Consultant, Strategic Communications

This role was posted on March 12, 2026. Please note that we will review applications on a rolling basis.

The Role

At Last Mile Health, we do things differently despite the challenges. Do you have experience translating complex evidence into clear, persuasive communications that drive impact? If so, you may be a great fit for the Strategic Communications Consultancy supporting the Africa Frontline First initiative.

Africa Frontline First Initiative (AFF) seeks a Strategic Communications Consultant to synthesize evidence, elevate the narrative around community health financing, and help execute AFF’s communications strategy. The consultant will produce compelling communications products that:

• Articulate AFF’s catalytic impact and unique approach
• Demonstrate what changed in national community health systems during Project BIRCH
• Inform future investments in community health systems
• Highlight how AFF and partners mobilized and delivered results
• Strengthen AFF’s thought leadership on government partnership and sustainable financing

The consultant will collaborate closely with AFF’s communications, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), technical, and leadership teams.

This position is remote with a preference for candidates based in EAT timezone.  

Project Description

Africa Frontline First (AFF), co-founded by Community Health Impact Coalition, Financing Alliance for Health, and Last Mile Health, drives smarter, more effective financing to unlock the power of community health workers and bring lifesaving care to millions across Africa. We catalyze more funding for community health, and have unlocked more than $219M for national community health programs to date.  We partner with governments so they can access and effectively use this financing to strengthen national programs. And we recognize financing as a political decision and advocate for increased commitments to long-term sustainable financing for community health. 

AFF has just concluded the BIRCH (Building Integrated Readiness for Community Health) Project, a multi-year investment supporting community health systems strengthening across 22 African countries in partnership with the Global Fund. Through Project BIRCH and the AFF Catalytic Fund, we partnered with governments to assess and understand the maturity of their community health systems and identify priority areas for improvement; map and track resources; coordinate funders, strengthen and revise national policies; improve governance and technical working groups; complete discrete deliverables such as CHW master list or digitization; and increase domestic resource allocations. 

Over the past two years, we’ve captured great impact data and country stories but need to turn this into a cohesive communications campaign marked by the publication of strong deliverables. This coincides with AFF’s recent strategy refresh and revised communications strategy, with an emphasis on increased thought leadership throughout 2026.

Consultancy Details

• Project Duration: April - September 2026
• Commitment: Up to 20 hours/ week 
• Estimated Fees Amount: Up to $3300/ month 
• Location: Remote, EAT timezone preferred 

Scope of Work 

The Strategic Communications Consultant will partner closely with the AFF Chief of Staff to advance communications priorities for 2026.

Key responsibilities include:

• Translating complex technical evidence into compelling communications products
• Developing a cohesive suite of high-quality close-out materials from Project BIRCH
• Ensuring consistency in voice, narrative, and messaging across communications outputs
• Supporting the dissemination and strategic positioning of AFF content

The consultant will also collaborate with the Chief of Staff (Consultant) and workstream leads to refine and operationalize the 2026 Communications Strategy. Responsibilities may evolve as priorities develop.

 Refine 2026 Comms Strategy and Support Execution

• Weigh in on core messages and tactics for AFF 2026 comms strategy, particularly supporting the development of the final draft of a thought leadership strategy
• Finalize the deliverables list required to execute the 2026 comms strategy
• Work closely with the Executive Team to share deliverables via creative dissemination channels and in-bound opportunities

Develop the content 

• Work with partners to finalize and publish country success stories for project BIRCH

• Publish a guide for funders on how to invest in national community health systems, leveraging lessons from the BIRCH work

• Publish an SSIR piece reflecting on the power of collaboration to drive key BIRCH wins, with a call to action related to need to increase domestic health financing

• Create dissemination toolkits for the guide & SSIR piece for partners (including social media graphics)

• Co-host a side event to share lessons learned from BIRCH & build momentum for CF 2.0 in partnership with the Global Fund and at least 1 other partner 

• Create evergreen materials summarizing the impact of Project BIRCH

Support Ongoing Communications Initiatives

Additional projects may include:

• 2-3 Op-ed and blog posts drafted and published on timely  topics (i.e. domestic resource mobilization)
• Support ongoing work to strengthen the AFF impact narrative; contribute to the final draft
• Identify 1-2 new real-time opportunities to pitch AFF’s work to an external outlet

Key Deliverables

The consultants will work on the following (non-exhaustive) deliverables. Please note the tentative deadlines for each deliverable noted in parentheses.

• Review and shape six-month thought leadership strategy (May 2026)
• Disseminate and publish BIRCH success stories (September 2026)
• Draft a guide for funders on how to invest in national community health systems, leveraging lessons from the BIRCH work (April 2026)
• Draft a Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) piece reflecting on the power of collaboration to drive key BIRCH wins, with a call to action to increase domestic health financing (September 2026)
• Publish the funder guide and SSIR article alongside dissemination toolkits, including social media graphics (September 2026)
• Support a side event to share lessons learned from BIRCH and build momentum for CF 2.0 in partnership with the Global Fund and at least one other partner (April 2026)
• Create evergreen materials summarizing the impact of Project BIRCH (May 2026)
• Execute 2 - 3 thought leadership tactics (June 2026)
• Support AFF impact narrative shaping and other communications deliverables on an as-needed basis (September 2026)

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Progressive years  of experience in communications
• Demonstrated experience producing persuasive, mission-driven communications and storytelling
• Experience translating technical or research content into clear communications products
• Strong project management skills and ability to work independently
• Experience collaborating with remote teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience producing polished communications deliverables with minimal oversight
• Experience in public health or global health communications
• Proficiency with Canva or other design tools
• Fluency in French

About Last Mile Health

Last Mile Health (LMH) saves lives in the world's most remote communities by partnering with governments to bring critical primary care services to the doorsteps of people living in the last mile. LMH is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization and currently works in Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Sierra Leone with US offices in Boston. For more information, visit www.lastmilehealth.org. We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at LMH. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.