Activist Fellowships.

Black Health Matters is a trusted health company that offers digital, social and community engagement programs that reach consumers, patients and medical practitioners. Launched in 2012, Black Health Matters features a suite of customized marketing solutions that access a health-interested audience via national, regional and local programs and events. Black Health Matters (BHM) is a leading provider of digital health and wellness solutions for African American consumers and patients. BHM delivers a highly personalized content experience drawing from touch-points of the African American experience that empower and drive compliance. BHM content solutions and engagement education programs (consumer or physician) are delivered through multiple channels, including desktop, mobile, tablet, video, social media and experiential events (i.e. Virtual Meetings, Health Fairs, Faith Based initiatives and Non-CME Workshops).

For more information about the organization visit the BHM website. 

This is an opportunity for one Boston University Activist Fellow to serve as as Project Management Fellow under the support of the BHM team. The Fellow will support a nimble media and healthcare content marketing business by planning and coordinating tactical activities to ensure projects are accomplished within the prescribed time frame, funding parameters, and scope under the oversight of the Managing Director.

While this position will be involved in a variety of tasks, primary duties will include:

• Leads and manages project development with oversight
• Manages client relationship, spearheading projects providing direction to the team
• Cultivates relationships with key African American organizations for the purpose of develop educational programs on health and wellness
• Develops project timelines and collaborates with the team and client based on specific goals, schedule tasks, identify risks, develop contingency plans, and plan resources
• Champions integration of project management methodologies and maintains ongoing compliance with client creative, review process and other workflow tools for client and internal team members
• Communicates clear direction and information to ensure understanding of client needs.
• Relationship builder works well to engage medical professionals/experts, community partners, vendors, sponsors and others
• Coordinates and follows up with graphic artist, event producer, sales and social media teams to ensure project progresses on schedule and goals and requirements are met
• Prepares project status and resource reports and keeps client partner and BHM team informed of project status and related issues

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Must be currently enrolled in the BU Master of Public Health program and have matriculated prior to the fall semester (the Fellow cannot be in their first semester at SPH)
• Strong communication skills
• Interest in working with and engaging the Black community to improve community health.

Preferred Additional Qualifications:

• Passion for health and wellness in the Black community
• Is hands-on, multi-functional and resourceful
• Is idea focused, can strategize and work through tactics for client focused programs
• Understanding of social media and community outreach

To apply for this fellowship, please send a resume and 1-2 page cover letter detailing how your specific strengths and talents will meet the expectations of the position to Emily Welden, Activist Lab, Assistant Director by May 25, 2023.

Health Resources in Action, Inc. (HRiA), a nonprofit public health and medical research funding organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, has a mission to help people live healthier lives and build healthier communities through prevention, health promotion, policy, and research. HRiA works with a diverse group of clients across the country to address some of the most critical public health issues using innovative and evidence-based approaches to improve population health. Our clients include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, state and local health departments, hospitals, and private/corporate philanthropic entities.

Since its founding in 1957, HRiA has been at the forefront of public health, leading the way to promote healthier and more vibrant communities. Our work recognizes the impact of social, economic, and racial factors on health outcomes. HRiA is also an affiliate member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes with over 40 affiliates located across the country.

One of the most powerful ways HRiA can shift policies, systems, and environments that create and foster healthy opportunities is through the strategic investment of funding to spur catalytic changes in the public’s health. Working with public and private funding sources, we bring together those with expertise and lived experiences to apply the resources and support the change agents. HRiA brings over 60 years of experience and leadership in grantmaking in the medical research arena as well as the community sector.

Be part of this exciting organization that works with communities in Massachusetts to identify and improve the health of residents in proven and innovative ways.

For more information about the organization visit http://www.hria.org.

There is one position available to serve as a BU Activist Fellow/Grantmaking Communications Specialist. The communications specialist serving in this role will be responsible for a discreet set of duties to work in partnership with HRiA’s: 1) senior leadership; 2) select members of the grantmaking team; 3) the marketing manager; and 4) select external community partners. The content specialist will support the communications for the grantmaking cluster/department. They will collaborate with key staff to develop stories (blogs, social media posts) that elevate the voices of our community partners and shines a light on the key levers for change in advancing health equity. Topics include increasing diversity and inclusion in the biomedical sciences; the impact of COVID among grassroots partners; housing as a universal right and creating pathways for institutional accountability in addressing health inequities.

The position is timebound to the terms and guidelines set forth by the BU Activist Lab. The Activist Fellow will engage in this work during the 2022-2023 Fall and Spring semesters of the academic school year, serving 10 hours/week for 14 weeks per semester with a flexible but set schedule during hours of business (9-5 ET).

This position will be involved in a variety of tasks to support communications efforts of grantmaking projects. Some potential tasks include:

Storytelling and Communications

• Support the development of a communications plan for the Grantmaking Department that leverages effective strategies for communicating success and increasing the visibility of community-level efforts underway to advance health equity.
• Support marketing communications projects, announcements, and initiatives in collaboration with the grantmaking team and marketing manager
• Contribute towards the development and enhancement of blogs and other social media-related content to increase visibility and awareness of HRiA’s participatory grantmaking efforts to advance community health and biomedical research by
• Support data collection to monitor the impact of these communications efforts.

Outreach and Relationship Management

• Connect with grantees to support communications initiatives; hear and help document their stories of efforts to improve population health and health equity
• Support the coordination of special events and virtual convenings 

Desired Qualifications:

• A personal desire and commitment to improving public health and advancing health equity.
• Previous experience and/or training in communications with demonstrated experience translating plans and ideas to action.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and build relationships with organizational partners.
• Scientific, healthcare, and/or clinical knowledge is an asset.
• Experience coordinating and executing campaigns or stories on all mainstream and growing social channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
• Excellent organizational skills required with strong attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and coordinate multiple tasks simultaneously
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to take personal initiative and exercise independent judgment
• Committed to producing high-quality work
• Calm in a fast-paced, busy environment
• Knowledge of Microsoft software, specifically MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Able to work independently and as a part of a team
• A commitment to value diversity of thought, backgrounds, and perspectives
• Proficiency in or capability of learning new software, including Blackbaud Grantmaking, WordPress, and Adobe Acrobat
• Excellent problem solving, organizational, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to strategically organize and structure simultaneous activities
• Resourceful self-starter with a proven ability to perform under tight deadlines
• Proven track record of social media engagement
• Knowledge of grants administration is an asset but not required.

This description is intended to indicate the kind of work-related duties that will be required in this position.  The use of a particular illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties, not mentioned, that are of a similar level or difficulty.

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