Behaviors Program (IHBP)at New Delhi
Last Date: August 15, 2011

Advocacy Specialist
Improving Healthy Behaviors Program (IHBP)
Location: New Delhi
Last Date: August 15, 2011
Email: [email protected]

The Improving Healthy Behaviors Program (IHBP) is a USAID funded project for technical assistance in institutional strengthening for health communication at the national level and also in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The project will use evidence based approaches to assist in designing BCC strategies for HIV/AIDS, TB, MCH and FP/RH that reach to the community level and focus on individual and social change. Through advocacy and other community interventions, vulnerable communities will be empowered to address many health issues such as stigma, gender and rights.

Position Summary
The Advocacy Specialist based in Delhi office will contribute to IHBP’s advocacy for strengthening institutional capacity for improved Behavior Change Communication in public, for profit and not-for-profit institution. In doing so, s/he will strengthen the project’s advocacy at national level and help the state team’s advocacy through active engagement with policy makers, program managers, private sector stakeholders and Development Partners to achieve project’s four key results. The position will work under supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor - Institutional Strengthening to coordinate design, implementation, and monitoring of advocacy initiatives; and provide support to the project teams in Uttar Pradesh and selected districts.

Essential Job Functions
Specific responsibilities include but will not be limited to:
o Under supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor (Institutional Strengthening), assist in design and implementation of effective advocacy plans and strategies for national level, consistent with the project Award Monitoring Plan (AMP), and provide support to the state IHBP team in developing the state advocacy plan
o Assist in preparation of advocacy component of the project’s work plans and ensuring timely deliverables
o Based on the strategic plan, lead advocacy efforts for Government acceptance and support to the BCC-IHBP project’s recommendations and plans for strengthening BCC in health systems, including improving financial, technical and human resource allocation as well as utilization for improved BCC in public health
o Facilitate and organize studies, white paper generation and round table discussions to help government adopt evidence based BCC practices
o Provide support to the project to interact with the government on all matters related to issue based advocacy. Ensuring consistency in project advocacy approach and strategies at national and state levels.
o Develop functioning relationships at national level with the key decision makers, key opinion leaders, development organizations, local and international NGOs, alliances and networks working across the four program elements and support the project team at the state level in developing similar relationships
o Develop a consortium of voices from government and allied sectors at national level that emphasize the need for enhanced attention and priority to BCC in health programs and promote use of evidence based BCC strategies and tools. Support state team for the same.
o Design media / policy briefs and facilitating organization of media events, and build capacities of government staff / agencies in the same.
o Contribute to capacity building of the state and district project teams in advocacy.
o Participate in documentation and dissemination of project interventions including reporting, advocacy related materials development and production, writing & presenting papers at state/national and global platforms, impact measurement, etc.
o Ensure regular team updates and sharing on progress and plans under Advocacy component of the project.
o Assist the IS Chief Technical Advisor in identifying short-term technical assistance needs and guide the identification of consultants and agencies that can effectively contribute to activities in the AWP
o Represent the project, as directed by IS Chief Technical Advisor and/or DCOP, in any working group, committee, or task force addressing Institutional Strengthening
o Perform other activities as determined by IS Chief Technical Advisor and/or DCOP

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will hold the following qualifications:

o Masters degree in Health Communication, Community Health, Business Administration, Social Work, Public Relations or equivalent degree from a reputed university/ institute
o Minimum eight years of relevant experience focusing on advocacy for health, preferably in MCH, TB, HIV/AIDS or family planning with international development programs, specifically in –
o formulation and implementation of result oriented advocacy with government , donor agencies, development partners and other stakeholders
o development of partnerships and interaction with Ministries of Health, WCD and /or NACO on issue based advocacy
o effectively working with alliances and networks of organizations, including champions or spokespersons, for achieving an advocacy objective
o Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and in Hindi and presentation skills
o Additional experience in –
o Designing and development of media and policy briefs
o Using various platforms, gateways and approaches to advocacy
o Effectively conducting business with senior Government officials at national level, preferably in the MoHFW, NACO and MoWCD
o Working with USAID or other donors funded projects and/or in Uttar Pradesh will be preferred
o Demonstrated ability to –
o Adopt a consultative and collaborative approach, and work with diverse groups and in a challenging environment
o Use Windows based computer programs
o Familiarity with NRHM, NACP-III and/or RNTCP, especially the BCC strategy in each of these programs (preferred)
o Willingness to travel within and outside the country as per project needs
o Membership of networks/alliances at Global/National/State levels (preferred)

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with a job.

IHBP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply. Kindly send your applications in with a cover letter and resume in MS Word format, without photographs. The subject line of your application should read as Advocacy Specialist/Delhi/(your name).