Job title:             PE Manager

Department:      Public Engagement

Supervisor:         Director of SMRU

Supervisee:        Public Engagement team member

Work Area:        Mae Ramat, TAK Province, SMRU field area

Introduction

SMRU is a field station of the faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, and is part of the Mahidol-Oxford Research Unit (MORU) supported by the Wellcome (UK).

The main objective of SMRU is to provide quality health care to the marginalized populations living on both sides of the Thai-Myanmar border in the Mae Sot area, Tak Province. This is achieved by the dual activities of research and humanitarian services, with an emphasis on maternal-child health and infectious diseases.

This combination of health care and research makes SMRU unique. The research agenda is driven by the questions we face in our clinical practice and whether clinical or laboratory based, our studies are designed to be of relevance to the population we serve.

Tasks/Responsibilities

The Head of the Public Engagement Department, reporting directly to the Director of SMRU, will be responsible for developing, monitoring, and evaluating the community engagement strategy for both SMRU and the Border Health Foundation (BHF). The role involves leading the creation and execution of strategic engagement plans, inspiring, training, and supporting staff in their outreach efforts to key communities. This will include informing communities about our work, consulting them on future directions, and collaborating with them on new research initiatives and humanitarian projects. The post holder will engage with a diverse range of stakeholders with a vested interest in health-related programs. The primary objective of the Public Engagement Department is to enhance community awareness and understanding of health programs and the research and scientific processes that support them.

Strategic Leadership and Planning

·       Develop and implement long-term engagement strategies aligned with organizational objectives.

·       Set engagement goals, performance indicators, and evaluate the effectiveness of engagement initiatives.

·       Identify strategic community engagement opportunities and modes of delivery.

·       Plan and support delivery of engagement activities, including creating and organize events.

·       Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities for public involvement.

·       Overseeing the design of tools to be used for community engagement activities.

Program Oversight and Coordination:

·       Supervise the community engagement team for all translations in relevance local languages, ensuring that messages are appropriately and correctly translated.

·       Develop and manage community engagement activities, ensuring that they are appropriate to each setting.

·       Represent the department in meetings, workshops, and community engagements as required.

·       Organize, facilitate and design training and workshops for the community engagement team as part of capacity building and better performances.

·       Oversee coordination with internal departments to align engagement efforts across the organizations.

Stakeholder and Community Relationship Management

·       Build and nurture relationship with key stakeholders, including community groups, policymakers, media, and NGOs/CBOs.

·       Identify, develop and maintain partnerships with relevant internal and external organizations, participate in local and national public engagement networks.

·       Support SMRU’s media personnel by engaging the community through social medial and other platforms.

·       Represent SMRU-BHF in conferences to promote SMRU-BHF community engagement activities.

Team leadership and development:

·       Encourage and support researchers to engage with the community where researches are taking place.

·       Lead and manage the public engagement team, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance evaluations.

·       Allocate resources, set priorities, and ensure team objectives align with overall strategies.

·       Foster a culture of inclusivity, creativity, and continuous improvement withing the team.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

·       Analyze risks and opportunities.

·       Monitor project progress and handle any issues that arise.

·       Monitor log frame plans and expenditures.

·       Create and maintain comprehensive project documentation, plans and reports.

·       Make sure that each activity is recorded with summary reports.

·       Collect fields information and prepare department annual report.

·       Ensure that the activities tracking log has been filled at all time.

·       Collect feedback from PE Assistants’ work performances to access effectiveness.

Policy and Advocacy Leadership:

·       Ensure community engagement activities are in compliance with MORU Department of Bioethics & Engagement/SMRU’s policies and procedures e.g. health and safety, security and data protection.

·       Issue all appropriate legal paperwork and make sure the paperwork is properly filed.

·       Provide administrative support as needed.

Project and Budge Management:

·       In collaboration with the community engagement team and concerned personnel, prepare applications for funding to support individual community engagement project.

·       Participate in budget planning for community engagement related activities.

·       Ensure that the grant and budgets for every engagement activity as well as equipment budgets are available.

·       Provide engagement reports to Wellcome and other funders as required

·       Coordinate project management activities, resources, equipment and information.

·       Break projects into doable actions and set time frames.

·       Assign tasks to internal teams and assist with schedule management.

·       Make sure that the project met its objectives.

·       Prepare budgets, monitor expenses and implement cost-saving measures.

·       Other activities related to SMRU-BHF community engagement or within the department as assigned by the supervisor.

Position requirement and skills

Education:

·       Educated to degree level of equivalent in related field.

·       Social Science Expertise

Work Experience:

·       Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in community engagement, outreach coordination, or partnership development within a higher education or related organization.

·       Experience in applying Social Sciences knowledge to inform inclusive, culturally responsive, and evidence-based engagement practice. and program development.

·       Significant relevant experience in community engagement, having a track record for designing and delivering successful community events and project.

·       Experience in strategic thinking and of initiating, managing and delivering long-term projects effectively.

·       Experience in delivering community engagement activities with various levels of education setting.

·       A detailed understanding of the need for and benefits of community engagement with research and a wide knowledge of effective community engagement practice.

·       Experience of training and facilitating workshop.

·       Proven work experience as a Head of Public Engagement or similar role.

·       Experience in project management, from conception to delivery.

·       Experience in relevant work experience in community engagement, outreach, or program coordination in community could be valuable.

·       Understanding of the need for and benefits of community engagement with research and knowledge of effective community engagement practice.

·       Good understanding of the complex situation prevailing on the Thai-Myanmar border.

Skills:

·       Ability in evaluating the effectiveness of community engagement activities and reporting to relevance parties.

·       Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build productive relationship and partnerships within and beyond the organization including liaise and maintain relationship with partner organizations and IOs, GOs, NGOs, and skills in influencing and negotiation.

·       Highly self-motivated, capable of working independently as well as initiating collaborations and working as part of a multi-cultural team.

·       Knowledge about and skill of digital marketing, graphic design and other social medial-related software is an asset.

·       An ability to prepare and interpret flowcharts, schedules and step-by-step action plans.

·       Solid organizational skills, including multitasking and time management.

·       Strong and firm in facing obstacles and teamwork skills.

·       Familiarity with risk management and quality assurance control.

·       Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Project and Microsoft Planner.

·       Hands-on experience with project management tools.

·       Toleration of working under pressure.

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