🔹 Job Title: Communications Advisor
🔹 Company: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) South Africa
🔹 Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng/Western Cape, South Africa
🔹 Job Type: Part-Time (50% Role)
🔹 Date Posted: April 17, 2025
🚀 Job Overview
MSF's Communications Advisor role focuses on enhancing awareness, driving stakeholder engagement, and supporting advocacy efforts for Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and Hepatitis C. This role is part of the Southern Africa Medical Unit (SAMU) team, liaising with the MSF Southern Africa Communications Team and reporting to the SAMU Advocacy Manager, with support from the MSF Southern Africa Director of Communications.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Strategic Communication Planning:
- Develop and execute research-based communication strategies that support PrEP and Hepatitis C advocacy objectives.
- Collaborate with SAMU, MSF Access, MSF Operational Centre Brussels (OCB), and MSF Southern Africa teams to design and implement impactful communication and campaign strategies.
- Regularly review and adapt communication strategies to reflect progress and evolving priorities.
✅ Content Creation and Management:
- Lead the development of communication materials for various audiences and platforms, ensuring medical and scientific accuracy, and operational needs reality.
- Coordinate internal communications strategies and activities aimed at informing and mobilising the MSF network regarding advocacy communications initiatives and campaigning activities for PrEP and Hepatitis C.
✅ Stakeholder Engagement:
- Define and execute public engagement activities designed to enhance the impact of advocacy efforts.
- Coordinate with external partners, communities, and other stakeholders to ensure the seamless integration and execution of communication and campaign initiatives.
- Work with communications team to manage external vendors and creative agencies for content development and campaign execution.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education:
- Degree in international relations, journalism, public health, communications, law, or a related field.
Experience:
- At least 5 years of experience in communication or journalism, with a strong understanding of media operations at national and international levels.
Skills:
- Proven experience in developing and delivering campaigns with clear advocacy objectives, utilising both online and offline engagement strategies.
- Expertise in creating and managing communication tools, including written and multimedia content.
- Strong writing, editing, and research-based content development skills for different audiences, including media.
- Experience in relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders, including media.
- Experience in developing and implementing communication and/or advocacy strategies.
- Knowledge of public health issues in developing countries.
- Excellent negotiation skills and ability to work with various interlocutors.
- Ability to work independently in a multicultural and multinational environment.
- Flexible, solution-oriented, and capable of working in transitional setups.
- Understanding of social media strategies and tools is an advantage.
- Experience in medical communication, with a strong focus on HIV, hepatitis C, or related public health domains, is essential.
💡 Preferred Qualifications
- Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, or French.
- Experience working in a humanitarian or non-profit organisation.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
- Salary: R26,687.69 per month.
- Additional Benefits:
- 13th cheque in November.
- 100% medical aid contribution.
- 10% additional pension allowance.
- Transport allowance.
- Cell phone allowance.
- Resources needed such as working space, computer, internet, stationery, and other resources will be made available.
📅 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this [link](https://msfsa.bamboohr.com/careers/368).
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant skills and experiences for this role.
- Prepare examples of your previous communication strategies and campaigns.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after one week if you haven't heard back.
📝 Application Tips
- Highlight your experience in developing and implementing communication strategies for public health issues, with a focus on HIV and hepatitis C.
- Showcase your ability to work independently and collaborate with diverse teams in a multicultural environment.
- Demonstrate your understanding of MSF's mission and values.
🛑 Potential Challenges
- Balancing multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
- Working with limited resources and tight deadlines.
- Navigating complex political and cultural landscapes in the regions where MSF operates.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Communications Manager, MSF Operational Centre Brussels (OCB): This role focuses more on operational communication and less on advocacy efforts. It requires a strong understanding of MSF's operational context and the ability to work closely with field teams.
- Communications Officer, MSF Southern Africa: This role is more focused on internal communications and less on external advocacy efforts. It requires strong writing skills and the ability to work closely with various teams within the organisation.
📝 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does this role fit into the broader communication strategy for PrEP and Hepatitis C advocacy efforts?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the implementation of injectable PrEP and Hepatitis C treatment in the regions where MSF operates?
- How does MSF collaborate with other organisations and stakeholders to advance its advocacy goals?
📝 ASSUMPTIONS
- Role-specific: The successful candidate will have experience in developing and executing communication strategies for public health issues, with a strong focus on HIV and hepatitis C. They will be comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and balancing multiple priorities and stakeholders.
- Company-specific: MSF values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. The successful candidate will be aligned with MSF's mission, values, and commitment to humanitarian work.
- Industry-specific: The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of the public health landscape in developing countries and the unique challenges and opportunities presented by working in a humanitarian organisation.
⚠️ DISCLAIMER
This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
