PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.  

The Strategy & Communications vertical at PATH is a shared service supporting other verticals (Family Health, Infectious Diseases, Vaccines, Primary Health Care and Health Systems Strengthening, and Digital Health) by engaging donors, partners, & governments by crafting strategic positioning & communications for PATH’s work. Key Teams under the Strategy & Communications vertical include:

1. Strategy & Partnerships team: The strategy & partnerships team leads donor relations, fundraising, and business initiatives in partnership with program teams. To identify and partner with donors & other non-profits, the team undertakes landscaping, identifies fundraising opportunities, conducts donor outreach, leads business development and proposal development, develops fundraising collaterals, and tracks fundraising performance. The team also develops and implements crucial initiatives for PATH’s programs to improve impact.
2. Communications Team: The Communications team develops and leads organizational strategic communications to key external audiences – donors, partners, governments, and community - in collaboration with program teams at PATH including but not limited to content creation, social media engagement, designing collaterals, and leading external events like conventions & consultations, seminars, webinars, etc.

The South Asia Program is seeking a Communications & government engagement lead who will envision and execute strategic organizational communications to external audiences and position the organization as a public health leader in South Asia. The position will report to the Strategy & Communications Leader – South Asia and will build and lead a team to provide advice and support to projects and functions across the organization. The Lead – Communications & Government engagement (Lead) is responsible for leading PATH teams in South Asia across six focus areas –  

1. General leadership, management, and oversight, 2. Strategy for the Communications & Government engagement function, and 3. Key Communications & Government engagement activities include overall planning and implementation, stakeholder engagement, brand, media, and production.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

GENERAL LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND OVERSIGHT:

• Provide vision, overall leadership, and oversight to Communications & government engagement staff in the South Asia region to ensure strategic positioning and engagement with stakeholders.
• Uphold the standards of PATH to lead a high-performing team, and ensure strict compliance with the donor, government, and PATH policies, regulations, and internal controls.
• Hire, onboard, and retain top talent for Communications & Government Engagement. Build resources for the future of Communications & government engagement at PATH.
• Lead teams supporting projects in diverse low-resource settings with multi-dimensional teams and stakeholders.
• Contribute to organizational development & partner with PATH’s project leads, governments, donors & partners to enhance engagement.
• Select, scope, and manage the work (and budgets) of public affairs and communications firms, contractors, and vendors in support of PATH’s communications efforts.

PATH’S STRATEGY FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS & GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT FUNCTION:

• Scope and identify communications & engagement needs including evolving/ futuristic needs across PATH South Asia’s programs.
• Identify the right external stakeholders (donors, governments, partners, and community) to engage/ position with and their needs.
• Benchmark globally emerging Communications & engagement trends.
• Align with PATH’s Global Brand and Communications strategy.
• Conceptualize, develop, and lead PATH’s positioning, priorities, and approaches for the Communications and government engagement function across South Asia with a focus on organizational positioning with external stakeholders - donors, partners, governments, and community, including the development of all approaches to enable implementation of Communications & engagement strategy.
• Act as a thought partner to the Director – South Asia & Lead – Strategy & Communications.
• Ensure PATH’s communications & engagement strategies and methodologies are integrated across multiple projects, technical areas, and disease verticals to maximize public health impact.
• Effectively communicate the communications & government engagement team’s strategies and new directions to the PATH Leadership Team and throughout the organization in South Asia.

KEY COMMUNICATIONS & GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES:

• OVERALL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION:
  • Lead the design and implementation of strategic communications & government engagement plans and activities to advance PATH’s regional policy and advocacy goals, and build visibility for PATH among target audiences in the South Asia region.
  • Strengthen communications & government engagement capacities within PATH for effective engagement with policymakers, media, and influencers to achieve policy objectives and raise PATH’s visibility.
• BRAND:
  • Work with Headquarters and global communications staff to ensure internal and external alignment of the brand and identity of the PATH.
  • Serve as a focal point to ensure effective communications coordination and collaboration with the PATH Global Engagement and Communications team and with other teams across the organization.
• DONOR AND GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT:
  • Identify Key donors, partners, and government stakeholders across South Asia to engage with and their needs.
  • Devise PATH as the donor’s and government’s partner of choice in public health interventions and policies as per evolving organizational priorities and communicates PATH’s work in an impactful manner
  • Represent PATH with an external audience, serving as a spokesperson for PATH to donors, partners, governments & community on PATH’s work.
  • Represent PATH and build and maintain productive relationships with donors, project partners, national governments, and state governments for both organizational as well as program activities.
  • Assist project leaders of other verticals with stakeholder engagement as required.
  • Participate in global and regional panels, conferences, and other events ensuring that PATH is represented by key stakeholders in public health conversations locally and globally.
• MEDIA:
  • Lead media relations for PATH’s advocacy at national and sub-national levels across PATH’s South Asia region, and oversee strategic deployment and management of media and digital communications channels.
  • Establish and maintain contacts with media houses, both English and vernacular – regional, national, and international - and manage press conferences, news briefings, media interviews, visits, and public events.
  • Support maintenance and upgrades of the website, along with a sound social media and networking placement for the organization.
  • Monitor relevant media coverage, keep abreast of news developments on relevant issues in India and assess the general reaction of the public to the work of PATH based on information gathered.
  • Develop press releases, press briefings, press statements, media and campaign Q&As, place articles in the appropriate media, and clear internal memos on media developments.
  • Ensure consistency of media messaging from all staff, including monitoring that PATH’s media protocols are followed.
• PRODUCTION:
  • Develop and produce compelling written and multimedia content to showcase PATH’s experience, expertise, evidence, and impact.
  • Initiate and implement the production of communication materials (e.g., films, video, audio-visual, etc.), and oversee the qualitative aspects of production, (e.g., quality control, translation, review of layouts, and graphic design).
  • Develop, as required, and provide quality assurance of all project-related communication (reports, web-based material, best practice case studies, and project reports).

Required Skills Required Experience

• Postgraduate degree in Public Relations/Communications with 10-15 years of comparable experience working in communications in public health, international development, or a related field.
• Experience working in a global health or development organization and in integrating communications and advocacy is strongly preferred.
• Proven leadership skills and demonstrated success managing a team of communications professionals.
• Proven ability to engage and manage non-profit donors, international governments, national government, state governments, non-profit partners, etc.
• Proven success at developing and executing strategic communications plans, and in deploying and leveraging a variety of media and digital communication channels and tactics to reach and engage media, policymakers, and influencers.
• Diplomacy and tact as an advisor to senior executives and as an external representative to partners and audiences in visible roles and settings.
• Experience providing communications training and capacity building of colleagues.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Available to travel nationally and internationally up to 30 percent.
• Fluency in English & Hindi is essential. Fluency in Nepali, Bangla, Sinhala and/ or Tamil is desirable.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES

• Good people management and communication skills to manage conflict effectively and motivate employees with commitment to building a shared vision of the future, setting standards, and managing individual and team performance.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership and maintain clarity and focus of investments and action.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collaborative/ matrix organizational structure.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-site team-based organizational structure, including partners and other collaborators.
• Ability to work with people with divergent points of view and to respectfully navigate differences.
• Demonstrated ability to work with partners to achieve results.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with donors, partners, communities and National and State Governments.
• Experience with major donors, INGOs in the health sector and Ministries of Health, government is preferable.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute business strategies, achieving goals through market focus, innovative approaches, and entrepreneurial spirit while bearing in mind calculated risks.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to persuade and influence others.

MUST HAVE LEGAL AUTHORIZATION TO WORK IN INDIA.

PATH IS DEDICATED TO BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE WHERE DIVERSITY IS VALUED.

PATH IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. EVERY QUALIFIED APPLICANT WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT. PATH DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER, GENDER IDENTITY OR ORIENTATION, GENETIC INFORMATION, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY STATUS, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, MILITARY OR PROTECTED VETERAN STATUS, OR ANY OTHER CHARACTERISTIC PROTECTED BY APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL LAW.

*PATH HAS BECOME AWARE OF SCAMS INVOLVING FALSE JOB OFFERS. *

 Please advise: 

• PATH will never ask for a fee during any stage of the recruitment process.
• All active jobs are advertised directly on our career page.
• Official PATH emails will always arrive from an @path.org address or @silkroad.com address.

PLEASE REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS COMMUNICATIONS TO CAREERSITEHELP@PATH.ORG