Job Summary:
The Senior Technical Officer for Evidence-Based Public Health Messaging and Community Engagement (EMCE/RCCE) provides technical leadership for risk communication and community engagement systems that support outbreak preparedness, detection, and response under the EpiC Global Health Security project in Mozambique. The position supports the Ministry of Health (MOH), National Institute of Health (INS), and provincial health authorities to strengthen systems for communicating effectively with communities before, during, and after public health events. The role ensures that outbreak prevention, detection, and response efforts are supported by timely and trusted information and by mechanisms that allow communities to provide feedback and participate in response efforts. The position also works with MOH departments, including DEPROS, to strengthen systems for monitoring the effectiveness of public health messaging, detecting misinformation and disinformation, and adjusting communication strategies accordingly. Community engagement and messaging approaches are integrated across surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency management, and outbreak response activities.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
- Provide in-country technical leadership for the development and implementation of evidence-based public health messaging and community engagement strategies.
- Support MOH to institutionalize mechanisms for community feedback and use of insights to inform public health decision-making.
- Support MOH and INS to strengthen national guidance, tools, and protocols related to risk communication during public health emergencies.
- Ensure communication and engagement approaches are integrated within surveillance, laboratory, outbreak response, and emergency management activities within the project and support MOH to integrate as well.
- Provide technical support to MOH to develop training materials, job aids, and operational tools for community engagement and public health messaging.
Community Feedback and Infodemic Management
- Provide technical support to DEPROS and other MOH counterparts to establish systems for collecting community feedback on public health messaging and response activities.
- Support development of tools to assess message reach, comprehension, and effectiveness.
- Strengthen systems to detect and respond to misinformation and disinformation related to public health threats.
- Support use of community insights and monitoring data to refine communication strategies.
Program Implementation
- Lead or support implementation of EMCE/RCCE activities within the project workplan.
- Collaborate with DEPROS to support provincial and district teams to operationalize communication and community engagement strategies.
- Contribute to development and monitoring of technical workplans and tracking of key deliverables.
- Support communication components of outbreak responses, preparedness activities, and simulation exercises.
Community Partnerships
- Develop scopes of work for community-based organizations supporting community engagement activities.
- Participate in selection of community partners and subaward recipients.
- Provide technical oversight and guidance to community partners implementing EMCE/RCCE activities.
- Monitor the quality and effectiveness of partner-led engagement activities.
Coordination and Reporting
- Participate in coordination meetings with government counterparts, partners, and project teams.
- Prepare technical inputs for reports, presentations, and knowledge products.
- Document lessons learned and best practices related to community engagement and public health messaging.
Business Development
- Provide technical input to proposal development and technical approaches related to EMCE/RCCE.
- Participate in technical discussions with partners during proposal development and strategic planning.
Qualifications And Skills
- Strong knowledge of community engagement approaches in public health programs.
- Knowledge of risk communication principles in public health emergencies.
- Ability to translate technical guidance into practical tools and operational activities.
- Strong facilitation, coordination, and training skills.
- Ability to work effectively with government counterparts and multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.
Education
- Master’s degree in public health, communication, social and behavioral sciences, health promotion, or related field.
- 6+years of relevant experience in public health communication, community engagement, health promotion, or social and behavior change.
- Experience supporting outbreak preparedness or response activities strongly preferred
- Experience working with government health systems preferred.
- Experience working on donor-funded programs preferred.
Language Requirements
- Fluency in Portuguese required.
- Professional proficiency in English required.
Travel Requirements
- 25–40% travel within Mozambique.
