COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER

Company information

Company

HST Careers

Division

Corporate Services

Province

Gauteng

Job Specification Information

Title

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER

Description

Health Systems Trust (HST) wishes to appoint a Communications & Marketing Manager who will be responsible for the strategic and operational management of HST’s internal and external communications function. The role encompasses brand-building and profiling, media and public relations, digital media development and engagement, knowledge management, information dissemination and oversight of quality assurance for reports, publications and other communications materials. This is a fixed-term contract position, renewable based on funding and performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and continually refine HST’s strategic communications and marketing plan aligned with the organization’s growth strategy, programs, and donor expectations. • Lead messaging development, ensuring consistency across all channels (policy briefs, annual reports, website, social media, media releases, newsletters, and donor communications). • Leads marketing, advocacy communications, and stakeholder engagement to elevate HST’s profile among government entities, funders, partners, and the public health community. • Manage crisis communications readiness and response protocols, counsel leadership on reputational risk management. • Define and execute a proactive marketing strategy to raise awareness of HST’s programs, impact, and value proposition. • Ensure brand stewardship: tone, visual identity, style guides, templates, and quality control across all materials and channels. • Develop and manage a product/offer marketing approach for programmatic portfolios and partnerships, including case studies, success stories, infographics, and data-driven briefs. • Lead event strategy and execution to maximize ROI (conferences, side events, webinars, workshops, and stakeholder forums). • Partner with the BD Unit to translate programmatic impact into compelling proposals, pitch decks, and donor-facing materials that demonstrate value, impact, and sustainability. • Support the BD team in developing strategic marketing collaterals for new business opportunities, responses to RFPs, and donor presentations. • Coordinate internal communications to ensure programs are aligned with market needs and donor expectations. • Develop and maintain a donor communications calendar; produce timely donor updates, impact reports, and grant progress communications. • Build strong relationships with national and international funders, agencies, and multilateral institutions; identify and pursue appropriate visibility opportunities. • Prepare and deliver thought leadership content (articles, policy briefs, blogs) that position HST as a credible partner for donors and the public health community. • Manage content strategy for external communications including the website, social media, newsletters, and digital campaigns. • Oversee the production of annual reports, success stories, multimedia content, and press materials. • Ensure accessibility and inclusivity in all communications; champion data-informed storytelling with clear, credible metrics. • Establish and track KPIs for communications and marketing activities (brand awareness, donor engagement, proposal success rate, website traffic, social media reach, event ROI). • Provide regular reporting to the BDU Director and BD Unit on progress, impact, challenges, and opportunities. • Ensure compliance with HST’s communications policies, ethics, and safeguarding standards. • Manage a small to mid-sized communications team or contractors; oversee budgets, timelines, and performance. • Collaborate with internal stakeholders to create templates, playbooks, and guidelines for efficient, high-quality output. • Stay abreast of sector trends, digital marketing practices, and donor expectations; recommend innovative approaches to maintain competitive edge.

Key Attributes

• Proficiency in digital communications tolls, website/content management systems, analytics (e.g. google analytics) and social media management • Ability to translate complex health data into accessible, compelling communications and visuals. • Project management skills with a track record of delivering on time and within budget. • Strategic thinking and business acumen • Stakeholder relationship management • Collaborative leadership and cross-functional teamwork • Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic environment • Data-driven decision making and storytelling • Quality focus and attention to detail • Cultural sensitivity and ethical integrity • Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic communications and marketing plans that support business development and fundraising. • Strong written and verbal communications skills, ability to tailor messages for diverse audiences (donors, partners, policymakers, communities)

Education Required

Matric

Qualification Required

• Master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Public Health, or a related field.

Experience Required

• At least 7-10 years’ of relevant experience in strategic communications, marketing, and donor relations, preferably within the health sector, NGOs, or development organisations • Experience with grant reporting, proposal support, and donor engagement across national and international funders. • Experience in building partnerships and working across multiple units (HSS, RIS, CEO’s Office, finance, programs).

Remuneration

A salary package commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience and qualifications and in line with HST’s Job Grading System will be offered

Other Job Details

APPLICATIONS/ENQUIRIES • Interested applicants must complete their application online at: https://careers.hst.org.za/ • Applicants are to ensure that their online applications are completed in full, and that comprehensive CVs are uploaded with the online application in order to be considered. • Applicant’s CV must be saved with a filename reflecting their name and surname. • No applications sent via e-mail will be considered for the job, as all applicants must submit their applications online at the provided link. PLEASE NOTE: • Preference will be given to applicants residing in the particular province that this project will be supporting. • All personal information collected is processed lawfully in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). • Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit certified copies of all qualifications and identity documents. • Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. • Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates. • All shortlisted candidates will be subjected to reference and credential checks. • If you have not been contacted within 30 days of the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful. • HST reserves the right to not fill this position. CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 26 February 2026, at 16h30 Health Systems Trust subscribes to diversity and inclusivity, which is informed by the Company’s Employment Equity Plan. Based on this, African males, African females and people with disabilities who meet the job specifications (including but not limited to the required skills, knowledge and education), are encouraged to apply.