Program Coordinator: Capacity Strengthening and Partnerships

The Program Coordinator works alongside a skilled team of advocates working internationally to provide technical, content-focused and operational support to AVAC’s body of work that looks to strengthen global advocacy networks that advocate for effective HIV prevention from research to rollout. This work builds, strengthens and supports civil society partnerships and movement building; amplifies and supports advocacy partners in accelerating ethical development of and global access to effective HIV prevention options, as part of a comprehensive and integrated pathway to global health equity.

The Capacity Strengthening and Partnerships workstream works primarily with stakeholders based in the Global South. Projects includes the Advocacy Fellows Program, the PxROAR program, AVAC’s Partners Forum, the Advocacy Navigator online platform to support and connect advocates, the Media Science Café program and special initiatives working with young women and key populations to engage in the research to rollout of biomedical prevention options and programs.

This position is responsible for the coordination and continuous improvement of systems to track project-focused work for the Capacity Strengthening and Partnerships workstream. These duties are broad in scope and include meeting coordination, manintaining systems for project tracking, contributing to capacity strengthening training, development and editing of materials and special initiatives to engage civil society partners in a variety of strategic projects. It also includes coordination of the Advocacy Navigator on the Engage platform to help support advocates to connect with each other and with other key stakeholders, and to resources and tools they need to sustain and enhance their advocacy.

This position requires experience with and understanding of HIV, global health issues, advocacy, country health programs and program management. Knowledge of biomedical HIV prevention research and implementation would greatly add to the success of this role. Experience working in the Global South broadly, and sub-Saharan Africa in particular, is also highly desirable.

Essential Functions

The Program Coordinator supports AVAC’s Capacity Strengthening and Partnerships team:

• Coordinate program support including administrative, communications, monitoring and content development for the Fellows Program.
• Coordinate the Advocacy Navigator program including updating materials, coordinating and supporting the implementation team and working closely with technical team.
• With supervision from manager, maintain and/or support project management systems and processes using online project management and collaboration tools (Monday.com, Google Drive and OneNote) and develop new systems and processes as needed.
• Serve as front-line contact for partners, meeting their information needs, coordinating and scheduling calls and meetings, and ensuring follow-up actions. Track ongoing partner technical assistance requests and coordinate follow up actions in a proactive and timely manner.
• Contribute to the support of partners in developing materials, action plans and social media campaigns.
• Support internal and external project-related meetings, training and workshops by coordinating logistics, participant and team travel needs in coordination with travel management company, agendas, venues/locations, providing pre-reads and materials in a timely manner.
• Coordinate and process vendor and consultant invoices in a timely manner. Gather and disseminate necessary financial information to support timely budgeting and reporting needs.
• Research, draft, and/or edit resource documents, blog posts, partner updates, deliverables and other materials as assigned.
• Draft, review and edit web content and media products and manage project team webpage updates.
• Coordinate internal and external review processes related to the Fellows application process and other projects as needed.
• Support and maintain various online and social media portals for sharing information about the Fellows program and supporting communication between Fellows and alumni.
• Support the team in monitoring, evaluating and learning info capture and reporting to internal and external partners.
• Assist other AVAC staff with linkages between Fellows and other programs at country level and around specific interventions
• Support special initiatives including support to partner coalitions and collaborative advocacy campaigns, and special initiatives to engage civil society partners in a variety of strategic projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position qualifications

While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will embody many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

• Commitment to AVAC’s mission and values, including our commitment to fostering an equitable, diverse and inclusive working environment.
• Three to five years of experience working in the field of HIV, global health and/or global development with demonstrated ability to work in partnership with groups working in low- and lower-middle income countries.

• Specific experience in advocacy around health and development issues, such as coalition-building, influencing national- and international-level health planning, policy and spending.
• Experience working in the Global South broadly, and sub-Saharan Africa in particular.
• Excellent writing, proof-reading and editing skills to produce high-quality documents and deliverables for a range of audiences and stakeholders both online and in print communications (ie: for advocates, funders, consultants, media, etc)
• Demonstrated systems management experience, with a track record of developing and maintaining highly-organized management systems and processes across teams using Monday.com, Google Suite, MS Office, OneNote, etc.
• Experience with website content management systems (WordPress preferred).
• Detail oriented, excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks.
• Highly collaborative and team-oriented with a willingness and desire to take on all levels of work.
• Excellent multicultural and interpersonal skills, including the ability to facilitate relationships and interact effectively with others inside and outside the organization.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment; self-starting and able to take initiative.
• Authorization to work in the United States.

About AVAC

Founded in 1995, AVAC uses communication, education, policy analysis, advocacy and a network of global collaborations to accelerate the ethical development and global delivery of HIV prevention options as part of a comprehensive and integrated response to the epidemic. AVAC works across the “research-to-rollout” continuum in solidarity with individuals and groups most impacted by HIV.

AVAC advocates for HIV prevention to end the HIV pandemic. With partners worldwide, AVAC pushes for the funding, focus, implementation and research that’s needed to make it happen. We: 

• Accelerate Product Innovation & Availability: AVAC collaborates with partners who work across the HIV prevention spectrum, from research to rollout, to expand the portfolio of prevention options and ensure products are available, accessible and used by those who need them most.
• Advocate for Access to High-Impact Prevention: AVAC is part of a robust civil society movement helping to shape a new era of global health spending and planning related to HIV prevention.
• Improve Research Conduct: AVAC advocates for research that is grounded in well-informed, community-centered perspectives. AVAC promotes the adoption of Good Participatory Practice (GPP) in research, convenes consultations and workshops, and produces publications, podcasts, webinars, and other research literacy materials. The involvement of key stakeholders throughout the research process is central to all this work.
• Promote Effective HIV Prevention Policy: Ending the HIV epidemic depends on political will, committed resources and supportive policies at global and national levels. AVAC’s policy work, in partnership with a global network of civil society partners, focuses on the importance of funding and strategic planning for HIV prevention research and the imperative to bring long-term solutions to the people who need them.
• Track and Translate the Field: Our communications and publications translate complex science into accessible resources. This work is at the core of our mission to advance prevention and end the epidemic. We focus on ensuring people with different kinds of expertise can better understand context, community perspectives, science and policy.
• Strengthen Global Advocacy Networks: AVAC supports the development and sustainability of advocacy networks focused on accelerating HIV prevention from research to rollout. These networks, mostly centered in Africa, bring vigorous attention to science, policy, funding, community, communications, health services and the regulatory process, charting a path to end the HIV epidemic.

Salary and benefits

AVAC offers highly competitive salaries and a substantial benefits package that includes employer-paid health insurance, matching contributions to a retirement savings plan and paid new parent leave.

AVAC champions the importance and value of a diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment. Applicants representing communities most impacted by HIV are encouraged to apply, including transgender individuals, people living with HIV, and those from HIV-endemic countries.

AVAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, military or veteran status and other such factors in accordance with US state and federal laws.

Please forward your resume and any supporting materials that tell us more about your professional and personal experience to careers@avac.org.