Health Systems Trust (HST) Recent Employment Opportunity

Health Systems Trust (HST) is an innovative non-profit organisation working to strengthen ongoing development of comprehensive health systems in South and southern Africa.

Job Title: Corporate Services Directorate – Communications
Location: Durban
Employment type: Fixed-term contract position, renewable, based on funding.
Remuneration: A salary package commensurate with experience and qualifications and in line with HST’s Job Grading System will be offered to the successful candidate.

The purpose of this position is to find someone to play a leading role in quality assuring HST’s communications’ products by ensuring that the content, look and feel of publications, reports and marketing materials, abstracts and other writings destined for publication in professional journals, at conferences, in print and online media are of the highest quality. S/he sets professional editorial standards and monitors adherence to the HST Style Manual and corporate brand policy.
The selected candidate will be based in Midrand.

Responsibilities:

• Review and edit funding proposals ensuring high quality content to leverage revenue-generation.
• Provide editorial services to external fee-paying clients where appropriate to contribute to revenue-generation.
• Contribute to development and implementation of communications strategy.
• Contribute to, and support the development of innovative marketing materials to enhance visibility and appeal of HST’s work.
• Manage outsourcing of editorial services where appropriate including selecting supervising consultants.
• Co-ordinate editorial function including scope definition, capacity allocation, task scheduling and monitoring of work flow to ensure jobs are completed within agreed time-frames.
• Liaise with authors/commissioning managers to provide editorial feedback, ensure tasks are executed to specification and resolve any emerging queries.
• Provide editorial services for flagship print and electronic publications, high profile reports, major proposals and high priority documents such as the organisational board pack and promotional materials.
• Review and edit HST publications including project, research and other reports for internal and external dissemination.
• Review drafts and provide advice to authors of abstracts and other thought leadership outputs for publication and presentation at conferences.
• Review and edit print and online marketing materials to ensure compliance with HST style, high quality brand fidelity and appeal to target audience.
• Set up quality assurance system with clearly defined standards, protocols, monitoring mechanisms and accountability measures.
• Regular updating of HST Style Manual and other relevant policies, procedures and protocols for quality assurance.
• Originate and support innovative knowledge management initiatives.
• Contribute to HST website refreshment by channelling content in relation to area of work to the Communications Officer/DTP-Layout Artist for uploading.
• Contribute to periodic organisational governance processes including planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting.
• Participate in unit, section and other cross-functional meetings and initiatives for collaboration and alignment to strategic goals.
• Contribute to policy development and implementation strategies for uptake of the organisational Knowledge Management spaces.
• Participate in regular Health Systems Strengthening and SA SURE Surge Quarterly meetings.
• Participate in regular Health Systems Research meetings.
• Provide capacity-building support for staff including training, coaching, mentoring, development of writing tips and guidelines.
• Participate in performance management system including agreeing on performance objectives, periodic appraisals and personal development.
• Support CU’s use of the Intralink to encourage wider HST adoption through tools, tips and guidelines.
• Conduct writing workshops to support thought leadership outputs like journal papers, conference abstracts and presentations.

Required:

• Qualifications:
  • Minimum Bachelor’s degree with a major in journalism, communication, English or other relevant discipline.
  • English language proficiency both verbal and written.
• Experience:
  • At least 5 years’ experience working as a copy editor, journalist, writer or other related communications role.
  • Experience of editing and proof reading publications in the publishing, NGO or government sectors.
  • Excellent writing skills and ability to engage with complex public health and other scientific/technical texts written for diverse audiences.
  • Excellent computer skills including MS Office, Adobe Acrobat and other multimedia tools.
  • Strong project management skills with ability to multi-task, prioritise and work on several publications/projects simultaneously.
  • Experience in facilitating training and other capacity-building initiatives.
  • Ability to use a variety of creative narrative forms to produce outputs for different technical fields.
  • Ability to work under pressure to meet tight and competing deadlines.
  • Ability to think, plan and act creatively and strategically.
  • Good interpersonal and client relationship skills to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders at various levels.
  • Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
  • Willingness to travel and work outside normal office hours.

Applications/Enquiries

Interested applicants should forward a detailed CV stating the position applied for, together with names and contact details (telephone numbers and an email address) of at least three contactable referees, to [email protected].

Please note:

• Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit certified copies of all qualifications and identity documents
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered
• Email users are requested to set the delivery option of their message on both “Return Receipt” and “Confirm Delivery”
• Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates
• All shortlisted candidates will be subjected to reference and credential checks
• If you have not been contacted within 30 days of the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful
• HST reserves the right to not fill this position.

Application Deadline: Friday, 12 June, 2020