Communication Officer

Recruitment of Communication Officer for “Partnering with the Hanoi School of Public Health in Vietnam to Enhance Health Workforce Development, Health Systems Strengthening and Public Health Information” Project under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

The Hanoi School of Public Health, Ministry of Health seeks to recruit a Communication Officer under the Project entitled “Partnering with the Hanoi School of Public Health in Vietnam to Enhance Health Workforce Development, Health Systems Strengthening and Public Health Information funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Description of HSPH/MOH:

The HSPH is a unique, stand-alone Public Health education institution in Vietnam. Presently, having a university status, the HSPH has introduced an undergraduate degree in public health (both in-service and pre-service courses) to complement its graduate programs, including Masters and PhD degrees in Public Health. Under the seven faculties of HSPH are different academic departments, including not only the “traditional” public health fields such as Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Maternal Child Health/Nutrition, Demography and Environmental Health, but also new fields such as Social Sciences, Occupational Health, Health Economics and Health Policy, etc.  The HSPH provides undergraduate and graduate students with a basic and comprehensive knowledge of modern public health with a very strong focus on computer skills/data management and analysis. The use of a multidisciplinary model for public health training is unique in Vietnam and sets the HSPH apart from the other public health training programs in the country.

Currently, the School is actively involved in a number of activities in the areas of health management, reproductive health, burdens of disease, injury control, non-communicable and communicable diseases, emerging diseases, HIV/AIDS, etc. as well as policy-relevant research projects such as the essential functions of public health, and developing demographic and health information surveillance systems in Vietnam 

Brief description of CDC-HSPH Cooperative Agreement

The CDC-PEPFAR project was developed in response to funding opportunity PS10-10154 of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the development of Hanoi School of Public Health into a Center of Excellence (COE) to enhance health workforce development, health systems strengthening and public health information. 
This COE will be based on the following constituents:
(1) strategic information including public health informatics, quantitative methodology, surveillance data hub for HIMS development, technical support and consultancy, IT infrastructure for HSPH campuses to fulfill tasks in quantitative methods in health; and
(2) health system strengthening including an integrated Vietnam public health training network from 3 existing networks: VietnamHIV/AIDS Management Training Program (VHMTP) with three current regional management training centers, Vietnam Public Health  Association (VPHA) established since 2002 and covering 11 provinces, and the network of public health faculties under medical training institutions; Vietnam management and leadership training program in collaboration with CDC’s SMDP, and application of social and behavioral sciences for strengthening public health capacity. Those constituents also formulate the components of the proposed project.
Project duration:  January 2011 - December 2015
Project site locations: Hanoi (Hanoi School of Public Health – 138 Giang Vo – Ha noi)

Job description:

This position will play an important role in communicating achievements of and promoting and building image for CDC/HSPH project, particularly the Vietnam Management and Leadership Training Program (VLMTP) to all related parties.

Under the supervision of the VLMTP Coordinator, the Communication Officer is in charge of all communication activities (including the mailing list, website, newsletter, alumni network, and other related activities).

The Communication Officer will have the following responsibilities and tasks:

1.Assist in communicating and advocating the VLMTP to partners and other stakeholders, including: the development of the VLMTP communication plan; development of creative communications strategies; and implementation of communication activities as plan.
2.Support VLMTP in producing and distributing high quality communications materials (brochures, leaflets, etc.), as needed
3.Develop and disseminate VLMTP newsletters:
- Communicate with alumni, trainers and stakeholders to get information related to the VLMTP and work with them to develop articles for the newsletters 
- Work with the project officer(s) to design the newsletter
- Take and collect photos of the program to put in the newsletter
- Support in editing works
- Contact publishing house and have the newsletters printed
- Send the final newsletter to alumni via mailing list
4.Develop and update project/VLMTP mailing lists:
- Develop and update mailing lists including all email addresses of VLMTP partners, stakeholders, alumni so that the VLMTP can communicate with these groups via email.
- Update the mailing list after each training course
5.Develop and administrate the VLMTP website
- Assist in contacting and contracting out with web designer
- Collaborate with web designer in the designing, piloting and running stages
- Maintain/update information on websites
- Upload and manage photo gallery
- Manage the “Contact us” box
6.Provide editorial supports to colleagues, specifically for:
- Selected articles and web contents;
- Presentations and training modules.
7.Assist in planning and conducting workshop on academic writing skills
8.Develop, train and assist project staff in effective external and internal communications skills
9.Provide other logistic and administrative supports as required
Qualifications i.e. education, working experience, languages and skills:
All applicants are instructed to address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.

Education and experience:

- Communications Degree or equivalent and at least 3 years practical professional work experience in communications and/or print and broadcast media.
- Web management experience (desired)
- Language:  Fluent Vietnamese and English
Skills and Abilities:
- Strong interpersonal, communication and team-work skills
- Excellent English and Vietnamese communication skills, both written and verbal. Strong writing skills for newsletters, brochures and websites…
- Proficiently use word pressing, presentation and publication software
- Understanding on web designing and administration
- Have good skills on photography to be able to take good pictures for publications
- High attention to details
Salary and other benefits:  competitive salary and negotiable upon salary history, qualifications and experience.

Guidance for Application:

Interested candidates for this position must submit the following in English:
a)Cover letter with 3 references
b)Job application as instructed in this notice
c)Curriculum vitae with photo
d)Published (or un-published) articles or stories, web design work, or desktop publishing examples that applicants produced, if any. Email copies or links to those in the application.
e)Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned, a portfolio of published or un-published articles or stories, web design work, or desktop publishing examples produced ) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

SUBMIT EMAIL APPLICATIONS TO:
Please submit application via email to: [email protected], with cc to: [email protected], [email protected]
All applications must state the position to which you are applying to in the subject line of the email.
Note: Applications will not be returned for non-selected candidate
CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION:  28 February 2013
(All applications must be received by the closing date to receive consideration)./.