Community Outreach Representative
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Job Type: Full time
Position Overview:
The Community Outreach Representative is a position designed to serve as a driving force in operationalizing and supporting the community engagement, mobilization, education, and behavior change programs for the Community Mobilization (CM) Division of the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU). This position support the PRVCU mission of inspiring and empowering the Puerto Rican public to play a direct and meaningful role in combating the mosquito that spreads Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and other diseases. The position will support the development of outreach programs, and other initiatives to help impact vector-specific attitudes and behavioral change goals relating to vector control. To do so, this position will also need to be able to build strong relationships, engage directly with a range of stakeholders, including faith-based organizations, local governments, influencers, businesses, educational institutions, other nonprofit organizations. This position will report to the PRVCU in San Juan, Puerto Rico and will work all around the Island.
Reports To: Community Mobilization Program Supervisor
Key Responsibilities and Duties:
- Support the implementation of a community and business outreach plan according to the Community Division Strategic Plan;
- Organize, attend, and present at business, community, and neighborhood group meetings regarding the PRVCU’s programs including community mobilization, education, and vector control;
- Coordinate, support, design, and/or implement community outreach related events, including workshops, town hall meetings, special events, social and cultural events, educational booths, educational talks, informational visits, etc.;
- Be primary point of contact and organizer of outreach activities of the PRVCU;
- Develop public education and information materials, presentations and displays – including contributing to newsletters, media/new media outreach and website content;
- Respond to public and community inquiries and brief organization’s staff on matters of public interest and concern;
- Define requirements, participate in the design and implementation of a community database of interested parties and issues;
- Provide trainings to community leaders (“Train the Trainers” and other formats);
- Regularly participate or coordinate community outreach activities around the Island during or outside normal business hours;
- Provide support to the Vector Control Unit in general, and the CM division specifically, as needed.
Since our organization is going to change to meet the needs of public health, environmental conservation and the PRVCU, you can expect, anticipate and assume that your job description will change to meet these challenges.
Education, Training and Experiences:
- 2-4+ years of hands-on experience in coordinating and/or leading community engagement or outreach programs in the areas of public health, environment or other related field.
- Require Bachelor’s Degree certification in some of the following educational field; public relations, sociology, community engagement, health education, public health, psychology.
- Experience designing, developing and implementing outreach programs in public health-related or related initiatives.
- Ability to successfully engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work effectively as part of a team in a dynamic environment; comfortable and effective in influencing at all organizational levels; ability to tactfully give/receive constructive feedback.
- Impeccable oral and written communications skills in English and Spanish including excellent writing, proofreading and editing abilities and command of grammar/punctuation, style and format; ability to communicate, translate, simplify and articulate complex ideas into easily understood and relatable concepts.
- Proficient in the use of Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
- A self-starter with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple simultaneous projects under strict timelines and within confidential circumstances.
- A strong work ethic, ability to maintain and model high personal, ethical and professional standards, as well as an outgoing and positive personality.
- Must be able to work outside normal business hours; must be able to travel regularly throughout the island, as needed.
- Must hold valid Puerto Rico driver’s license.
Please send your resume to [email protected] before June 15, 2018. Please include contact information, indicate whether you speak Spanish and English fluently, and are available to start within one to three weeks of being notified.
Overview of the organization
The Puerto Rico Science Technology and Research Trust is a private non-profit organization created in 2004 to encourage and promote innovation, transfer and commercialization of technology and creation of jobs in the technology sector. We are responsible for Puerto Rico’s public policy for science, technology, research and development. The Trust’s mission is to invest, facilitate and build capacity to continually advance Puerto Rico’s economy and its citizens’ well-being through innovation-driven enterprises, science and technology and its industrial base. Our vision is that by 2022, Puerto Rico is a globally recognized innovation hub that develops, attracts, and retains scientists, technology entrepreneurs, and enterprises to unlock world class creativity and competitiveness
The Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU) main responsibilities is to develop, lead, and deploy an effective integrated vector management (IVM) strategy to reduce the Aedes aegypti population and the burden of Zika, chikungunya, and dengue. PRVCU will carry out vector surveillance, community engagement and IVM for effective mosquito control.
