Job Title: Creative Writer, LEAP Centre

Reports to: Marketing and Communications Manager, UGHE, with a dotted reporting line to Cluster Lead of Evidence to Practice at LEAP center.

Department: Marketing and Communications, Office of the Vice Chancellor

Location: Kigali, Rwanda; occasional international travel required (5-10%)

Position overview

The Creative Writer will play a key role in producing original, authored content that advances the external-facing communications and knowledge dissemination mission of the LEAP Centre, a new interdisciplinary centre at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE). The LEAP Centre aims to bridge academia and care delivery to advance global health equity through the demonstration of health systems innovations, capacity strengthening through training and collaboration, and the generation and dissemination of insights to inform policy and scale effective solutions. The Creative Writer will serve as a skilled author who can translate complex technical content into compelling written narratives for diverse audiences. S/he will develop and maintain a consistent editorial voice for the Centre, shaping the tone, style, and language through which LEAP communicates its work and impact in writing.

In addition to supporting LEAP-specific priorities, the Writer will be a member of the broader UGHE Marketing and Communications team.

Responsibilities

Editorial Voice and Written Communications

• Support the development and implementation of LEAP’s engagement and communications strategy, working closely with LEAP Leadership and the LEAP Program Manager.
• Define and uphold LEAP’s editorial voice, the tone, style, and written language through which the Centre communicates its work, values, and impact, ensuring consistency across all written materials and channels.
• Develop engaging internal- and external-facing written communications materials that articulate LEAP’s mission, activities, and impact for diverse audiences, including the OnePIH community, potential external collaborators, funders, and donors. Written products include newsletters, annual reports, briefs, op-eds, case studies, white papers, and other promotional or informational materials.
• Manage and update written content across the LEAP Centre’s web presence (including the LEAP landing page) and social media channels, ensuring consistency with PIH, UGHE and LEAP editorial standards.

Translating Technical Content into Accessible Narrative

• Serve as the primary bridge between LEAP’s technical and programmatic work and its public-facing communications, translating complex implementation findings, health systems data, and frontline insights into clear, compelling written narratives.
• Work closely with LEAP researchers, program leads, and implementing partners to extract key insights and develop written products that are accessible to non-specialist audiences, including policymakers, funders, and the broader global health community.

Knowledge Product Writing and Packaging

• Lead writing and editorial support for LEAP knowledge products, including case studies, white papers, technical reports, op-eds, and learning briefs, ensuring content is authoritative, accessible, and written to a high standard.
• Provide communications and layout support for knowledge products, ensuring materials are visually consistent with LEAP and UGHE branding.

Audiovisual Content: Scripting and Story Development

• Develop scripts, voice-over copy, and story treatments for LEAP video and multimedia productions, ensuring the narrative and messaging reflect LEAP’s editorial voice and communications goals.
• Collaborate with LEAP leadership, the UGHE Marketing and Communications team, and site-based communications teams to develop content strategies for audiovisual storytelling.

Events Planning, Communication, and Promotion

• Support planning, promotion, and communications for LEAP-hosted in-person and virtual events, including webinars, workshops, convenings, and launches.
• Develop event-related written communications materials and coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure timely dissemination and follow-up.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• A degree in communications, Journalism, Public Health, International Development, or a related field is required. A master’s degree in Global Health Communications, Public Health, or a writing-intensive discipline is strongly preferred.
• A portfolio of published or distributed written work, including at least one long-form piece (report, white paper, case study, or feature article), is required in lieu of or in addition to formal qualifications.

Experience

• Minimum of 3–5 years of demonstrated professional writing experience, with at least some portion in a global health, academic, or research-adjacent environment.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality long-form and short-form written content, including reports, case studies, op-eds, and narrative briefs, for diverse audiences.
• Experience translating technical or scientific content into accessible, compelling narratives for non-specialist audiences.
• Familiarity with global health, health systems strengthening, or international development contexts.

Additional Assets

• Experience with web content management or social media writing.
• Experience scripting videos or developing story treatments for multimedia content.